Setting Up a Bluebird Trail Part 2: Location

The location of a bluebird box is critical if you wish to attract bluebirds. The three things to remember are short grass, not to shady and a place to perch.

Bluebirds love to eat grasshoppers, crickets, flies, spiders and many other pesky insects. (One more reason to attract them to your yard!) They perch until they locate a tasty tidbit and then they dive down, pine the bug to the ground and eat it. Bluebirds will nest in an area that has available perches and short grass with minimal shade so it can easily see it's prey.

Meadows, pastures, cemeteries, golf courses and yes, even yards will work as long as they have the key elements, short grass, not to shady and somewhere to perch. Fence lines, electric lines, branches, even a clothesline will work for a perch.

Locations that don't work well would be forests, cultivated fields, areas that are too stony or have only long grass, and yards that are too shaded.

Bluebirds are very territorial so if you plan to locate more than box make sure they are at least 300 feet apart. It might be possible to place them closer together if the boxes are not in sight of each other.

A bluebird trail is simply several bluebird boxes along a trail. If you would like to make a trail, as we have, start with putting up one or two boxes the first year and every year add one or two more. It's well worth the effort to attract these beautiful and beneficial birds!

Setting Up a Bluebird Trail Part 1: Why?

This is the perfect time of year to plan and prepare for the coming of the bluebirds. If you are serious about birding, you really should consider putting in a bluebird box or two. Several years ago my husband and his father started putting in blue bird houses following the trails that we had developed throughout our rural properties. Now every Spring we anxiously wait to see the first bluebird pair fly in and routinely check the boxes to watch for nestlings. Some years we've been successful, others we have not, but every year has been worthwhile!

Years ago bluebirds had many natural nesting cavities. They prefer open spaces at the edge of forests and would use old woodpecker nests, open knot holes in trees and other natural cavities or even rock crevices. But the introduction of the house sparrow and European starling changed all of that. These two invasive species not only took over those natural nesting cavities, but they began to prey on the bluebirds themselves, causing the bluebird population to dwindle.

Now, these beautiful birds are on a comeback thanks to many bird lovers who have put in and maintained man-made nest boxes. But the bluebirds are not the only ones to benefit. It is a joy for any bird watcher to hear the beautiful song of the bluebird and to watch the brilliant flash of blue as it flies by. As Henry David Thoreau said, "He carries the sky on his back."

Ladies Day Out? Feeding Habits of the Cardinal

We were eating lunch the other day when we noticed that we had two female cardinals at our feeder. They are a little harder to distinguish with their muted red colors, but the little plume on the top of their heads gave them away! The kids had a great time making up stories about "Ladies Day Out" and wondering where their husbands were (probably at home watching the football games!) Then today we noticed two male cardinals feeding at the same feeder. We decide that the gals must have given our little eatery a "thumbs up" and spread the word!

Actually, it is believed that although cardinals do mate for life, during the winter months the cardinals won't allow the female to feed with him. That will all change in a few months when Spring comes and the male birds can be seen tenderly feeding the females choice tidbits as a part of their mating rituals.

Cardinals are usually ground feeders but during the winter months they will come to a platform feeder or one with a perch. They aren't picky when it comes to food though! They will eat almost anything offered in a feeder but some of there favorites include sunflower seeds, corn and suet.

The Bully's Back: Meet the Blue Jays

Everything has been so peaceful and calm at our feeder this winter. The regulars have been polite and very social, no pushing or shoving, that is until now. The blue jays are back. He flew in with a whole flock of his cronies and took over the feeder for a while, sending all but the bravest of the smaller birds up into the tree to wait for him to be finished.

Maybe I'm a little prejudiced but the character Sammy Jay in the classic Thornton Burgess books for children, but to me, the blue jay has always appeared to be the bully of the bird feeder. He swoops in like he owns the place and scares everyone else away. He chitters and chatters as if scolding all he sees.

He is a beautiful bird, but please don't tell him. His head is already big enough! The deep blue coloring of his back and wings are set off perfectly by his white breast. He's a bright spot of color against a dreary winter horizon . But there's something about the way he holds his head and how his beak looks as if he is wrinkling his nose at the world that makes his entire demeanor appear stuck-up. Oh well, Sammy Jay can still feed at my feeder, despite his bad manners. I will admit that his antics provide a bit of enjoyment for those of us on the other side of the window.

A Silent Winter Walk

I finally got out of the house today and enjoyed a beautiful winter afternoon. The sky was a brilliant blue and the sun was shining. The most recent snowfall was melting showing more patches of brown grass than snow. It was wonderful to be out. I walked the trails for the first time in weeks and was amazed by the stillness. The only sounds that could be heard were a raucous crow, an occasional dripping of melting snow and my own feet as I crunched along the trail. It was as if all the world around me was asleep. What a difference from my walks in the spring and summer when I'm surrounded by a cacophony of sounds. The whole world is alive then with bird songs and the buzzing of insects and the croaking of the frogs in the ponds.

But now it is quiet. I appreciate the stillness of a winter walk. I need the stillness of a winter walk. My soul soaks up the quiet like a sponge. My responsibilities and worries and concerns just melt away as the peace of the winter afternoon surrounds me. I returned to my responsibilities with a clear thoughts and a smile on my face, ready to face my challenges.

Mourning Doves at my Feeder!

We had another first at our feeder this past week! A Mourning Dove with her air of class and distinction choose our Woodlink feeder to partake of a meal during the cold snap . Although doves are common to many feeders, we have never seen one at ours. My father-in-law has several feeders out just down the road from us and had seen quite a flock of 24 mourning doves feeding just a few days before ours arrived.

At 9-13 inches tall, they are a mid-sized bird. Their muted gray and brown coloring reminds me of the dignified matron of the past. Always neat and well-dressed in a classical kind of way. Not a hair out of place and dressed to not call undue attention to oneself. Even their call is smooth and mournful. They are seed-eaters and typically ground feeders, but when the ground is snow-covered, they are quick to find a feeder and thoroughly enjoyed our sumptuous feast of sunflowers. She was just a guest however, and did not linger long after lunch. We do hope she stops by again so we can further enjoy her demur appearance.