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!
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Great work with the boxes and nest recording Larry. Awesome Bluebird at the top shot, wish we had some.
.-= phil´s last blog ..Spring Two =-.
Our neighbor has a bluebird box, and come to think of it, at least one year I saw a tree swallow family in it. Apparently, this conflict isn’t limited to the west.
.-= Wren´s last blog ..orchid, four =-.
PS Thanks for the reminder about nest watch!
.-= Wren´s last blog ..orchid, four =-.
@Phil you may not have bluebirds in the UK but I know you have swallows 😉
@Wren the bluebirds and tree swallows actually live in harmony once they select their respective nest boxes. Nest boxes may be “paired” by placing two identical boxes about 20 feet apart so the bluebirds take one and the tree swallows the other.
Since the swallows feed in the air and the bluebirds predominately on the ground, they can occupy the same space yet not compete for food. They will also help each other defend the nests from other birds trying to encroach on their territory.
Wow things that are happening in your world are really cool Larry… The question is which one do you prefer? Or do you like them both.. I do indeed, they are both beautiful birds, really colorful!
.-= chris´s last blog ..American wigeon and long-tailed duck =-.
I just love the photo where they are sitting on the roof overlooking the surrounding 🙂
.-= NatureFooostep Fåglar/Birds´s last blog ..Fjällvråk – Buteo lagopus – Rough-legged Buzzard =-.
@Chris I really enjoy them both. Swallows fascinate me with their incredible aerial acrobats and the bluebirds are, well, simply a joy to have around
@NF yes, this is a typical pose for the Western Bluebird. They enjoy perching atop their homes, occasionally flying down to the ground to feed. When not perched on the house, they are usually in a tree not far away.
Love the bluebird couple on the birdhouse, Larry. They look ready to defend it with feathers and feet. 🙂
these are truly amazing shots of birds . you must have smile on your face when taking these because the outcome are truly heartfelt. great shots. thanks for sharing.
Larry, I am so glad to learn that the swallows and the bluebirds tend to complement each other once they call dibs on their nest boxes. I wonder if the same thing plays out in the wild/natural tree cavities?
I saw bluebirds while I was walking a nature trail over the weekend, and I enjoyed their energetic chatter. I’ve even had a few bluebirds visit my backyard, even though I don’t have any boxes up. They really are beautiful birds. I’ll be looking forward updates on your nest babies!
.-= Amber Coakley´s last blog ..Herps are Here! =-.
I have also had Bluebirds and Tree Swallows using nest boxes less then 10m apart and never saw a conflict after both had settled. It is really enjoyable to monitor nest boxes and participating in CLOs NestWatch project is really rewarding experience that I encourage anyone interested in becoming a citizen scientist to get involved in.