Tag Archives: nest in birdhouse

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Mary and Dard Hunter had a Chestnut-backed Chickadee nest in their birdhouse. Can you see the chick peeking out the hole?

Mary took this photo, headed into town to do a few errands, and by the time she returned, her husband, Dard, told her the chicks had fledged!

Here's a close-up of one of these beautiful, little birds, taken by Dorise Ford. It's unusual for a chickadee to be at a seed feeder, as they are insect eaters. Maybe this chickadee was just resting!

Here is a map showing their range.

image of range map for Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Rick and I also had a family of these chickadees this year in a birdhouse we had attached to a tree. Now we are hearing the fledglings in the trees. They travel in fairly large groups, sometimes accompanied by Pygmy Nuthatches. I love their chirping calls, one of which is "chick-a-dee-dee."

Thanks to Mary and Dorise for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Steve Wilcox was the lucky person who had a pair of Western Bluebirds build a nest in his birdhouse. Here are the parents, with the male on the left.

Western Bluebird male and female by Steve WilcoxHere the father brings a tasty bug to his offspring.

Western Bluebird dad with a bug by Steve WilcoxAnd finally Steve got a photo of the newly fledged chick

Western Bluebird chick by Steve WilcoxWestern Bluebirds are thrushes.  When they aren't breeding they like to travel in flocks, being very social birds! To hear their calls, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Bluebird/sounds

Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Western Bluebirds nest in cavities so putting up the perfect size birdhouse might lure a pair to nest nearby your home. They are found near the bluffs here on the Coast. Susan and Jim Grenwelge have had Bluebirds coming to this beautiful birdhouse for several years.

Western Bluebird pair by Susan Grenwelge

Small birds, a Western Bluebird weighs only about an ounce. They are charming to see. Bluebirds mostly eat insects, though they will eat fruit and seeds, along with insects in the wintertime. To hear their calls, here is the link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/western_bluebird/sounds

Thanks to Susan for allowing me to share her photo with you here.