Eastern Bluebird in my yard

Even though I don't get much computer time, I do still take the camera outside.

And I do still have birds in the yard, although these photographs were taken a couple of months ago (May, 2010). They are also greatly cropped.

Eastern Bluebirds are the first birds I ever really noticed.
They were my earliest bird watching.

Someday I will actually retire and watch the birds more often, probably while I sit on the back porch and knit.

Jimmy must be planning on me doing that some in Rockwood, he just finished a deck there. Think that is a hint for me to retire and be there with him full time?

We have babies

Not the grandson....he seems to be perfectly happy where he is,

and does not want to come out and see us yet.

March 30, 2009 I opened the bluebird house, and this is what I found.

The second photo is worth clicking to enlarge just to see the feathers.

Today when I went outside to see if I could capture an open bloom for the "What is it?" post, this is what I saw as I stepped off the back deck. (Please scan down to the next post for "What is it?")

As I approached Daddy Bluebird flew, but the baby stayed there, but not for long. Even after this one flew Daddy was diving at me, so there might have been another one in the grass. I wanted to keep my head so I decided it was best to move to the front yard and leave the bluebirds to their flying lessons.

They went from the first 2 photos to flying in 5 short days.

Eastern Bluebirds at Veterans Park

These Eastern Bluebirds were at Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee on Monday.

Notice in the top 2 photos the female is in the lower left corner,

and the male in the upper right corner.

Acting like they don't want anything to do with each other,

but they had just left a birdhouse together.

Eastern Bluebirds in backyard at Rockwood

Last Thursday we put up one new bluebird box.

Saturday this pair of Eastern Bluebirds were checking it out.

We bought another house, but have not put it up yet.

These boxes are well worth the $10 Walmart charges for them.

Ugly Duckling....but ugly Bluebirds???

This young Eastern Bluebird looks pitiful.

I would be out by the hay field too, hoping to not be seen.

The 2nd one looks a little better and wasn't as ashamed to be seen.

Came a little closer to the house.

These photographs were both taken October 5, 2008, so it was late in the season for the little ones. The Eastern Bluebirds just did not want to stop having broods this year.I should have plenty to photograph this spring, maybe I should get a couple more bluebird houses.

Eastern Bluebirds in backyard today

Several different birds at the seed this afternoon, but I only captured the Eastern Bluebirds.

Yes, that water is frozen, but the little bowl has fresh warm water. Didn't capture a bird at the warm one. Didn't say my Eastern Bluebirds are the smartest on the block. By now the warm water is not warm. Doesn't stay that way but a very few minutes in these temps.

Eastern Bluebird checking me out

At my house we didn't have Thanksgiving until Friday. Thursday afternoon I decided it was warm enough for me to venture outside to see if I could capture any birds.

I have this neighbor that lets me wander around his yard too. I noticed he had put up some new birdhouses recently. I turned to see if he had taken the old crooked house down when he put the new ones up. When I turned back to look at the birdhouse I had just walked right past, this is what I saw. As you can tell by the background I walked all around it and the Eastern Bluebird continued to watch me.

I saw a post this past week that the person was wondering about leaving the birdhouses up. Sorry, I don't remember who it was. But this is the reason you don't take down the birdhouses in the winter. They use them to stay warm. The bluebirds have always used our birdhouses in the winter. I don't really know about other birds.

Fall Colors just barely hanging on

When I got to Spring City yesterday afternoon thought I should get out and take some last photos of the fall colors.

The rain is coming and is suppose to stay for several days. I am sure there will be no leaves left after the rain...except on the ground.

Notice the Eastern Bluebird, thinks he is hiding in the fall colors. There were a lot of birds but with all the leaves already on the ground I couldn't get close to them. Even the Great Blue Heron I photograph almost weekly took flight before I could get close to him.

Eastern Bluebird after the berries

This is the same Bluebird I posted yesterday, here. At this point he really did not care about me at all. He was only concerned with all those berries around him.

And he gets the berry.

And then he shows it to me. This photo is not as sharp as the others, but I love that he wanted me to see his berry.

Eastern Bluebird at Cumberland Mtn State Park

I love Eastern Bluebirds. I guess it is my very, very favorite bird. So hard to pick one, but I think Bluebirds were what pulled me into birding 20 (cough, cough 30) years ago.

This one was not concerned with me, or was modeling for me. Not sure which. Either way I was excited when I saw the Bluebird, it was worth the drive for me.

Eastern Bluebird in park

Strolling through Veterans Park in Spring City, Tennessee. Just have to be quiet as you stroll. He looks all ruffled up, he had just landed.

Eastern Bluebird at Veterans Park

These photographs were taken during a September morning stroll while visiting with my husband in Spring City, Tennessee. Once again I was at the Veterans Park, which just off to the side of Watts Bar Lake.