Feathers and Fuzz

one woman's cure for the empty-nester blues

Eastern Bluebird

Male Eastern Bluebird – Active Parent

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The Male Eastern Bluebird is a very active parent.  He tends the nest (whether or not his mate welcomes it), tends to his mate, guards the nest box, feeds the nestlings, and does his share of diaper duty.  As I've shared in a prior post, the songbird nestlings I have observed excrete their waste in "poop sacks" which are then removed by the parent birds and deposited some distance from the nest.

In the feature video, you will see Dad Bluebird performing a variety of these functions.  You will also see him feeding tiny hatchlings -- carefully keeping his "huge" feet spread wide and away from the nest cup.  He's a good dad!

 

Meanwhile, back at the birdbath -- another spring color-treat appeared:  a pair of male Scarlet Tanagers.  I know they are summer residents in Georgia, but I've never seen one before.  Best I can tell, it was a one-time visit.  They must have just been passing through.  Oh well.  I'll just focus on the joy of their visit.  (Note in the side-flight picture how the male's black tail is oriented perpendicular to the ground and both wings are pointed right.  He actually launched upside down from the side of the birdbath and rolled into a normal flight posture.  I'll share the video with you when nesting season slows down.)

Scarlet Tanager Males - 19 Apr 18

Male Scarlet Tanagers

Scarlet Tanager - Side Flight

Scarlet Tanager - Side Flight

Birds Announce Spring in Living Color

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Everywhere I look, the birds announce spring's arrival in such vivid colors

Summer Tanager Returns

Summer Tanager

Goldfinches turn Gold

American Goldfinch

Bluebirds Turn Bright Blue

Eastern Bluebird

The male Summer Tanager just returned for the Georgia summer.  The male American Goldfinches have morphed back into their bright yellow plumage, and the male Eastern Bluebird sports an extra-deep-blue sheen.  To me the birds are like drops of shiny paint -- flitting from place to place -- lighting up whatever landscape they choose as their backdrop.  I love spring.

And Then a Special Treat Splashed Color on the Feeder

One of my favorite Georgia visitors is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak male.  He is one stunning, handsome dude!  I remember last fall when my daughter was feeding the birds in my absence.  She called to say she had just seen the most beautiful bird she had ever seen in her life.  I knew it was the Rose-breasted.  They are only here a couple weeks in the spring and fall as they move to their summer/winter destinations -- and they just showed up this weekend.

The special treat was the appearance of an ORANGE-breasted Grosbeak.  This is an aberrant color and, I think, somewhat rare.  You likely can count yourself among the few who have ever seen this variation.

 

Male Grosbeak - Orange

Orange-breasted, Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Male Grosbeak

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Meanwhile --

At one week of age, the Bluebird nestlings are growing like weeds.  Their wings are taking shape and their eyes are beginning to open.

The Wrens hatched on the 13th -- meaning my hatch-date predictions are 0 for 3.  It's pretty cool, nonetheless, to actually have a Wren nest in a location that has allowed me my first-ever peek at life inside.  I can't say it's a beautiful sight, but it is pretty darn amazing!

Tell Me Again Why We Wanted Five

Newly-hatched Wrens in the Box