A Bluebird family had a hard time this year. They had tried to nest in the garden since April but the House sparrow chased them out of the first nest box even though they had finished building their nest. Then they picked another nest box on the other side of the garden. She, female is the one who does the nest building, finished the nest and laid two eggs. I think a Woodpecker raided the eggs. Then they moved to a third nest box twenty feet away. She laid five eggs in that one. Again, some bird took four of the eggs. I suspected a Red-bellied woodpecker this time because they like poking their face in the nest boxes. They can easily pick the eggs without destroying the nest. The Bluebirds abandoned the last egg.

At this point I though we had lost them completely this year. But they are determined to raise their family in our garden. They moved to a nest box on the opposite side of the garden. She built a nest in a hurry, laid four eggs and four chicks hatched!!!

We are so happy that we are able to help raise another generation of Eastern Bluebird. They still feed their chicks but I’ve seen only two of them. Hopefully the other two are old enough to be on their own.

After the battle they went through, I’m sure they are tired. But we are hoping they will sire another brood in our yard this summer. The bluebirds, swallows and wrens are family by our standards, although I’m sure they don’t quite see it that way.