The Bluebird Diaries - Epilogue

It was a dark and stormy night.

After a week of uncomfortably high temperatures, the Earth's fever finally broke. What followed was a deluge of rain, soaking the ground and everything around it. The pores of the heavens released the moisture that had built up from days of heat. Lightening bolts illuminated the starless sky. Thunder rumbled, and the land trembled.

As dawn's light began to twinkle on the horizon, Mister Blue and I checked on our babies. They had just spent their first night in a frightening thunder storm.

They were very happy to see us.

"Mama!" cried Jackie Blue, "don't make us stay in here any longer! We want to come with you and Daddy!"

"We can do it, Mama," echoed Blue Velvet.

Elijah Blue fluttered his wings and looked hopeful.

There was no time to lose. More rain was on the way. We would have to get in some quick flying lessons if these fledglings were to survive the days ahead.

Well before the landlord was awake, Mister Blue and I lead our newly fledged babies through some drills in the trees outside her window. We knew she would be sad to miss seeing the babies fly away for the first time, so we called our good-byes to her in those early morning hours from the nearby trees. I hope she heard us.

In only 18 days, our babies went from a clutch of eggs, to hatchlings, to nestlings, to fledglings. Now they'll stay with Mister Blue and me for the next few weeks while we teach them to find their own bugs and to become strong fliers. Their older brothers and sisters will be around to help, too. In fact we'll all pretty much stay together until Fall.

Sooner or later they'll find their own mates and build their own nests for next season's brooding. Maybe they'll even come back to see the landlord with the mealworms, the hose mister, and the camera.

"You know, Bonnie Blue," sighed Mister, "they probably won't stay around here when they raise their own babies."

This was true, I had to admit. Our journey wasn't over yet, though, and besides,
"Tomorrow is another day."

Want to start at the beginning?

The Bluebird Diaries - Chapter 7

Look at our little sleeping angel.

This is Elijah Blue, only 9 days old.

These days, Mister Blue and I spend much of our time collecting bugs and feeding babies. Every morning, our landlord delivers fresh mealworms to the deli. We watch for her and barely wait for her to turn the corner before we're filling up our beaks with juicy mealworms for our nestlings. That's why they're growing so fast - all that protein!

Here is a photo of all three babies at 9 days old.

You can see they're sprouting some wing feathers now.

Much to the photographer's chagrin, the babies all play 'possum' whenever she opens the door to the bungalow to snap a picture. But you let Mister or me land on the veranda with a bug, and those necks crane upward, beaks open, and the cheeping commences.

We're actually quite proud that our nestlings are so smart and cautious to possible intruders.

Now that they're getting bigger, Mister and I aren't always happy about daily photo sessions. Yesterday we both buzzed the photographer while she took these pictures of them at 11 days old. If you look closely, you can see Jackie Blue (at the top) peeking through one eye at the camera.

As our babies near the age of fledging (around 14-23 days), we must be careful not to let them jump out of the nest prematurely. Even though they won't be able to survive on their own, they will not return to the nest which would be fatal for them.

The last few days have been milder, but we fear the next few will be hot again.

Last week when the landlord turned on the hose mister for us, the yard man who lives in the building next door posted a sign on one of the trees near our condo:

WET T-SHIRT CONTEST
8:00

Mister Blue thought it was hilarious. He wanted to put on a wet tee-shirt and go sit on the yard man's back deck.

I was just thankful the older kids weren't around to see it, and I was saved from having to explain what it meant!

Next: Epilogue

The Bluebird Diaries - Chapter 6

Look how much my babies change in just two days!

The first picture was taken when they were four days old; the second picture was made when they were six days old. They are getting so fuzzy!

Of course, their eyes aren't open yet, and they still sleep a lot, but they sure know it when Mister Blue or I come to the nest with a bug! Such a racket as you've never heard!

The temperatures here dropped twenty degrees one day this week. Imagine, going from 87 one day to 67 the next. Well, you can be sure I stayed on the nest that entire day. My babies' body temperatures aren't regulated yet, and they needed to be kept warm.

Of course, the next day was back up in the 90's, so they were fine by themselves. The landlord even turned on the hose mister again for us.

This morning our landlord moved the mealworm deli closer to our bungalow. All our kids were with us. They wanted some of those readily-available worms, but we insisted they find their own bugs. These were for the babies! You just can't always make it too easy for kids lest they learn to be lazy.

In this picture, my mouth is full of mealworms! Please pardon my manners, but it's easier to take a mouthful to the nest than one at the time!

BlueBerry likes to go with her dad to feed the babies. She will make a good little mama one day.

Nestlings stay put for about 16 to 22 days before leaving the nest. After that, they'll stay with us for food and protection for three to four more weeks.

Mister teases me about being an empty-nester.

"Bonnie Blue, you won't know what to do with yourself when all these kids fly the coop."

Oh, he just doesn't know!

Next: The wet tee-shirt contest

The Bluebird Diaries - Chapter 5

Last week, I spent nearly all my time on the nest. Mister Blue brought the older kids to the roof across the street, so I could see them.

Of course, they just couldn't stay away from me.

"Mama?" one called, "are you in there?"

"I'm here, BlueBerry."

"Are the eggs hatching yet?"

As a matter of fact, they were!

On Friday, we had two hatchlings! Blue Velvet and Elijah Blue! Aren't they precious?

Mister Blue was beside himself. He passed out mealworms to all the other birds, whether they liked them or not!

He is really good about helping to feed the hatchlings. We both take turns digging up grubs or bugs to bring to them. Mister Blue likes to feed them. He is forever poking his head in the bungalow, just to make sure everything is all right.

The weather didn't get scorching hot again until a couple of days ago, so our babies stayed at a good temperature. Most of the time they sleep.

We keep a close watch now. This is when those poor chickadee hatchlings met their demise. I just don't think I could stand it if something happened to my angels.

Our landlord feels like they're her babies, too! She checks on them nearly everyday. She makes sure they don't get too hot by turning on the hose. It really helps.

Two days later, we had a third hatchling - Jackie Blue! We'll be happy with three babies even if the fourth egg doesn't hatch. No doubt we will stay busy collecting bugs for their hungry bellies as they grow bigger.

There are a lot of finch fledglings twittering around the bird feeder now. They're doing pretty well at landing and cracking their own seeds. Sometimes Mister Blue and I sit on the hook and watch them all. It won't be too long before our own brood will be flitting around, only they won't be eating seeds.

Here are the three hatchlings so far. We are so proud!

Next: Mealworms!

The Bluebird Diaries - Chapter 4

I'm still here.

Like I told you before, the waiting is the hardest part. At least the air is cooler. I can handle temps in the 80's, but any hotter, and I'm dying in here.

Sometimes I get bored.

Other times I daydream.

Quite often, I watch the activity that goes on in our yard and the yard next door.

I watch the landlord refilling the bird feeders and bird baths. Most times her 4-legged barking machines accompany her and pee in the bushes next to our condo. What is it with that? One pees and the other comes along right behind it, and pees in the same place!

Most afternoons, there are lots of boys throwing a ball into a basket in the driveway next door. Sometimes they stop doing that and start chasing each other through their yard, our yard, the yard on the other side, or even the yards across the street. Looks like they're having such fun!

And here are my babies. Bluer than ever and so, so cute! On the left there is Elijah Blue, at the top is Blue Jean, to the right is Jackie Blue, and at the bottom is Blue Velvet.

Aren't they precious?

I figure I have about a week more to go before one of them starts to peck out of its shell.

Stay tuned!

Next: Hatchlings!