SPRING AND BLUEBIRDS

The weather is beautiful here! Mid-March and the birds have returned to my back yard.  They are singing each morning and I feel it is Spring.  The Bradford Pear Tree is blooming and there are many chirping birds each morning signaling that Spring has arrived early this year...just as the Groundhog predicted.

I'm lucky that the house we bought has such a wonderful yard with flowering plants and trees. The yard has a wonderful amount of natural area that attracts birds like a sanctuary.  

We installed a bluebird house in our yard.  A bluebird couple has been visiting the house.  I'm not sure if they have decided to move in, but I hope so. 

Many years ago, when my daughter was in elementary school.  One of our Saturday outings was to visit the local Wild Birds Unlimited store.  We purchased bird feeders and watched as birds came to eat our birdseed.  As we became more confident in our ability to attract birds, we decided to buy and put up a Bluebird birdhouse.  The birdhouse had a viewing window on the side (the wooden side opened to show a Plexiglas side (much like the birdhouse shown below).

The store owner recommended that we place the birdhouse facing East, which we dutifully did. We were so happy when Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird moved in.  

One day when I got home from work I saw the refrigerator had a Wikipedia article about bluebirds and nesting.  My daughter was fascinated enough to do her own research and share her findings via the refrigerator.  The next day my daughter added a note at the end of the article.  It said "2 Eggs".
Then each day the note indicated how many eggs were now waiting to hatch. 

Each day when I got home, I couldn't resist going out to the birdhouse to look.  --In case you are wondering, bluebirds do not mind you looking in on their eggs.  As time goes on, they begin to think of you as their landlord.  I purchased special bird food for the bluebirds and often heard the birds squawking if their food tray was empty. Eventually, the babies hatched and we were able to see the cute little chicks as they waited for their parents to come with food.  And then, one day the babies were gone...presumably their parents sent the little ones to college. 

The bluebirds had two more broods that year.  It was a wonderful spring.  I'm hoping to have bluebird babies again this year.