Cute Eastern Phoebe.

An Eastern Phoebe was flying about catching insects.

Bluebirds nesting in the Crepe Myrtle

In 2011, this nest of Eastern Bluebirds was found in my Crepe Myrtle tree. After seeing the recent article in the NABS “Bluebird Journal” of Fall 2017 (vol. 39, no.4) reprinted from the NestWatch blog, I decided to share my photos from 2011. I didn’t see the nest being built, but it was finished when I saw it, and the bluebirds were the only ones I saw at the nest. It looks, to me, as if the nest material is, indeed, a bluebird-selected material.

Snowy Egret

Northern Cardinal nest site

April 3, 2017 after a storm knocked down the Lonicera sempervirens vine, a broken egg was seen on the ground. On further inspection a nest was found tucked deep into the middle of the vine. In the nest was one egg. The male and female cardinal were seen to enter the site several times over the next few days. When they stopped entering, the nest was inspected to find the egg was weak; it was removed. There were two other sites observed in our yard with N. Cardinals nesting but did not get close for fear of disrupting. Did take some pictures on April 30, 2017 of a male and female N.Cardinal fledging one of their young.

Robin nest site for 2017 Nest Watch.

Chronological set of pictures showing progression of Robin nest

Bluebirds moving in next door?

We put up a Bluebird house in the Spring but had no activity,,,one morning in October I look out the window and there was the little couple investigating the Bluebird house. Unfortunately, they did not take up residency but they may be back in the spring. 🙂

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Waiting for me to arrive home….hmmm

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Great Horned Owl in South Austin TX

Large Great Horned Owl sat in a tree in our backyard all day. Rested, watched us, got harassed by the blue jay.

Great crested Flycatcher successfully nesting in Peterson nest box–late in season

A great crested Flycatcher was sighted going in and out of a nest box (Peterson) on July 5, 2017 one week after a house wren nest had been removed. 4 eggs were found in grass/leaf, hair/ nest on 7/12. Nest pictures taken with eggs and young. First egg calculated to be laid on 7/8 and last on 7/11. Hatching (correctly) calculated to be on 7/26 and fledging of 4 occurred on 8/4.
Examination of the vacated nest revealed 5 cicada heads, 1 small praying mantis head with 2 leggs, 1 darner wing, 1 small clam shell, 1 land snail shell and many black cherry pits, feathers and much gray dusty material No snake skin seen.

Junco nest

Junco nest by corner of house on ground in July this year.

Dark-eyed Junco nest on ground

Loggerhead Shrike Fledgling

Loggerhead Shrike fledglings often copy adult hunting behavior by piking up inanimate objects!

Hurry Up!

Visiting my family and a wren family nested 10 to 15 feet off my family’s back porch. Took lots of shots of mom and dad coming and going!

Loggerhead Shrikes Just Hatched

I watched as these Loggerhead Shrikes emerged from there eggs!

Loggerhead Shrike

This Loggerhead Shrike is about to fly into it’s nest to feed it’s chicks!

Black-crowned night Heron

I watched this Black-crowned night Heron as it gathered nesting material!

Red-eyed Vireo incubating eggs.

Loggerhead Shrike Chicks

Loggerhead Shrike chicks

Loggerhead Shrike Chicks

House wren

Bald Eagle over Lake Dillon

Light sconce robins nest

This photo was taken of a robins next atop the light sconce to the left of the front door. We don’t use that door often so it was all finished with eggs in it before we even knew it was there.

Northern Cardinal nest cradled in palm tree branch

I spotted this female cardinal early this morning on a palm tree branch that hangs over my driveway. I’ve had baby cardinals with parents in the yard this summer and I must have walked by the nest 100 times. Upon inspection this afternoon, it looks like there is one hatchling.

Loggerhead Shrike Fledgling

Northern Mockingbird Nest

Waxwing hiding from the wind

Black Chin hummingbird

1st active hummingbird nest I have found

Breeding female Bullock’s Orioles

A gaggle of female orioles that come back annually during their breeding season arriving each year at the end of March. With this crop, there are two males that show up at the feeder from time-to-time. They are a lot of maintenance – I have to make sure to keep the feeders stocked twice a day. It is a bittersweet experience to go out into the backyard and realize they have all abruptly moved on…usually happens in the first weeks of September…

House Finch Nest

Black-headed Grosbeak, female

9 day old Bluebirds

4 in a Nest

Patricia the Mourning Dove

Mom and 2 fledglings nesting inside a flower basket over our front door containing a nest built and used by a robin earlier in the summer. An honor and privilege to host them!

Mountain Bluebird Family

Nest Site located in Dillon Preserve, Dillon, CO

VGS Nestling near fledge day

Tree Swallow Fledglings

While checking my nest sites I discovered a newly-fledged site of Tree Swallows. They all fledged (5)!!!!!

Evening Grosbeak feeding fledgling; backyard birds

Backyard birding activity

2nd VGS Nest Site on MT BB Trail

Baby Blue Birds 2017

Precious baby blue birds

House Wren Nest

House wren nest in a lilac bush.

Verdin on Ocotillo

I was standing out in Organ Pipe Cactus NM waiting for hummingbirds to feed on this ocotillo when this beautiful Verdin arrived for just a few seconds.

I think it would work as a cover image.

Male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak Feeds Juvenile.

I saw this male Rose-Breasted Grosbeak eating some suet at the suet feeder and I was surprised to see a juvenile come along, as well!

killdeer nest

Front Porch Pacific-slope Flycatcher Nest

A Pacific-slope Flycatcher nest was discovered sitting on the light fixture in our front porch. The brooding female seemed oblivious to people and dog traffic through the front door, dog barking, doorbells ringing and sewer replacement noise behind our back yard. Three eggs were laid, three hatched and three grew almost to fledging with the continual feeding from both male and female birds. Unfortunately, the nestlings left the nest before being close to fledging, we think because of a large mite infestation that developed in the final few days of the nesting attempt.

Western Kingbirds

4 eggs laid on 6/11/17, 3 eggs hatched on 6/29/17. 2 of the 3 survived and left the nest on 7/20/17.
Truly the most incredible experience watching each day the little changes!!!!

Junco Nest in a Tree

While out bird watching my friend and I saw a Junco – then it flew up to this tree nest where it fed the little ones. The nest was about 6.5 feet up a tree on a little “shelf” in a hole in the tree.

Tree swallow

Northern Flicker feeding her young

Oriental magpie robin nest and eggs

Kestel nest box in Gallatin Valley, MT

The photo was taken by connecting my Iphone to a tiny ‘Zxanycam’ similar to a Go Pro but smaller. It was mounted on a pole an quietly poked through the hole in the nest box. We found this method of nest counts to be less intrusive then the’ ladder-open box’ technique.
This photo was taken June 8th, 2017 in Gallatin Valley, Montana. Our Sacajawea Chapter has banded over 60 Kestrels this summer. Martha Collins- Bozeman, MT

Unknown nest

5 baby Eastern Bluebirds

This is the second brood this year for this house.

Mourning Doves

5 Baby Eastern Bluebirds

For two years previous we tried the traditional square nest box however, they would be taken over by house sparrows. The moment we put up the round Gilbertson box Eastern Bluebirds moved in. The Sparrows initial checked it out but, weren’t really interested in nesting in it.

Wyoming High Country Lodge

July 22nd nest inspection revealed four healthy and fully feathered Mountain Bluebird chicks and one unhatched egg remaining in the nest.

Dinner time!

Song sparrow eating seed at feeder.

Down the gullet

Such a delight to watch these birds maneuver around the box opening to feed their little one’s. I stood on a ladder, for a half hour, at box level height, to capture.

Taken with a Pentax K50, 200 focal point, shutter speed at 1600, ISO 100, manual setting.

Common myan nest with eggs

Peafowl nest hidden in dense shrubs

Laughing dove on incubation

Peacock on top of its beauty

Peacock showing its beauty

Peacock and peahen mating pair

Baby palm squirrel

Baby sparrow in nest

Hungry babies of common myan

Tailor bird nest

Common myan doing parenting

Common myan nesting

Pair of Weaver bird on work of art

Cattle egret family o mest

Cattle egret nets

Sparrow nest and eggs

Oriental magpie robin nest and eggs

Mom robin incubating her eggs

Baby magpie robin

Magpie robin babies

Baby magpie robin

Baby magpie robin first steps in new world

M Dove mom and 1 of her 2 babies – 20 Jul 17

Tailor bird babies

Laughing dove eggs

Baby tailor bird

Prinia bird eggs

Baby laughing dove

Mom dove incubating

Eurasian dove feeding baby

Incubation time

Tailor bird eggs and 1st baby

Baby magpie robin

Baby magpie robin peeping out

Hatching Robins

Photo of two newly hatched and third egg with crack fourth intact taken 7/21/17

Cute baby peeping out of nest to see the big world

Ready to explore the new world

Eastern Kingbird Takes Occupancy of a Vacant Nestbox

Our bluebird/tree swallow box was vacant this year. The wind blew open the door and before we could close it an Eastern Kingbird took occupancy. She just hatched three nestlings and stands watch over her nestlings.

Multiple Barn Swallow nests

Barn Swallow nests in riser at Lake Barton dam. Appears to be 7-8 nests on top of one another. Looks like growth rings. A normal Barn Swallow nest is on the other side.

Feeding Time

Dad brings in food for the young chick still on the nest.

my first nests to photograph

these are nest that are near people and on a busy parkway road

California Scrub Jay

Clutch of 4 eggs