Beautiful photo!! They've been nesting in this area for a while, but none of them use my nest boxes anymore. So great that you have a nest cam!

They're just so darn cute!

Nice pics! How exciting that you've got Bluebirds in your box and you can watch them with a camera! Aren't they just the most endearing birds? Do you have any problem with House sparrows in your yard?

Yes, I've had chickadees nest in the box a couple of times, and bluebirds once about 3 years ago. But it was much later in the season. A nuthatch roosted in the box over the winter, which was fun to watch. HOSP isn't too much of a problem here. I don't see them very often, and I am very vigilant about it and willing to take the necessary steps as a responsible bluebird box host.

Lovely!
Congratulation..have fun!...I don't get them.

Konrad

Oh, they are my favs, and your pics are just so gorgeous!! I love the BB box. Can you tell me where you bought it?

We have them here too. DH saw two going into our Bluebird nest box. I hope they decide to build there! They are our state, Missouri, bird. Isn't that blue spectacular.

It's a Peterson style nest box, see more details about it here. You can build one yourself or buy one, for example I bought mine at All Seasons Wild Bird Store. I have a Hawk Eye Nature Camera mounted inside. I've had chickadees nest in the box, in which case I put a hole reducer on. Also had a white-breasted nuthatch roost in the box over the winter.

I had to put a second nest box up, because the chickadees really wanted in the box (they've used it for the previous 3 years) but the bluebirds are aggressively defending it. The new one is on the right. Hopefully they will get along now.

Congratulation Liz,

That's a nice looking couple. Glad you have a pair there again.

best luck and keep us posted,

Kenn

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenn & Temple's Bluebirds

I've got roofers here today through Wednesday, hope they don't scare off my bluebirds! If they do stick around, I plan to spend a lot of time this summer photographing them. ;)

Gymell,

Nice picture of my favorite bird of all!! They are stunning in every way smile...Hey..I just wanted to ask this. You may want to check that entrance hole on this box. It looks too big to me and your Bluebirds may not be protected from starlings?? It needs to be 1 and 1\2 inches..no bigger to be truly effective keeping out the alien starlings. I would hate to see anything happen to them simply because the hole was too big and the starlings came calling one day. Again beautiful pics!!

I would just attach another 3\4 inch block of wood about 4 inches by 4 inches square over the hole you have. This piece of wood would have a perfect 1 and 1\2 inch hole cut in it with a hole saw or spade bit. That would fully protect the Bluebirds from starling entry and also make it much harder for a racoon to reach in....Mike

Just curious, what kind of baffle is on that second box on the right, it looks awfully short, only asking cause of the wooden posts instead of the slick metal poles that are recommended for nestboxes.

Donna

gymell - my experience here in eastern ND is that this first early wave of bluebirds does not stay to nest. I do usually see them right about now (in fact my first were yesterday), but they move on. In about two weeks another wave will appear and those are the ones that may stay to nest.

You may have a different experience! And also, not sure about where you are but it is unseasonably warm here, so perhaps that will induce these early birds to stay.

Good luck, I love having these beauties around!

Ann

Thanks for looking everyone! I hope that I'll be able to get many more photos as the season progresses.

Mike: Agreed that the hole is a bit large. What happens is that because I leave the boxes up over the winter, woodpeckers enlarge the hole and then use the box to roost in. I have had downy woodpeckers and nuthatches use them for roosting. What I do is leave the box alone, until after the bluebird or chickadee has laid its first egg. Then I'll put on a hole reducer of appropriate size. If you look closely, you can see holes left from the screws where a hole reducer has previously been in place. I take it off after nesting is over, so the winter birds can use it again. I haven't had a problem with raccoons, but I will take your suggestion and look into putting a predator guard on the hole as well.

Donna: Correct that it is a smaller baffle. I do have some ducting sheet metal that I can secure around the bottom of the post which will give it additional protection.

Ann: Thanks for the info. It has been unseasonably warm here as well. So far the bluebirds seem to be sticking around, busy adding pine needles and aggressively defending the box, but if they don't then I'll keep my fingers crossed for the next wave to come through! Last time I had bluebirds nest in my yard was a few years ago, and it was later in the summer.