MOBL with Spider

My first year as a nest box monitor. Under the supervision of Susanne Maidment, a very experienced bander, I was able to capture and band my first male MOBL. I saw him enter his nest box. Susanne said, “Why don’t you try to capture him!: A short, fast run later I blocked the entrance, lifted the lid and captured this VERY calm fellow. Banded him then released him. He flew back to the nest and delivered the spider to one of the young. He held onto this spider for the whole ordeal of capture, band and photo which must have taken 3 or 4 minutes. Love this picture

Barn Swallows nest at Charlies’ Pasture Pavilion.

Nikon D70 80-400 Nice Day.

Roosting birds

This nest box was not used for nesting, but somebody is roosting in it this winter. It’s on a back porch, and it’s warm sheltered position is great for a roosting spot. Many birds roost on porches and patios on homes.

Incubating…a continous job

Baby bluebirds

Rosie and Blue feasting on mealworms.s

Mom & Dad (Rosie and Blue) Eastern bluebirds feeding on mealworms when taking a break from the kids.

Eastern Bluebirds feeding babies.

Mom & Dad blue feed their newly fledged babies. Second video is of Carolina Wren’s fledging. They made a nest in our file folder holder outside office door.

More Bluebirds in 2010 and 2011

The bluebirds came back in 2010 and made another nest in the same birdhouse. If I hadn’t seen the parents, I wouldn’t have know they were bluebirds. I have a picture of them in 2011.

Bluebirds Nesting on Our Patio

This was the first time we had put out any birdhouses in 2009. I bought a cute birdhouse and hoped someone would make a nest. I had been putting out mill worms for the birds to feed on. The bluebirds came by a lot, and finally they made their first nest.

Cliff Swallows take up occupancy each summer at an 8 story office of the General Motors Technical Center.

More than 100 nests were built by Cliff Swallows. These photos document their return.

roadrunner nests

Unknown bird nest, please identify

We found this nest below our deck after the birds had left it this fall.
We tried to find photos on line which would identify the species that made this nest but did not.
Please identify the bird species that made this nest.

Young road runners

“Invasion of the Starling Fledglings”

This spring we had about 12 Starling fledglings (pretty sure from more than one brood). They made a lot of noise and the parents were constantly busy.

My Bird Boxes

Mourning dove chicks

These guys are so cute I love there beaks they don’s look like Mourning doves but when they grow up they are!

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-5

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-5 was located on the second floor a two-story house.

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-4

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-4 was located in a large pole barn

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-3

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-3 was located in a large pole barn

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-2

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-2 was located on the first floor porch of a house.

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-1

Barn Swallow Project Nest# BASW-1 was located in a large pole barn.

Bluebirds 2014 Take 2

2nd brood of 2014. Saw both fledglings take their first flight.

mourning dove

Chestnut shouldered petronia feeding chicks

chestnut shouldered petronia I saw one late afternoon when the cry of chicks drew my attention. The mother was feeding the two chicks (could be 3 but didnt see clearly, 2 was sure) feeding for 5 seconds and then gone for a minute or two to return back and proceed with ritual. the process continued for an hour. the chicks were crying so loud and trying to come out of hole in the tree. I think it is very easy for chicks to fall from nest asking for food.

Dog barn nests

Two barn swallow nests in dog barn.

Day before fledging

5 barn swallow babies actively being fed by busy parents the day before they fledged.

Baby Bird Bathing

Snowy Egret Chick (Two Weeks Old)

This two-week old Snowy Egret chick exercised its little wings while waiting for its mother to return with fish from a nearby pond. Photographed with film at the Palo Alto Bay Wetlands Preserve, Palo Alto, California.

Hawk Visitor

Is this a Coopers or Red tail Hawk

Nesting Eastern Bluebirds

Photos taken while monitoring an Eastern Bluebird trail consisting of 21 nesting boxes over three months.

Robin nest

These chicks were sleeping mother was off getting food.

Feed me!

These 7 magpies were almost ready to fledge but first they needed a meal!

Baby Doves

Dare to mess with my nest??

She was sitting on her nest with eggs in it the male came and gave her fish once in a while.

Doves Nest on patio

Watched two doves build a nest and lay eggs – finally saw the babies appear last week. They were very comfortable with us walking around their nest and taking pictures from about 5 feet away. Next time will chart the journey now that I know about this site!

Mom’s got food!

The mother was going back and fourth feeding her young swallows she was feeding then moths which was most likely the best thing they ever tasted!

Wait up for me Mom!!

These almost ready to be alone mallard ducks are with there mother struggling to catch up with her as she tries to stay away from a Red-tailed hawk who keeps diving for her chicks but she attacked the red tailed hawk.

Robin nest

There were five robin eggs that luckily all made it to adulthood because there is so much magpies but this is the last day before they hatched.

Mourning dove chicks

They were together in a nest five feet off the found in a nest five feet above the ground. The mother got scared away so i took a few photos.

Beautiful family

The mother Killdeer was very hard to spot by a casual observer. The only that I got a picture of the eggs was when she left the nest. She was very protective and tried to lure me away from the nest. The nest was a work of art, the eggs blending so well with the background. It was a wonderful day when three eggs hatched, one never hatching. The babies soon scampered off after their sweet mama. It was an amazing experience to behold.

Fat little robin

It was an amazing moment when I caught sight of this robin on the tree. It made the perfect silhouette against the overcast background.

Male Bluebird with dragonfly to feed to nestlings

During my weekly monitoring of the bluebird trail at Bob Evans Farms headquarters, I witnessed this male bluebird bring a dragonfly to his nestbox to feed to the three nestlings inside.

Friendly juvenile Red-Shouldered Hawk

Photo’s of a young Red-Shouldered Hawk that stayed around our property for over a month while learning how to fend on it’s own. It would call to us from the oak trees when we were outside and liked to hunt the moles in our front yard. Even bathed often in a water pan we put out for it to cool itself in the extreme heat over 100 degrees up to 112 the first few days of July 2014.

Great Blue Heron

This is my newest neighbor, a Great Blue Heron, a young male just stretching his wings and wading in a newly restored historic creek. I am proud to say he has become a regular sight to see. I greet him each morning with a little nod of my head and he pays no mind to the joggers who pass by each day along the trail.

Western Bluebirds feeding nestling

Nuttals Woodpecker nestling

Waiting Room!

Three Baby Birds

Brave new world

A mama wren made a nest in my hanging flower pot. I watched these beautiful babies grow from day to day and was there the moment they flew from the nest. I admit, I cried as they took those first steps to flight!!!

Gonna Fly Soon!

Chow Line

Where’s Mom

what is this? hawk or juvenile eagle

I saw this beauty land on my car this morning. Then to the fence. Then back to car. He was checking everything out w/ a slow steady gaze. Nothing like little birds which are flits.

Mother’s Love

A Barn Swallow feeding her young-one. The action was so fast that I have to wait 45 minutes to take this photo.

No need to make it any bigger.

Fledging Tree Swallow

Bullock’s Oriole being fed

Chestnut-backed Chickadee eggs in nest box

Juvenile Chestnut-backed chickadee

Baby tree Swallows.

Crows and wood chips

Ever since a neighbor cut down some trees and spread the wood chips around in the woods behind my house, I’ve seen crows congregate there. Sometimes it seemed they were there to enjoy the water that accumulated there. Then I noticed that they liked the wood chips too. Even ate one. I don’t get it. Crows eat wood chips? Big chunks? Is this how they get their fiber? 🙂

Final Day of my House Finch nest

The final farewell to our nest of House Finches! Mom & Dad seemed to be calling them from the nearby trees, and shortly before they left the nest, flew over the hanging flower basket and fluttered above the fledglings, seemingly telling them to move out! Within the hour, all three fledglings were gone.

Ready to fly

Cormorant

Cormorant

House finch

Goldfinch

Dinner Time

Female Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Hummingbird feeding at milkweed and canna flowers

first batch of baby lesser finches

these guys left the nest and are on their way out to the big bird world.

Pileated Woodpecker on the Nest

Pileated Woodpecker sitting on its nest.

Guarding the House

Male House Sparrow guarding the nest.

Male and Female House Sparrow

Breeding pair of House Sparrows on my mom’s front porch.

Papa Robin Feeding His Brood

Male Robin was busy feeding his young in a nest in our front yard. The male and female both took turns bringing their little ones worms, crickets, and grasshoppers.

House Finch nest

Red-headed woodpecker

Red-headed woodpecker nested in one of my bluebird boxes. The male opened the hole to a little more than 2 inches and moved in. I’ll leave it this way and see if the woodpeckers use it again next year.

Family Time

In paying closer attention to the water birds this year, I came across a family of Canadian Geese.

I’m Hungry & Can’t Wait!

This baby tree swallow was impatient as both his parents tried to keep up with feeding him. The parents built the nest on 5-18-14, I found the baby hatching on 6-15-14 and by 7-2-14 he was demanding to be fed.

You Can’t Make Me Fly!!!

On 7-18-14 I came across the parents of this baby robin urging him to try and fly. It was like he was saying “I don’t want to fly & you can’t make me!”

American Avocet & Babies

This year I began looking more closely at birds around areas of water close to my home. The American Avocet was quite interesting to watch. I was truly excited later in the season when I came across this mother and her two babies. What a lucky find!

New Home

Shots of the two surviving young after the nest fell from the rafters of the carport it was originally built in.

Sweetie\’s Nest

All clean

Young male bluebird in bird bath.

House Finch nest

Four eggs appeared over three days, apparently one belonging to a Cowbird. Less than two weeks later, we have three baby Finches!

Male Red-bellied woodpecker feeding young.

This pair has been coming regularly to feed from my suet cakes. I’m wondering how long it will take for the young to figure how to go directly to the feeder rather than waiting for dad to do all the work. 🙂

Where is my food!!

I was lucky to have those cute birds tenants in one of our bird house. I was walking by the house going out for an outing with my camera in my hand and saw a little baby peaking out the hole. I was lucky to quickly take a few pictures of him.

Fantail bird

Border Crossing

My spouse and I were returning from a trip to Clinton, NY and returning to Montreal. As we were approaching the border, we had to stop to let that cute little geese family cross! It was so adorable to see and I am so glad to have had my camera handy!

First to hatch

Mourning dove family

Spread your wings and fly!

Baby Northern Cardinal sits on a tree branch moving its feathers – in and out, in and out and then flies off:)

Feed me!

Almost got it!

Watched female Eastern Bluebird build a nest by taking pieces from an old flower pot as material for her nest.

Sitting on the nest

Female Eastern Bluebird is faithfully on her nest – day and night!

Yummy!

Baby Eastern Bluebird visits the feeder. Being a new birder (began Oct 2013), I had to do some research on what kind of bird this was. I was so excited and happy to discover it was a baby Eastern Bluebird.

Black-Chinned Hummingbirds

During the summer of 2014 my children and I observed a Black-chinned hummingbird making a nest. We watched while she made the nest, sat on the eggs, hatched, fed them and then witnessed them flying away.

tree swallows

I have more than one birdhouse but the swallows they always come back and like the same house, it’s adorable to see them how they protect their kids and how much they work looking for their meal

Love These Baby Wrens !!!

Our Wrens Fledged 7-21-14 4 Beautiful Chicks

Baby robins (brood #3)

Chicks of Red Vented Bulbul

Red-vented Bulbul is very common bird in Lahore .Both male and female were feeding and taking care of young ones.

Unfertilized Bluebird brood nest destroyed

This is the third unsuccessful/unfertilized brood by our Bluebirds this year. We’ve never had unfertilized eggs before, and this year unfertilized eggs in 3 nesting attempts is all we have. Every other year, they’ve been 100% successful in hatching/raising/fledging young – sometimes 4 broods per year! Today woke up to see this – apparently a raccoon? But I was somewhat gladdened to at least know it didn’t happen with a viable set of eggs. ANYONE ELSE seeing unfertilized Bluebird eggs this year?! I don’t know what to do… The only change to the environment this year is that I’ve waited to introduce live mealworms for the eggs to hatch (having done that way to yearly in each previous year).

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology