Bluebirds in my yard

A pair of Bluebirds nesting in box 20 feet away from our house

Indigo bunting

New summer visitor to our feeders

American Kestrels

Kestrel brothers and sister, learning to fly

House Finch – California

Bluebird Baby

Eastern Bluebird baby in backyard bluebird house. We called him Helmet Head! 🙂

Things Found in Kestrel Nest Boxes

I have a route of kestrel nest boxes that I check every two weeks in the spring, as a volunteer with Conserve Wildlife NJ. These photos are some of the more interesting things I found yesterday.

Mourning dove nest

We’re afraid that this mourning dove nest has been abandoned, since we haven’t seen the parents for a week or so. We haven’t been watering this hanging spider plant just in case we’re wrong, though..The first time this nest was used, the eggs weren’t abandoned.

bluebird babies spring 2013

First spring in our new house. We built a bluebird house and placed it in the appropriate place as advised by a cornell website. Bluebirds moved in, laid 5 eggs, and 4 hatched. It was great to see it happen as it should.

Young American Robin observed in nest

Baby Blue Jays

managed to get pics of 2 of the 4, these are 4 or 5 days fledged

WHAT IS IT?

WHAT IS IT? It was going to grackles (several times) a mockingbird and a blue jay trying get someone to feed it, no-one would 🙁 it makes sort of a ack-ack sound

Red-bellied woodpecker

Great crested flycatcher

Day of fledging, great crested flycatcher

Black-capped chickadee nest

I thought, since there was only one hatchling from 7 eggs, that this was a cowbird. Now I think it looks like a chickadee. Anyone know for sure?

Our Ladder Babies!

White-winged Dove nest

The House of Chickadees

A couple of chickadees chose our decorative birdhouse to make a family and 6 young fledged successfully 06/07

Anna’s Hummingbird Landing at Her Nest

An Anna’s Hummingbird lands at her nest and nestles down over her two jelly bean-sized eggs. Filmed on location at Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA.
This and other related video clips may be seen at the blog page on my website where I present a three-part post about this hummingbird and her chicks.
http://www.biophiliapress.com

My first clutch of feathered baby bluebirds!

Terrifically excited! As a first time bluebird landlord who started just 2 months ago, I now have a first clutch of 5 babies alive and well and ready to fledge any time!

terra-cotta first chick

Anna’s Hummingbird Returns to Her Nest

An Anna’s Hummingbird returns to her nest to feed her remaining chick (the other had fledged the day before).
Filmed on location at Natural Bridges State Beach,, Santa Cruz, CA.
This is one of several videos that may be viewed at the blog page of my website, where I present a three-part post about this hummingbird and her chicks.
http://www.biophiliapress.com

Hermit Thrush nest in woodshed

Nest built in the corner of a woodshed containing split white spruce firewood. Filling the woodshed is on hold.

Anna’s Hummingbird at Her Nest

An Anna’s Hummingbird nestled upon her eggs a few days before they hatched. Photographed at Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA.
This image and others, as well as video clips may be seen at the blog page on my website. There you will find a three-part post about this hummingbird and her chicks.

http://www.biophiliapress.com

Anna’s Hummingbird Feeds Her Chicks

An Anna’s Hummingbird returns to her nest to feed her hungry chicks. She feeds them a steady diet of sap, insects, and nectar.
You can see this and other related videos at the blog page on my website: http://www.biophiliapress.com, where I present a three-part blog post about this Anna’s Hummingbird and her chicks.

Tree Swallow Nestlings

Tree Swallow Nestlings in plastic gourd.

Tree Swallow Eggs

Tree Swallow nest with eggs in plastic gourd.

Barred Owl Nestling

Barred Owl nestling in old Beech tree.

Carolina Chickadee Eggs (8)

Nest in a nest box.

Anna’s Hummingbird Chick Hatched

Less than twenty-four hours old, this tiny Anna’s Hummingbird chick slept next to its sibling which hatched the next day.
You can see this and other related videos at the blog page on my website: http://www.biophiliapress.com, where you will find a three-part blog post about an Anna’s Hummingbird and her chicks filmed on location at Natural Bridges State Beach, Santa Cruz, CA.

male Nuttall’s woodpecker feeding his son.

Nuttall’s woodpeckers in Pepper tree.

Tree Swallows’ Success

These Tree Swallows have successfully nested in boxes intended for Eastern Bluebirds. There is another pair in the same general area, which nested and laid eggs earlier than this pair, yet their eggs have yet to hatch.

Successful House Wren Hatchings

Black Vulture Chicks

7 Black-capped Chickadee’s about to fledge

Comstock STEM Academy students are monitoring this nest box and 9 others.

Encouraging to fledge

Anna’s Hummingbird Chicks Exercising Their Wings

These chicks were a few days away from fledging. They had become increasingly aware of other winged, feathered creatures flying about, and they realized that they too, will soon fly.

Catbird nest

Had three eggs yesterday morning, one disappeared by yesterday afternoon, back up to three today!

First clutch in the birdhouse Samuel made

Bluebird Eggs-up to 3 so far!

Three Eastern Bluebird Chicks awaiting first flight!

These three chicks now with eyes open are nearing first flight stage!

American Robin Hatchlings and Eggs

Noticed the Robin spending a lot of time in and around our yard. My husband noticed the nest while cutting the lawn on May 31st.

House finch?

Two nests built in my grill, share a common wall. 5 eggs in the second nest built.

On top of ol’ ladder! All cover with nest. :)

Mama Robin thought it would be a good idea to build her home on the top of a ladder leaning against our house.

Ozzie and Harriet: Back for another year…

While perhaps not the same pair that started nesting here in 2007, these Barn Swallows have been “summer renters” every year. They don’t seem to mind me being on the porch or even on the ladder when I relocated the webcam. Guess they figure I’m the “landlord”.

Nesting Eastern Phoebe

A pair of phoebes has built a nest on the drainpipe under our front porch. They built it on a base of spiderwebs and moss. It was fun to watch the whole process, and they don’t seem to mind when we are sitting on the porch either.

Robin chicks

One of three Robin chicks

Eastern Bluebird egg laid in the last 24 hours

5 Eastern Bluebirds

cardinal in snow

Bluebird Eggs

Another Robin Mother!

This is Other Mother, another robin mother who has nested on an a/c unit in my apartment complex facing Schmeeckle Reserve (my backyard). She does not trust me at all! So I am careful to not to alarm her again. Here she is eyeing me, her whole body on full alert, checking me out. I accidentally found her nest. I thought her nest was one abandoned by the robin who has nested across from my apartment. Nope. She has 3 eggs!

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker on the Make!

I learned that this woodpecker was seeking a mate. He startled me with his cat-like, high-pitched, very loud caterwauling! He hit the sign just as loudly, unafraid of me. I learned sapsuckers hit signs like this — and the brighter the sign the better — to attract females. I was wearing bright colors that morning as well. His noise making and following me around that morning made for great advertising.

Serene on her nest

Serene the Robin atop her nest on May 28th, 2014, looking directly at me. I used my zoom lens to capture such an intimate moment. She now has a full nest of four eggs. I took a photo of her eggs during her feeding time.

Bluebirds fledge 2014

Last three chicks fledging from the box on May 23, 2014, between 3 and 4 PM EDT. I was not quick enough to get the first chick fledging, but it was less than 5 minutes before the second chick.

Tufted Titmouse nest containing runt egg

A comfortable nest

4 pink Tree Swallow eggs

Sweet babies!

Mourning Dove

Mourning dove female in nest with eggs on ladder leaning against wall in patio.

Mourning Dove – Third Attempt 2014!

Mourning Dove adult and baby

Ms Robin’s next – from eggs to first fledgling

Ms. Robin nested atop a coil of garden fencing leaning against the porch. I only noticed the nest once three eggs were in it. She laid the forth and all four eventually hatched. One robin fledged today and the other three are almost ready!

House Finch Nest?

We believe this is a house finch nest. Accidentally discovered it when we were preparing to repot this hanging plant. Returned the hanging basket to its place on the porch and the momma bird returned to the nest within 30 minutes. Saw her leave the nest this morning and quickly went out and snapped the picture. Believe its a house finch nest, but with where the nest is, I can’t get my camera to zoom in for a clear picture of her.

Serene Robins

My newest neighbors, a pair of American Robins, have built three different versions of nests, and despite human traffic (the noise of lawnmowers, cars, partying college students who have just graduated), they have settled on an air conditioning unit directly across from my apartment window.

They have been very easy to photograph, letting me peek into their private world without interrupting their nesting process or frightening them away. The birds are lucky to have picked a place where our backyard faces Schmeekle Reserve: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/schmeeckle/Pages/home.aspx

The nearby University of Wisconsin — Stevens Point campus has an excellent Natural Resources department and the area students and community love our wildlife!

As of May 25th, 2014 the Robins, whom I identify as Serene (female) and Serenade (male), have two eggs in the finally finished nest.

terra-cotta

Dove Family

During the winter of 2014, a dove couple visited with us be sitting on our deck many days. They seemed to watch us. This past month, mrs. dove nested in one of our window boxes. We watched from our window how attentive she was all the way through them flying the nest and now hanging out on our deck. The babies stay on the deck all day. Mom and Dad come back to check on them. They get fed, sit, groom each other and do other bird teachings. daddy dove will call and it’s almost as of he is teaching the young to follow. He will fly over to a chair or other ledge, etc…call and they follow when they feel they can make it. It’s so adorable to watch. Very loving parents!

As I write this, I am sitting on the deck across from them. They groom and sleep. The first night I did this, Mom and Dad sat on the wire above us watching.

Robin’s nest

Feeding time

American Robins

pep boys

Hungry

Mallard Nest

Mallard Nest with 8 Eggs found May 8, 2014

Chickadee chicks

4 healthy Carolina Chickadees. Apps 5-8 days from fledge!

House Finch Nest

Two chicks from the recently built house finch nest on our back porch. They nested in a hanging basket.

Runt Bluebird egg

Bluebird nest containing 1 undersized (runt) egg

Killdeer and four young

This nest was discovered near the first tee of one of the Pinehurst Resort’s golf courses. Course maintenance personnel surrounded the nest site with wooden curbing and small irrigation flags to keep equipment and people away. As you can see, the nest attempt was a success.

Bewick’s Wren Nest

story of the wrens

The resident Carolina wren decided to build a nest in my porch. Out of a brood of four, three fledged.

Mama and 2 Babies

She sat on them a lot the first few days….today was the first day we saw the babies sitting on their own beside their mom. They seem to love their messy but cozy home.

Carolina Wrens

It was an unexpected treat seeing these Carolina Wrens fledge today!

Baby doves in the gazebo.

Last year, I discovered a dove nest inside the rafters of my backyard gazebo. She had one baby who I got to watch grow up and she eventually flew away. Left the nest alone and to my delight, the doves returned to the nest this year and they are raising two new babies. The papa dove often can be seen on top of my storage building keeping watch for the feral cats who frequent my backyard.

Feeding Yellow-rumped Warblers

A flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers has been feeding for several days in the willows below the Dillon dam. Fun to watch; similar to watching Swallows feed. Very entertaining.

Wood Duck Breeding Pair

My first sighting of a Wood Duck in 30 years in Summit County. When I reported it to ebird I was given a warning re: unusual for this area, etc. so it’s gotta be UNUSUAL for this elevation. I have a breeding pair of Mt Bluebirds nearby so stopped to check on their nesting progress; then turned my attention to the nearby pond and was stopped dead-in-my-tracks. Very little human encroachment in the area; the Wood Ducks spent 2 days resting (thurs & fri may 15 & 16). Checked on them Fri night; they were still tucked-in the willows; installed a Wood Duck nestbox Saturday afternoon. When I arrived, they were GONE. Heartbroken, I finished the installation and went home with a heavy heart.

Great-horned Owl with young

Returning migrant pair; one chick hidden; female with one baby

Baby

house finch nest in ivy on warehouse building. I think there is only 1 baby, but there may be 2. Another baby was found dead on ground after hatched

Bewick’s Wren Nest

In a birdbox in our backyard, a Bewick’s Wren nested. The first baby has just hatched this morning!!

Flycatcher Frenzy

The myiarchus flycatcher eggs have hatched and the parents are doing everything they can to keep their brood fed. At times they are so successful in the hunt they have to wait for the other parent to leave the nestbox before they can come in. This was one such incident. – Picture taken and uploaded by Paul Pruitt, Docent

2014 Tree Swallows

Three weeks ago while out in the garage I heard loud chirping to find two tree swallows circling low above the ground where I usually had my nest box. I had forgotten to put it out. Quickly mounting the box where I usually have it, the swallows entered it within a minute. They were clearly looking for last years nesting place. Three weeks later, I have 5 eggs. In 2013 I had 6 tree swallows fledge from their nest in the same location.

Baby Robins

Happy Birthday

Newborn babies.

Learning to fly

May 19, 2014 Mid-morning I discovered 2 fledgling Eastern Bluebirds on the ground learning to fly.The parents were in the trees or flying above the youngsters keeping watch. I would check on them over a period of several hours during the day. There is a path through wild violets that leads to larger walking path with high grass on each side that goes to our daughter’s home. This is where the fledglings would be. When they would get “spooked” they would fly into the high grass. When I snapped the submission thumbnail I could see the little fellow breathing hard. What a joy to watch.

baby junkos

Tufted Titmice Hatchlings

Eastern Bluebird Nestbox

17-May-14, Eastern Bluebird, Day 19, a little peek at one of the fledglings when it was thinking of taking that leap of faith from the nestbox. This makes ten (10) fledglings from the first two (2) nests this year so far!

Eastern Phoebe

Barn Swallows

The four have hatched since May 16, the last time I checked the nest. The eggs may have been laid around May 2.

2013 Eastern Phoebe Nest that fledged 5

The Phoebes were under our deck last summer and this summer returned to the same nest. Day and night one adult is on the nest and one is within 25 yards of the nest.