WOW, do you have MY bluebirds? LOL! My male will swoop me and clack those wings like crazy and has made head AND shoulder contact a few times. I wear a large hat and sunglasses and just GO FOR IT! I know they can't hurt me (it's really only the male who attacks) and while I don't monitor every day I do when I need to see what's going on like hatching, etc. and then about 3 times a week to make sure all is well inside the box.

Sometimes I make my hubby go out with me, I use him as a distraction, and he has ducted and run for his life every time. I remind him it's only a tiny little bird that weighs around 60 grams. My male also swooped my poor dog when she was trying to do her "business" but he thought she was to close to HIS box. She was deaf as a post and couldn't hear him clacking those wings right above her and I'd stand inside and watch out the window and LMAO!

If you ever happen too close to a Mockingbird nest, no joke, they really will come after you. I've had them chase me across the street with neighbors standing there watching, just amazed, and me waving my arms to prevent an attack! I was not trying to get close to their nest and didn't know they had three babies in the juniper right behind my mailbox when they first came after me. I kept my distance and our mail carrier, a very nice woman, brought the mail to the door till they fledged. She didn't want to be attacked either! LOL!

I have my daughter check the nest boxes....she thinks it's great fun getting swooped. The blues are pretty aggressive they swoop and snap their wings. They get very close!!! The TRES are not that aggresssive when they swoop they don't get as close as the blues do to your head.

When I do go out and check....I just ignore them and look in the box very quickly and leave. My blues didn't swoop when they had eggs, but holy cow when the babies were in there, look out!

Karen

Well, I guess we are the lucky ones!?!? Every set we had, we have been able to look with no problems. We try to look when they are gone, but if they do come back, we leave right then and then feed them. It seems to work.

That story is always funny Janie. I never get tired of hearing it!
My TRES are much worse at dive-bombing then my blues.
Tammy

Janie, and all who responded thank you! I got up my courage, put on a big floppy hat and off I went to check on the baby blues. They are all happily feathered and tucked snugly in their nest. I could hear the clacking wings above my head, but it isn't nearly as scary when you can't actually see past the brim of your hat. My family thought it was hilarious--me being dive bombed. And, Janie, I asked my husband if he would distract daddy bird, but alas, he said absolutely not--he doesn't have enough hairs left on his head to risk losing them to a bluebird. What fun it is watching these attentive parents take care of their babies. And now I know that all are safe in the nest--for a little bit longer anyway--until they fledge. Thanks again. This forum is great!

Guess I'm lucky too. When I go out I whistle and Dad shows up immediately. I feed a few mealies and sit down in a chair about 15 feet away. Today he ate a few and then left. A few minutes later he was back with Mom (who I thought should be on the nest). While she was eating he swooped a Jay and a poor Robin who wasn't even near the female or the nest. After Mom ate she went to the box. Then the male got some more mealies and took them to her, before coming back to stand guard for a while. They have never tried to attack me. I think they know I'm the carrier of food and that I don't hurt them or their young ones.

The mockers don't bother me either for the same reason I think. They've gotten close a few times but it was only because I didn't give them a few mealies quick enough.

tara

I've had the same experience as Tara. My Daddy bird seems to like me quite a bit. When I bring out worms, of course, he can barely contain himself and practically shoos me away so he can get to them. But once he's eaten, he'll come up very close to the house and sit on one of our patio chairs. If I stand at the screen door and talk to him quietly (to the tune of "Oh, Hello birdie! Soooo pretty! What a sweetie birdie...etc, etc...) he'll preen and look over his shoulder at me with those "come hither to the mealworm feeder" eyes and talk quietly back to me with that angelic trill-talk that they do. Jeez - I sound like a lunatic, don't I? I believe my hubby has given me up for hopeless.