Western Bluebird Male Claims New Home photos by Larry Jordan

As I began my monitoring of the Bluebird Trail at Lema Ranch I saw a Tree Swallow attached to the front of the house, peering into the entrance hole.  He looked something like this.

I thought to myself, well, it looks like the first Tree Swallows are here and taking the first nest box on the trail.  That’s when the pair of Western Bluebirds swooped down to make sure the Tree Swallows knew “this house is taken.”

I clicked off a shot of the action as quickly as I could but it doesn’t do the event justice.  You can see in this photo the female bluebird’s head is sticking out of the nest box as the male bluebird (upper left) is chasing away the two swallows (middle top and center).

And the happy couple sitting atop their newly claimed home, wondering what I’m doing here

I will be monitoring three Bluebird Trails again this year.  One at Lema Ranch, one at Palo Cedro Community Park and one in Oak Run.  I will keep you updated on these nest sites, as well as other nests I happen to find.

You can be a nest watcher too.  If you want to learn how you can be part of this citizen science project go to Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch site for all the information.  You might be able to watch bluebirds grow up from eggs like these I have in my first occupied bluebird nest box of 2010 in Oak Run.

This is what’s happening in my world.  To find out what’s happening in other places around the world, visit My World!

Geese Flying Overhead in “V” Formation photos by Larry Jordan

As the winter turns to spring and the geese once again begin flying north in those beautiful “V” formations you hear flying overhead, it is time to check your nest boxes once again.  Even if you cleaned your birdhouses out in the fall, after all the nesting activity was over, you need to check them all and make sure they are once again ready for the return of all of your cavity nesting birds.

You may find that your birdhouses were used by some bird species during cold winters to stay warm at night. You may even find evidence that mice were using some of your nest boxes for homes.  No matter what birds or animals took advantage of the warmth of your birdhouses during the winter, there are important considerations you need to know when you begin cleaning out those nest boxes in the spring.

I found a couple of nest boxes full of acorns this week

Position yourself to avoid inhaling any dust from the nest box and wear gloves while cleaning out the boxes.  I use a putty knife to remove any old birds nests or wasps nests and put them into a plastic bag with a tie or a zip lock bag in case there are any parasites in the nest box material.  Dispose of old nest materials in the trash. Do not dispose of the old nesting materials close to the birdhouse as this may attract predators.

Once you have scraped out the nest box and made sure all of the drain and vent holes are open, you can disinfect birdhouses by spraying them with a 10% bleach solution (one part bleach, nine parts water).  If you decide to disinfect your birdhouses, leave them open for 24 hours to allow them to dry before closing them back up.  I recommend disinfecting your nest boxes if you have evidence of parasites in any specific boxes.  Many times you can simply scrape the insides of the birdhouses and wash them out with a sharp stream of water.

Just as I’m sure you like a clean house, your birds enjoy a clean birdhouse when they arrive in the springtime to bring all of their beautiful color and song to your backyard.  Make them welcome by keeping your birdhouses clean before they arrive in the spring and, if you have nesting birds that produce more than one brood per season, clean out the nest boxes after each brood.  You can download a complete nest box monitoring guide in PDF format here (3MB).

It’s also very important to clean your bird feeders regularly.  Cleaning bird feeders and birdbaths is a crucial practice in preventing the spread of disease between birds.  Audubon recommends disinfecting your feeders with the same 10% bleach solution you use for your nest boxes once or twice a month.

When you clean your feeder, get rid of the old seed.  Rake or sweep up any uneaten hulls on the ground.  Avoid overcrowding by providing more than one feeder for each type of feed you plan on feeding.  Move your feeders, if you can, to prevent waste from piling up below the feeders.

Empty water from your birdbath every few days, brush it clean and refill it with fresh water.  You will need to do this more often in warm weather.  Having a constant source of running water is ideal.  Birds can’t resist running water!

Once you clean out all of your nest boxes and bird feeders, you are ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count.  The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent and in Hawaii.  It takes place from February 12th through the 15th this year.

Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts.  It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event.  It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds.

Western Bluebird Nestlings At 5 Days Old all photos by Larry Jordan

House Sparrows, imported from Europe in 1851, multiplied so rapidly in the United States that by the early 1900s they were displacing Bluebirds at an alarming rate by competing for nesting sites.  People who loved the very popular bird that "carries the sky on its back and the earth on its breast" were concerned.

Western Bluebird Male

In 1934, Thomas Musselman wrote an article for the National Audubon Society urging the establishment of "bluebird trails" across the United States.  Over forty years later, Dr. Lawrence Zeleny wrote the book The Bluebird – How You Can Help Its Fight For Survival which prompted letters from bluebird enthusiasts all over North America.  From the efforts of these two men and several others, the North American Bluebird Society (NABS) was born in March of 1978.

Western Bluebird Pair

The Western Bluebird is not out of the woods yet.  They are listed as sensitive in Oregon and Utah, and are a candidate for listing in Washington.  They are listed as a species of high concern by New Mexico Partners In Flight and considered "in jeopardy" in California.  In British Columbia, the Western Bluebird is proposed for designation as a species of "special concern."  This is in stark contrast to the Eastern Bluebird which has had a more successful conservation effort over the past 30 years, in large part due to the establishment of bluebird trails.

Monitoring your birdhouses is also a very important part of the puzzle.  The entrance hole for bluebirds should never be over 1 9/16" in diameter.  This keeps out the European Starling but not the other non-native species, the House Sparrow.

House Sparrow Male

This is the last thing you want to see at your bluebird nest box, a male House Sparrow.  I thwarted this intruder by removing the eggs that had been laid in the nest.  This tactic has worked for me the only two times I had a House Sparrow problem.  To see more about how to combat this threat to the bluebird, visit my friend Bet’s website here.  She has the best information on bluebirds on the net.

The North American Bluebird Society is a non-profit education, conservation and research organization that promotes the recovery of bluebirds and other native cavity-nesting bird species in North America.  I have had the joy of monitoring three bluebird trails that provide nesting for three other cavity nesting species in my neck of the woods.  The Oak Titmouse…

the Tree Swallow…

and the Ash-throated Flycatcher

If you are interested in helping the bluebird’s struggle to survive, join the North American Bluebird Society and if you have the time and habitat, start a bluebird trail.  You can help several cavity nesting species in your area by simply putting up birdhouses in your yard and monitoring them.

If you are interested in helping cavity nesting birds in your area or if you have any questions about birdhouses or bluebird trails, please contact me and I will help you get started on this fun and rewarding endeavor.

Ash-throated Flycatcher Feeding Young In A Nest Box photos by Larry Jordan

I love this time of year!  Ash-throated Flycatchers are so much fun to watch as they hawk insects and catch them in mid air.  Plus they have a sweet call that is a delight to wake up to in the morning.  I went out this morning to get some photos of one of the nesting pairs on my “home” bluebird trail.  These proud parents are using this standard bluebird house with a 1 1/2″ entrance hole on which I installed a slate porthole protector.

Here I come with a big juicy grub for you kids …

Or maybe I better make sure it’s all clear before I go in …

Everything looks safe, even that guy standing over there with the camera …

What a beautiful Spring morning!

If you love birds (now that’s obvious) make it over to Bird Photography Weekly and see some more great bird photos!

Ash-throated Flycatchers Begin Nesting all photos by Larry Jordan

It started out with the unmistakable song as I checked my bluebird trail at Lema Ranch this morning.  This is what it sounded like: Ash-throated Flycatcher Song.

So I spot one of the Ash-throated Flycatchers on the ground.  What is it doing?  Gathering nesting material.  Now I am getting excited.

I follow it to a nearby oak tree where, sure enough, the pair are building a nest.

If you keep your ears and eyes open, many times you may be able to find birds nesting sites and be able to follow their progress from mating to fledging their young.  You want to make sure that you don’t disturb the nest in any way.  You want to simply be a good observer.  You may also want to help Cornell Lab of Ornithology by joining Nest Watch!

Here’s a photo of the Ash-thoated Flycatcher peeking out of their new home.

I get excited finding these nest sites because I am able to literally watch nature unfold.  If you have cavity nesting birds in your neighborhood and put up birdhouses, it’s even easier to observe their behavior because you have a front row seat!

Click on this photo to see a larger image

Ash-throated Flycatchers are a cavity nesting bird that will use a standard bluebird house or if you want to build your own, you may make the floor size a bit larger.  Either way you will have loads of fun watching them and hearing their sweet, bubbly song.

If you want to see more cool bird photos, fly on over to Bird Photography Weekly and join in the fun!