More of the Usual Suspects, May 18, 2021

On May 19, 2021 - Wildlife Photography

Let’s check in on some of our local wildlife. I had a chance to get out to see who was out and about a couple times over the last few days. 

Either the painted turtles opened their convention, or they’re waiting for a couple more to show up to make a baseball team. 
Canada geese were coming and going all morning. 
And, of course, geese can neither come nor go quietly….
Canada geese were coming and going all morning. 
There were a handful of sandpipers working through the reeds. Here, a solitary sandpiper stopped briefly in the clear. 
Grackles are in good supply this year. Even they looked sharp in the morning sun. Here’s one not gracking.
And now gracking….
The resident loons spent their morning inspecting the real estate around the pond. They gave a long look at last year’s nesting site before heading off to see what else was available. 
On another outing, I found the marsh along the river a busy place. There are usually a handful of marsh wrens around, often heard and occasionally seen. On my visit they had a much larger presence. There were probably 40 or 50 of them chattering away and I spotted a dozen nests. They were darting about the reeds.
Wrens are very acrobatic while moving around in the reeds.
Wrens pull the fluff out of last year’s cattails to line their nests.
On another outing, I found the marsh along the river a busy place. There are usually a handful of marsh wrens around, often heard and occasionally seen. On my visit they had a much larger presence. There were probably 40 or 50 of them chattering away and I spotted a dozen nests. They were darting about the reeds.
On another outing, I found the marsh along the river a busy place. There are usually a handful of marsh wrens around, often heard and occasionally seen. On my visit they had a much larger presence. There were probably 40 or 50 of them chattering away and I spotted a dozen nests. They were darting about the reeds.
There were several sandpipers about. This solitary sandpiper was getting too sandy….
And took a bath to clean up….
Then told everyone about it….
The red-wing blackbirds are well along in building their nests. That didn’t stop the guys from telling us about it from the highest cattails.
Charles, the chipping sparrow, looked pretty dapper. 
And a pair of veerys were foraging along the bank. 

Bluebird Update, May 18, 2021

On May 18, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Another beautiful spring day here in Vermont. Mom and dad are out hunting and bringing food back to the box. I started putting out some live meal worms last weekend. Haven’t seen the bluebirds taking any. But everyone else seems to enjoy them. The chipping sparrows seem to favor the mealworms over everything else in the buffet. 

There may not be any updates for the next couple days. I’ll be shooting and it will be tough for me to capture and edit video on the road. I’ll see what I can do. 

Here’s mom making a couple trips in with food for the chicks. 

https://youtu.be/BWr1cICG66s

Bluebird Update May 17, 2021

On May 17, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Another warm day here in Vermont. Mom has been out of the box most of the day, returning regularly with food. Late morning, after the box had been in direct sun for several hours, the chicks seemed to be a bit uncomfortable and squirming. The box has several vent holes just below the roof line. Hope they’re helping. The chicks won’t have to be uncomfortable much longer, the first day they’re likely to fledge is Saturday the 22nd. 

Bluebird Update May 16, 2021

On May 16, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Another busy day for our bluebird parents. They spent most of the day hunting and delivering food to the chicks. They did take a break when we had some thunderstorms midday. 

Looks like there is still on egg left in the nest. Yesterday’s video showed one broken egg, then it disappeared. I’d assumed mom hauled it off, but maybe it was hidden under the chicks too. 

Saturday With the Bluebirds, May 15, 2021

On May 15, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

The chicks are growing incredibly fast! You can see that their wing feathers have started to come in. 

Mom has removed the eggs that didn’t hatch from the nest. She broke them and carried them out in pieces. When I get some time, I’ll try to edit the videos to show her hauling them out. 

Friday’s Bluebird Update, May 14, 2021

On May 14, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

We had a nice warm day today, Mrs. Bluebird spent a lot of her time out of the box. Both parents were around the yard most of the day, alternating who brought food back to the box. 

https://youtu.be/1xPJMY0RYNM

Bluebird Update May 13, 2021

On May 13, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Update – I managed to get a video to upload this evening, here’s today’s check in on the bluebirds

Our bluebird chicks are getting big enough to look like birds now. Their feathers are just starting to come in, the chicks are turning blue. Mom and dad continue to haul food in for them. 

Bluebird Update May 11, 2021

On May 11, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Look how big our chicks are getting! They’ve probably tripled in size since Friday. 

Another day with the parents delivering food to the box for the chicks. We’ve got a warm (for Vermont in the spring) afternoon. Mom has been spending more time out hunting. 

Monday’s Bluebird Update, May 10, 2021

On May 10, 2021 - Bluebird Cam

Both parents were busy hunting for the chicks today. Mrs. Bluebird alternates between hunting and sitting in the box. We got some live mealworms today, hopefully that will help them out. 

Here’s several minutes of the bluebird chicks in the nest. Towards the end, Mrs. B returns to feed one of the chicks and settle back in the box. 

Sunday Afternoon Bluebird – and Chickadee – Update, May 9, 2021

On May 9, 2021 - Bluebird Cam, Uncategorized

Mom and dad bluebird are busy feeding their two chicks. Mom spends some of her time sitting on the nest. Dad is hunting off the roof above my office window, he regularly dives past, the heads for the box. 

We’re looking inside a nesting box with the bluebirds in West Newbury, Vermont. The camera is permanently mounted in the box and we can watch without disturbing the birds.