Bluebird Hatchlings

I expected the eggs to hatch sometime during the two days I was away, and still my reaction was awe and surprise when I opened the box and found five tiny nestlings in the place of blue eggs.  All of them were quietly sleeping with Papa bluebird watching over them from an oak limb while I checked the box.

The next day, May 2nd, they had already visibly changed (below).  They were stronger, more active, opening their gaping bright yellow mouths in response to the opening of the nest box door.

Over the past several days, I've spent a number of hours watching the activity as the bluebird parents hunt, feed and protect their nestlings.  And I've seen some surprising behaviors, including cooperative feeding of young, mate feeding and defense of the nest area.  The male bluebird aggressively chased a Carolina wren out of the holly shrub, and the female displaced a titmouse that landed on a perch near the nest box.  She remained on that perch holding an aggressive posture to ensure that titmouse didn't return.  

On the other hand, the female phoebe often perches on top of the nest box to hunt for flying insects near her nest, located high on the gazebo shelf above.  No challenge is offered to her. (In the photo above, the dark area beyond the phoebe is part of the shaded underside of the gazebo.)  In fact, it's intriguing to think that a cooperative truce has been reached between these two nesting species.  Both bluebirds and phoebes guard the area and hunt from the same perches, exchanging those perches readily without disagreement.  That was not so in the beginning (see link below), when I watched the phoebes initially chase the male bluebird away.

I worried at first that they might discourage the bluebirds from nesting.  But that has all been worked out to the benefit of both families.  While the bluebirds keep some species away from the nest area, the phoebes challenge others.  I've seen the male phoebe instantly launch from his guard perch to 'pounce' on a male downy that landed on one of the gazebo support posts.

On the occasion pictured above and below, the female bluebird landed on the nest guard and paused, staring up, as if seeing a menacing shape perched on the house roof top or a limb above.

When the male arrived with his prey, he paused also, looking up and searching the area for several minutes.  He either found nothing of concern or the cause for concern moved on.  He then shifted his attention to the box opening, as if to urge the female to get on with feeding.

The female soon obliged by going inside to feed the nestlings.  When she returned to the guard, the male passed his skipper to her through the wire of the predator guard.  The image below shows the two just before she takes the food inside to feed.  

For a person who loves to watch animal behavior, this family is a true treasure.  I'm wondering how anything beyond watching bluebirds will get accomplished in the next few weeks.  But I can honestly say, I'm content enough to not be worried about it!    

Links and resources:
This is the second post in a series on this bluebird family.  To see the first post visit:  My Eastern Bluebird Neighbors.  In Wishing Upon a Bluebird, an initial encounter between nest building phoebes and bluebirds is described at Vickie's Sketchbook.

For articles leading up to the story on this post, visit my Wild Birds Unlimited articles:  Smitten with Bluebirds and April Celebrations.  And to see last season's chickadee family, visit the Secretive Chickadee Family and A Happy Fledging Time of Year.