Home of the Practically Perfect Pink Phlox and other native plants for pollinators

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

House Hunters



Bluebird style!

It's spacious and great for entertaining! It's a big yard and garden and the water feature is perfect. Let's make an offer. We can close and be in the house by mid February.

Ding~Dong! House hunting is beginning for the Sialia sialis the Eastern Bluebird. A year round resident in Middle Tennessee they begin scouting for nesting sites in January and February. They were popping in and out of the bluebird house and visiting the birdbath~~This was the best shot I could capture before they flew into the tallest trees.

Gail

47 comments:

  1. I wonder what they would think about the giant that lives in your garden? I hope the Priscilla stays away until they actually move in. Lucky you to have Bluebirds in your garden.

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  2. Lovely post, and what a colour these guys display (funny enough, their colours, blue and yellow, are familiar to a Swede like myself. Not in terms of birds, but our flag...)

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  3. Oh Gail, a divine capture of the little house hunters! I am so jealous that you have them already. I forgot about Priscilla, is she the realtor? Kind of intimidating for the wee little ones though. :-)
    Frances

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  4. How exciting Gail! You captured them quite well. I'll be glad to see the Eastern Bluebird here this Spring!!

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  5. Gail girl .. how is the hand ? a bit better I hope ? I can not get over the colour of these birds .. it is amazing to me .. I think hubby and I would faint if we saw one here ? we get so excited over our little Goldfinches ! LOL
    Joy : )

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  6. Thanks for the reminder! We have a large flock of resident bluebirds with birdhouses provided by our neighborhood all along the board fences.

    I have only one bluebird house in my backyard and it is first occupied by Chickadees, followed by bluebirds so we want to add a few more this spring. Our state credit union sells, quality wood beautiful bluebird houses for $10. I need to go up there before the sell out!

    Cameron

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  7. Priscilla seems to visit less and less...I think she has other gardeners
    feeding her. I did post about her on our neighborhood listserv and folks are making sure she's safe. She still eyeballs Mr I's convertible!

    gail

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  8. Nice picture of the bluebirds! I was hoping to put together a couple houses after another project but haven't gotten far enough along yet!

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  9. Wonderful shot of the beauteous blue birds Gail! Even here they check out all the listings in February. They are as impatient as we for spring's return. I am relieved to hear of Priscilas being so loved by all of your community. I saw a dashing mate for her over at http://gardendiggers.blogspot.com/ ... what a stunning fellow. Wouldn't they make a handsome couple?! ;>))

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  10. How lucky you are to be chosen by a bluebird family. I know you will enjoy watching them this spring/summer.
    Marnie

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  11. Oh, bluebirds...I'm so envious, but happily so. They aren't native around here so I have to enjoy them vicariously. I hope that you're healing more quickly every day!

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  12. What sweet birds! I would love to see them here, but apparently our real estate isn't in the bluebird listings:) I'm sure they'll find Clay and Limestone just perfect!

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  13. Hope the bluebirds aren't drive-bys, Gail, but residents who settle in so you can enjoy their nest-building and family-raising.
    How I'd love to see a bluebird in real life!

    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  14. Lucky you! There were lots of birds out and about this morning when I walked the dog - finches, robins, woodpeckers, some others. I'm not very good at identifying them; I only know the common ones.

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  15. Oh new neighbors! And they look so friendly.

    Jen

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  16. Hi Gail....anyone would love those little beauties taking up residence in their garden.

    They are very similar to our Blue Tits, who are doing just the same thing at this time,looking for nesting sites.....

    Hope your hand is improving.....

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  17. What a beautiful photo. The birds look so sweet. I wonder what they look for in a prospective house site?

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  18. It's great you have bluebirds taking up residence! I wish we had a more robust bird population here. I'm trying but I guess my little garden isn't enough!

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  19. How much fun to have bluebirds! You must have created a great space for them.

    Watching bird families grow is rewarding. We're lucky to have various families in summer. My favorites are the painted buntings. The mamas bring the young ones to our seed--they like safflower--and water. It's fun to watch the babies learn to splash.

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  20. Arg! I just bought a bluebird house but still need to set it up! You got a great shot there Gail!

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  21. I hope they move in, they are such pretty little things.

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  22. Beautiful photo! Thanks for sharing; it gives those of us up north something to look forward to!

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  23. Does Priscilla have some competition? :) These little bluebirds are so pretty! We have mountain bluebirds but I've not had good luck luring them over to my place.

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  24. Lucky you, Gail ... I barely ever see bluebirds!

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  25. What a great picture! I love Bluebirds, they don't venture out to the suburbs around here though.

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  26. Whoo Hoo the blue birds are back in town!!! I love when they are house hunting!
    smiling aNNa xoxox

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  27. Very cute Gail! :) That's a beautiful picture. Mine are still doing the group bunkbed thing in select birdhouses.

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  28. Wonderful news Gail! You know how much I love to see this :-D

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  29. Oh, those bluebirds are so beautiful. We have tried to get them to come here, but they prefer the forest preserve up the road....so I will have to enjoy your photos.
    Balisha

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  30. New neighbors for you to visit with Gail-how fun. They are such sweet looking birds and I am sure they bring lots of veiwing pleasure. Rarely do we get to see such pretty blues here.

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  31. Love the photo of Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird, now, tell me why you felt the need to apologize for the picture? It is wonderful!! I have seen some Bluebirds around but none checking out the house in my garden. Hope some will stay this year.

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  32. Isn't it great to have bird activity remind us that spring is on the way? Wonderful photos of this pair! I just saw a male swooping around the meadows at the Garden this afternoon.

    Lisa

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  33. So rarely seen (by me) here in Connecticut. Beautiful little homesteaders - you are lucky!

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  34. Gail,
    Lucky you to have such beautiful feathered residents. I am hoping to find that a happy couple will take a liking to my place this year. :) If not, maybe I'll send for Priscilla... she's rather colorful, too. :)

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  35. They are so lovely. I hope they close on the house in your garden so we get to enjoy more of them on the blog this spring and summer. :) (Yes, I am selfish. But I also know it would be good for them to stay in your lovely landscape.)

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  37. Great photo, Gail, and also a funny narrative. What I want to know is if the bluebirds narrowed down their choices to exactly three properties which they then had to compare and contrast before they settled on this one! -Jean

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  38. oh how i love it when the bluebirds come and nest.
    great shot.
    happy january.

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  39. Oh, Gail you are so lucky. I hope they chose a house where you can easily view them flying in and out. That would be really enjoyable to watch, wouldn't it? Hope you're healing well.

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  40. Nice shot! Hope they don't get into any bidding wars.

    My mom wore a dress that same color blue to my wedding. I've always loved it. You've reminded me that I wanted to put a couple birdhouses out this year.

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  41. Beautiful photo and very cute post! Ours show up February. I have their houses ready,but funny things, they often nest in the trees. Even though I read they aren't supposed to like trees. :)~~Dee

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  42. Way to go, Gail! Beautiful birds, are they not?? We have a house for them in my front corner garden... unless the wrens move in again. The bluebirds actually checked it out often last year. (I was surprised they came into our wooded area!)

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  43. Hi Gail. What beautiful birds bluebirds are. Ours won't be house hunting up here for a while yet. It will be nice when our birds return though. I really should put my birdfeeders back out, but that last bear scare sent all of the feeders inside. It really wouldn't be a problem this time of year though I'm guessing...

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  44. Thank you all for visiting and commenting! You are the VERY BEST!

    xxoogail

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  45. Such beautiful little birds Gail. Lucky you having them house hunting in your neighborhood. Hopefully they'll find your bluebird house the perfect place to settle into and raise their babies.

    Hope you're healing well and feeling better every day. Hugs, Linda

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  46. Our chickadees are scoping out the gourd house in the crabapple tree we made for them last year. They did not make a home in it for 2009 as the squirrels could climb the tree but this year the stovepipe keeps the squirrels at bay and now the birds are interested....

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"Insects are the little things that run the world." Dr. E O Wilson