Bringing home the grub

Bringing home the grub

The Eastern bluebirds are amazing me this mating season. They are into nest number FOUR! They usually have three a season, but one of their broods met with foul play so I suppose they’re making up for it with an extra long summer of child rearing! The middle of August is extremely hot in southern Louisiana, so these little troopers are really looking ragged from all the hunting and delivering of goods to the nesting box. Here’s one of the pair, I think the female, with a grub worm for the nestlings. For some reason, their plumage is not as brilliant as in years past so it’s kind of hard to tell the male from the female as they are both looking pretty washed out! Can’t blame them with all that flurry of activity in this hot, humid climate.

Eastern bluebird is officially sialia sialis; they are cavity dwellers. Their numbers were dangerously reduced due to clearing of woods and thickets for development. Thanks to the American Bluebird Society and the introduction of nesting boxes, they have made a wonderful comeback. The bluebirds have been nesting in my yard for over ten years now, and I love them dearly. They make excellent neighbors! They first started in a box well away from my house, but they have taken a liking to one right on my patio, so our encounters are frequent and close-up!

Bringing home the grub belongs to the following groups:

Birds and Creatures of Flight, I Love Birds, ImageWriting (2/24), Songbirds of North America 2 a Day and The Birds Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints, Framed Prints and Posters