So much bird drama today. I saw it all while sitting in the dining room which is off the porch.
Robins discovered the mealworm feeder that I got specifically for bluebirds.
It all started because Mrs. Bluebird flings mealies out of the feeder onto my porch table. I don’t know why the robins started coming onto the porch, but they snatched up these errant mealies. And came back looking for more. The pair of robins were on the porch early this morning, one on the railing, the other on a chair, looking through the sliding door right at me and chirping. There is no doubt in my mind they were announcing their displeasure at not having their own stash. I spilled some on the porch floor. They ignored it for a while.
Then, I spied a robin sitting on the porch railing eyeing up the feeder. Then she flew to the top of the feeder. She figured out how to barely hold onto the side of the cage and grab mealies near the edge while flapping wildly.
Next I see a flash of blue as Mr. Bluebird tries to chase her off. Undeterred, she returned several times before finding her allotment on the floor. She ate them all in one visit. There is a nest in a maple tree in my yard but it is so high I cannot see if it contains eggs or nestlings. I don’t hear anything either. I only see an adult their occasionally. I wonder if it’s a decoy nest.
I read a great book today - The Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. I sat watching the drama and read for three hours. A very powerful novel. I don’t remember the last time I was so lazy.
Other birds that visited my porch today were an American Goldfinch, a House Finch and a Gray Catbird who took up residence on a chair to let me know the grape jelly dish was empty. They sure have me trained.
The bluebirds are very protective of their nest. In addition to chasing off the robin from their food supply, Mr. B routinely attempts to displace a Blue Jay from the feeder and I watched the bluebird pair chase off a red squirrel! It went on for several minutes. The squirrel is small enough to get into the nestbox so I understand their concern. The nestbox is on a pole that has a baffle which should protect them. Unless the squirrel can jump up onto the fence that’s about four feet away.
Here are the nestlings on Day 11. Their feathers are really coming in!
I have video of the robin shenanigans. If I can figure out how to post it, I will.
If you know why some of my pics are tiny, please let me know how to fix it.
Tx
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