The Tree Swallows fledged yesterday and today. I miss them terribly. For the past week, not 2 minutes would go by and there not be a little one peering out of the hole. They resembled their mother when she would guard the eggs during those first weeks. If you've never seen a Tree Swallow peering from her nest box, you should--they look like orca whales! It's amazing.
The bluebird fledglings left last week and I've yet to see them. I know that Mama and Papa have them in nearby trees because they come for mealworms a lot and take them into the trees. I hope that all 5 made it this time. We've had nice weather lately, so I'm fairly optimistic that I'll be seeing 5 new bluebirds soon. I'm also optimistically awaiting the first egg to be laid in their freshly completed nest. Yes, it's true. The bluebirds have already finished a new nest in their box and all it needs now are 5 little eggs.
We were privileged enough to witness a female Pileated feeding a fledgling last week. They were both on the suet feeder's pole. The female would eat some suet and then deposit it into her fledglings mouth.
It seems that we've hit a bit of a lull with little ones. The only type of bird I've seen begging is a Grackle. I think that second nests are being built and filled right now. In 3-4 weeks, the activity should pick up again.
Having gone out of town a couple of weeks ago, I haven't gotten back into my posting routine yet. I do want to report that there are 5 Tree Swallow nestlings and 5 Eastern Bluebird nestlings in the boxes. It appears that the bluebirds are about 3-4 days from leaving the box. I am tacking on another 4-5 days to the swallows first flight date.
I've seen begging behavior rewarded by a Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Cardinal (the fledge was a Brown-headed Cowbird), Common Grackle, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, and Song Sparrow. It seems that the world has erupted with new birds here! Not a day goes by that I don't see a little one.
I've only seen 2 fledges of the first clutch of the bluebirds. I think that 3 didn't make it, so I'm hoping that all 5 of this one are able to successfully make it through their first tough week outside the box. I have plenty of mealworms to help out.
We have had four new species in the yard lately, there was a Blue Grosbeak at the sunflower feeder and a Yellow-throated Warbler has been dining on banquet in the early evening this week. It is a beautifully colored bird and a joy to see on a now fairly regular basis. A pair of Grey Catbirds were sitting on the barbed-wire fence last week. And finally, I spied an Eastern Kingbird sitting on the garden fence last week.