Eastern Bluebirds and Real Estate Decisions

I have seen Eastern Bluebirds visiting the nest boxes in my yard throughout the month of March, but until a day ago, investigation behavior was all I had observed.

I noticed a female bluebird visiting the nest box but she wasn't entering the box. She repeatedly fluttered around the entrance and landed on top peering down toward the entrance.  Her mate was on a limb above, singing.

When she did finally enter, I could hear screeching and the male bluebird flew down from his perch wing-waving,  He was clearly prepared to come to her aid, but out flew a Carolina Chickadee followed by the female bluebird who landed on the top of the nest box.

I thought the matter was settled at that point, but apparently both the male and female chickadees were in the box when the female bluebird arrived.  The female bluebird continued to flutter around the box entrance and sat on the top of the box for a long while watching and listening, with intermittent peering inside.

When she peered into the entrance, calls could be heard from inside.  The female chickadee was standing her ground, refusing to leave the nest box.  

In past years, I have had a bluebird build her nest on top of a nearly completed chickadee nest. Though, very brave-hearted, I don't think a tiny chickadee stands a chance when a bluebird decides she wants the nest box.

Ten minutes or so of the bluebird's repeated peering into the entrance and call exchanges and the female chickadee finally departed.  I later checked the box and found that she had the floor of the box nearly covered in moss, a first soft layer for her nest in progress.

Once the chickadee left the box, the male and female bluebirds, in turn, went inside to investigate. The female of the pair will select the nest box, though the male is very active in finding boxes and escorting her to them to take a look.

Now it remains to be seen whether this pair of bluebirds will actually nest in the box. Since they've driven the chickadees away, I'm hoping that means they're staying.

More seasons with Eastern Bluebirds on this blog:  Eastern Bluebird Family
Videos of an Eastern Bluebird family
Carolina Chickadee posts on this blog.
Eastern Bluebird art

Bluebird Family Gathers at the Nestbox

The opportunity to closely observe behavior is one of the joys of having a bluebird family nesting close to the house.  In fact, it feels very quiet now that the nestlings have fledged.  But while they were here, I watched them at every opportunity.  In the video below you will see the whole family gathered to feed the nestlings, all of them arriving at once.

Above, a female juveniles arrives with food.

While watching the video you will have opportunity to see interesting behaviors.  The male bluebird is whistling softly and chattering to encourage the juveniles as they help him feed the young.  Notice his wing-waving as he lands which is a greeting as well as encouragement.  Notice, also, that one of the female juveniles is frequently stealing food from the other two juveniles.  As I observed this on many occasions, it was obvious that she sometimes ate what she snatched.  This persistent behavior may explain what I initially considered to be the female adult's intolerance in the days before she disappeared.  She was observed snapping her beak and lunging at a juvenile that perched too close to her or arrived at the mealworm feeder at the same time.

Later, on three occasions, the two female juveniles were observed in face-to-face aerial conflict issuing raspy sounds as they challenged each other beak to beak.  The adult male and male juvenile quickly arrived to investigate and break up the conflict on each occasion.  I couldn't help but wonder if the food-stealing behavior may have been a contributing motivation for these conflicts.

Since the nestlings have fledged, family members still visit the feeder to feed themselves and carry food to the fledglings that are scattered in the area, but their visits are less frequent.

To see a determined juvenile trying to feed the nestlings for the first time, visit:  Bluebirds Adapt to Single Parenting.  And to see last season's juveniles bathing and feeding siblings visit: Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water and Juveniles Helping Parents. To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Visit this link to learn how to make the predator guard that protects my nestbox residents from cats and raccoons.

Eastern Bluebird Juvenile Behavior

Since the second brood nestlings fledged (June 13th and 14th), I have been lucky enough to see two of the new fledglings in the trees around the yard.  The safest place for fledglings is high limbs, away from the ground and with sheltering canopy overhead.  The family often leaves the nesting area after the nestlings fledge and it's rare to see them at all in the days that follow.  

The male fledgling above happened to catch my eye while he was exploring the lichen in a tree near the patio.  His behavior, plus the rich color of his plumage and his yellow gape, helped distinguish him from his older male sibling.

A few days before fledging occurred, I captured some fun video of the first brood juveniles interacting as they came to the nestbox to feed.  The three juveniles readily cooperated in feeding with the adult male's encouragement.  The male encouraged their assistance with wing-waving, soft whistles and chattering which were also behavioral exchanges observed in the mated pair prior to the female's disappearance (last seen June 8th).  

Though they are serious about caring for their younger siblings, juveniles will be juveniles, and their interactions can be amusing.  Watch what happens when these two female juveniles land in the guard at the same time.


Below, a female juvenile feeds the nestlings, then carefully removes a fecal sac.



Next:  Watch bluebird behaviors as the whole family gathers at the nestbox to care for the nestlings!

To see nestlings as they fledge visit:  Bluebird Nestlings Fledge.  To see a determined juvenile trying to feed the nestlings for the first time, visit:  Bluebirds Adapt to Single Parenting.  And to see last season's juveniles bathing and feeding siblings visit: Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water and Juveniles Helping Parents. To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Visit this link to learn how to make the predator guard that protects my nestbox residents from cats and raccoons.

Bluebird Nestlings Fledge

I have a bluebird treat for you in this blog post!  Two videos of beautiful nestlings as they first leave the nest.

Above:  female first brood juvenile pauses for a drink on fledging day.

After observing this bluebird family for the past month, I was determined to at least try to see these nestlings off on their fledging day.  If you've ever tried to do this you know that even with dedicated vigilance, this takes a good measure of luck.

Besides being home at the right time and counting the days from hatching (14-18 days to fledging), there are some behaviors that you can watch for that indicate fledging is near. Bluebird family members use a one note contact call to help locate each other. Several days before fledging, the nestlings and family members begin to sound these calls with greater frequency. It becomes very apparent when these calls come from the nestlings in the nestbox. Additionally, as fledging time approaches family members wait for longer intervals between feedings, the juveniles taking their cue from the parents. In this case, the male parent and juveniles visibly perched for longer periods and guarded the nest area and near by trees with greater vigilance and aggression.

It was not uncommon to see the whole family advance to drive away a poor woodpecker who happened to land on their oak tree. This tree is the preferred guard perch and preening area for family members with direct view of the nest and feeding area. It is also the tree that stands the right distance away and in front of the nest box with branches easy to reach and safe for a fledgling's first landing.  

Female juvenile (left) and male juvenile visit the bird bath.  You can see the edge of the male's bright blue secondary feathers.

The two videos below represent day one and day two of fledging.  In the first video, a male is the first nestling to venture out of the nestbox.  The video was taken at 7:30 pm and an hour later, near dusk, I witnessed two male nestlings fledge and land in the limbs of the oak.
In the second video you will see the last nestling leave the box the next morning, a pretty female.  She is sounding the contact call as she looks at her new surroundings. If you listen carefully, you can also hear the male chipping in the background.  
Next post:  More fun juvenile behavior as family members feed nestlings a day before fledging.


To see a determined juvenile trying to feed the nestlings for the first time, visit:  Bluebirds Adapt to Single Parenting.  And to see last season's juveniles bathing and feeding siblings visit: Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water and Juveniles Helping Parents. To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Visit this link to learn how to make the predator guard that protects my nestbox residents from cats and raccoons.

Bluebirds Adapt to Single Parenting

As I have watched this family of nine adapt to the loss of the female parent, I have marveled at how quickly they have reorganized their family behavior.

Prior to the loss of the female, the juveniles have wandered to hunt, but returned throughout the day to be near their parents.  Often they've perched in overhead limbs to watch the parents feed the nestlings, and on several occasions in the past week, the male juvenile has brought food to the nestlings.

On June 8th, the last day the female was present, the juveniles made quick visits to the mealworm feeder while the parents were away.  Often the female was not tolerant of them sharing that space with her and they avoided meeting either parent inside the feeder.  Later that same morning, they were seen overhead foraging for insects in the leaves trapped in the gutters.  They flipped leaves, followed each other around, ran to see what had been stirred up by a sibling, and generally entertained themselves while the parents fed the nestlings at a steady pace.

In the images above, taken yesterday, you see two juveniles arriving at the nestbox predator guard at the same time.  The one inside is the male juvenile.  I believe he is encouraging the female juvenile (who at this point had not learned how to enter the predator guard) to hand off her food.  But she didn't like that idea.

Since the female has been absent (last seen June 8th), these juveniles have rallied around the male.  Not only are they steadily present, they are keeping watch over the nest area, sounding alerts, chasing away intruders (titmice primarily).  And as of yesterday, everyone of them is feeding the nestlings and with greater proficiency.

In yesterday's video below, watch as one of the juvenile females, the last to begin feeding the nestlings, struggles to figure out how to reach the nestlings with the food she has brought.  While she is figuring this out, you will see the juvenile male enter to feed first, followed by the adult male.  The female juvenile is determined and persistent and tries every angle available to reach the nestlings from her position.

This is the stuff that tugs at the heart-strings.  It certainly suggests that there are complex emotions and motivations driving her effort.  The male is patient with juvenile efforts, waiting for them to feed, watching as they try to contribute and encouraging with chattering and wing-waving.  
The nestlings are popping their heads out of the nestbox to receive food now and are calling when they are hungry.  This call is only heard when they haven't been fed for a while and stops soon after feeding begins.  I am feeding generous quantities of mealworms several times a day and the family arrives immediately, sometimes before I leave the feeder, eager to begin feeding.  Family members are not dependent on the mealworms, however.  They are also hunting individually and bringing a variety of other foods.

Today the nestlings are sixteen days old, an age that falls within the 15-18 day range for expected fledging.

To see last year's juvenile's bathing visit:  Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water, and to see last year's juveniles feeding their younger siblings, visit:  Juveniles Helping Parents.  To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.


Visit this link to learn how to make the predator guard that protects my nestbox residents from cats and raccoons.  

Bluebird Juvenile Feeding Young

Attachments are a part of enjoying nature.  And without a doubt, that brings with it both joys and disappointments

Yesterday I watched the bluebirds throughout the morning.  About an hour into my observations, I realized the female was absent.  The male was feeding alone and the female, whom I at first assumed was out hunting, did not return to the nesting area.  

This, of course, is sad news and she is missed.  The male alternately perched, sang, and fed young throughout the day, but activity was considerably subdued without the female's persistent vigilance in both feeding and protecting the nest area.

The male stayed near the nest site and chased away intruders, clacking his beak, protecting both the nest area and the main perching tree in the yard.  At one point, as I refilled the feeder, he flew in wing-waving and chattering and brought along the male first brood juvenile.  The juvenile immediately entered the feeder and fed and then carried a mealworm to the nestlings to feed them.  He repeated this several times, while the male returned to his guard perch to survey the area.

Below is a video of the juvenile male as he brings food to the nestlings, but meets with some confusion when his sister tries to eat his worm.  He did not actually enter the guard and feed on this occasion but does so efficiently at other times.
To see last year's juvenile's bathing visit:  Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water, and to see juveniles feeding their younger siblings, visit:  Juveniles Helping Parents.  To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.


Visit this link to learn how to make the predator guard that protects my nestbox residents from cats and raccoons.  

Eastern Bluebirds Feeding Young

Falling in love with Eastern Bluebirds is the natural outcome of living near these birds.  

The bluebird's ability to adapt to human presence, and accept the closeness that you see in these images and the video is part of the reason they have gained so much popularity in past decades.  This female chirps as she eats, contented chirps, as though expressing her delight at seeing so many grubs every time she encounters them in the feeder.  And the most endearing behavior of all happens when she lands on the shepherd's perch only a few feet away, looks directly at me and wing-waves. This is her greeting in bluebird language, and among the finest greetings I've ever received!

Obviously her tolerance of me is a result of my relationship to the mealworms.  I appear and they appear. And this bluebird pair is committed to feeding their five twelve-day-old nestlings at frequent intervals. Typically bluebird nestlings fledge at around 15-18 days, so we are nearing the count down.  

First brood juvenile male in this family of ten (five in the nest, three fledglings and two parents).

This, of course, gives me mixed feelings.  When the nestlings fledge, there is no reason for the family to remain in the yard.  The fledglings will roost high in the trees and the parents will lead them away from the nesting area to avoid predators.

Below you are seeing my first video taken with my new Canon Rebel SLR with HD video capacity. You'll see both the male and female bringing mealworms to the young and leaving the nestbox a bit cleaner as they depart.      
And while the parents were feeding the nestlings, the three juveniles were hanging out together on the gutters overhead, flipping leaves and debris to stir up the insects underneath.

To see last year's juvenile's bathing visit:  Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water, and to see juveniles feeding their younger siblings, visit:  Juveniles Helping Parents.  To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Bluebird Family Life

Breeding season is a very busy time for Eastern bluebirds.   

The adult pair, three juveniles from their first brood, and five hatchlings (hatched on May 27 and 28th) make up the bluebird family of ten that are living in and around the nestbox and mealworm feeder in my yard.  Above you see the hatchlings on May 28th. Consider that the nest cup is approximately 2.5 inches across and you will get a better sense of the size of these tiny, newly hatched babies.  

By this time, the fledged juveniles are feeding themselves.  They have received firm warnings from both parents, beginning well before the eggs hatched, so that they no longer expect to be fed when a parent arrives with food.  In fact, the juveniles are very curious about what's happening in the nest box and are watching as their parents bring food to the young in the nest.  

And the foods offered to the nestlings are very particular and tender.  In the first few days, the parents bring the tiniest spiders, worms and insects to the young.  One wonders how they ever see and capture anything that small, especially when the feeding intervals can be as frequent as four times a minute with both parents feeding.  

Above the female pauses before entering the nestbox entrance, and below she takes a break for a cool bath.  

One of the juveniles considers taking a bath, below, but was too timid on this occasion to jump in.  Perhaps she was a bit camera shy.  I suspect she drinks and bathes frequently at other times during the day since we've been having 90 F degree temperatures, much warmer than is typical for this time of year in Tennessee.  

To see last year's juvenile's bathing visit:  Juvenile Bluebirds Enjoy the Water, and to see juveniles feeding their younger siblings, visit:  Juveniles Helping Parents.  To see all my bluebird posts visit:  Bluebird Family.

Feeding Hungry Bluebird Juveniles

Early morning feedings can be mass confusion at times.  Especially when eastern bluebirds juveniles are cold and hungry.  

Such was the case on this 49° F May morning with the air so much colder than the summer-like weather we had been having.  The juveniles' feathers were fluffed up for warmth and when the male appeared with mealworms, three juveniles descended from overhead limbs, each vying for position--wings fluttering, eager cheeping, and even landing on top of a sibling if that's what it took to get near the food.    

In this case, I think the closest mouth won the meal.  Each of the above images includes three juveniles, though its not easy to sort them out, and eventually two fell off the perch during the scramble.  You have to admire the steady perseverance of parents under these circumstances.  The male fed his mealworms quickly, hopped clear, returned to the feeder, and came back with a fresh supply, feeding until calm was restored.    

Though the female was near and even landed on the garden shepherd's perch near the feeder, she did not participate in the feeding on this occasion.  A little later she flew into the nestbox.  The male was quite interested in this and flew down to the nestbox guard to peek inside and see what was happening.  

I was interested too, and later, after the family left to hunt elsewhere and the nestbox area was quiet, I checked to see if we had eggs.  And yes, we have two eggs!  

Above, three juveniles rest on a limb after being fed, huddled together to take advantage of the extra warmth.

Links and resources:

Visit my previous post, Landlord or Local Diner?  My yard and its nestboxes and mealworm feeder were part of the wintering territory of a small flock of bluebirds with one dominate male and female pair.  However, the pair did not select one of my yard's nestboxes for their first nesting this season.  I later realized that the red-shouldered hawk that had been seen perched in the yard on several occasions during early spring was the likely reason the pair chose a different nest site.  Red-shouldered hawks have fledged their young by now and are wandering beyond their nesting territories.  And, I am happy to have a nesting pair of bluebirds in my yard again!  

To see my posts on last season's nesting bluebirds, visit:  Bluebird Family

Eastern Bluebirds--Landlord or Local Diner?

Bluebirds can leave you scratching your head from day to day, wondering what their plans are for that empty nest box.

This morning a pair of Eastern bluebirds landed on the limbs overhead almost instantly when I signaled with a whistle that the mealworm diner was now open for customers.  I had barely closed the feeder top when the pair appeared, singing softly.  I sat on the patio and watched as first the male and then the female visited the dish of mealworms. It was especially gratifying to hear the female's contented chirps as she fed.

The male patiently waited for her to finish, and then, poof, they were gone, the nest box serving as nothing more than a perch in route to the feeder.

After they left, I watched a male tufted titmouse repeatedly visit the feeder and return to a limb to feed his waiting mate.  This was definitely a smile-worthy observation.  I have no idea where they are nesting but it is certainly somewhere nearby.  The male frequently declares his territory with song and raspy scolding notes.  The bluebirds, on the other hand, make me wonder if they are nesting elsewhere and simply stopping by for a snack at the local diner.

As recently as a week ago, the male and female landed on the nest box together and exchanged excited communications, both chattering and wing-waving.  Above, you see the male wing-waving to encourage the female to join him on the next box.  And below, she has landed on the guard, preparing to check out the nest box.  Wing-waving, an alternating series of wing lifts, is expressed by both the male and the female and seems to signal a greeting and encouragement that reinforces the pair bond during the breeding season.

If it were not for last year's records, I would have given up hope that I will have a nesting pair of bluebirds this season.  My notes show that on April 8th of 2011, the pair that raised two broods last season in this nest box had not yet claimed it.  In mid March the wintering flock dispersed as one pair of bluebirds in their midst vigorously chased away flock mates and flock members dispersed in search of breeding territories and mates.  And while some bluebirds may still be searching for nest sites, many pairs in our area have already nested and are incubating eggs.

On the other hand, I have a decisive pair of chickadees in charge of my second nest box.  A Carolina chickadee (above) is building her nest right on schedule with last year's nesting record.  When I last checked the box on March 30th, the female had completed her thick base of moss and was placing a layer of soft grasses, hair, downy feathers, and other soft materials over it to begin forming the nest cup.

Chickadee nests are so soft and neat, astoundingly lovely.

Links and resources:

For stories and images of last season's nesting bluebirds, visit:  Bluebird Family.  And for more on Carolina chickadees visit my chickadee posts.

Also please visit my new book:  Red-shouldered Hawk Territory, A sketchbook journey through nesting season.  The book will be ready for shipping by April 12th and contains my sketches, field notes and the stories and photos that unfolded during four-months of observing a nesting pair of red-shouldered hawks.  You can visit some of those stories and images on this blog by clicking: Red-shouldered hawks. Scroll to the bottom to read earliest posts first.

Wintering Bluebirds--the Magic and the Mystery

As I've watched bluebirds visit my mealworm feeder over the past several weeks, I've realized that this opportunity to observe and recognize members of the family that nested in my nest box this past season, is fleeting, and will never happen in quite the same way again.

The mated pair of my nest box bluebird family was not familiar with a mealworm feeder prior to their exposure this past spring.  They did not approach it or show curiosity at the onset, even though the feeder is very close to the nestbox.  Neither, did they have any experience with a human offering mealworms (nor did I).  It was while watching their behavior as they exited the nest box that I noticed that they sometimes paused on the guard and looked down for insects.  This gave me the idea to place the blue dish of meal worms in their direct line of vision as they rested on the nest guard after feeding young.

It was the female who first discovered the mealworms and landed on the dish with excited chirps, and who readily began to associate the blue dish with mealworms where ever it was placed.  This eventually led her to understand and associate the blue dish in the feeder with mealworms.  The male followed her example.  Very quickly, using fine honed flight skills, the male and female flew into the mealworm feeder's guard with precision, flattening their feathers and barely touching the wire guard that serves to keep out larger birds.

Female adult feeding inside the feeder with young bluebird perched on top.

The first brood juveniles were less precise in their landings and entrance, but also became very adapt at entering the feeder and collecting mealworms both for themselves and to feed to the second brood nestlings.  They also were not bothered by my presence, having seen me many times while in the company of their parents.  I could still distinguish them from their parents by behavior.  The male and female adults both often faced me when they landed, sometimes flying to a closer perch when I was present, and stared at me and wing-waved to solicit more mealworms.  Their bond to me as a potential source of food has remained strong due to their exposure throughout their feeding of two nest broods during the summer.  This behavior sets them apart even now.

The younger bird pictured in the top and third images, finds her way into the feeder, above, and stands alert behind the older female, possibly watching for her reaction or waiting her turn.  Below, a second young bird does not attempt to enter the feeder, but teeters on the outer edge to grab home-made suet that has fallen onto the platform.

Having observed these feeding behaviors and able to distinguish the mated pair from the season's offspring even after the first brood youngsters began to molt and lose their juvenile spots,  I have assumed that the bluebirds now visiting the mealworm feeder are the nest box pair and their offspring.  Since the family left the immediate area after the second brood fledged, I have naturally assumed that the birds having difficulty entering the feeder through the guard are the second brood juveniles that had no opportunity to practice.  

Having said that, last night I opened my new and wonderful resource for bluebird information, Studying Eastern Bluebirds, A Biologist's Report and Reflections, by David Pitts, and began to partially unravel some of my assumptions, or at least cast doubt on them.  As always, with animal and bird observations, we try to make sense of what we are seeing based on what we know about a species or about individuals, but there are many variables and possibilities to consider.  

Some of the interesting information that I read about flocking in Pitt's chapter on wintering bluebirds gave me pause, raising questions but not necessarily answering them.  This is not a bad thing, of course.  Unanswered questions cause us to observe more closely and open our minds to many possibilities.

To summarize, Pitt's winter observations of bluebirds he had banded led him to suggest that each wintering bluebird flock usually contained one adult male, one adult female, and two to six young bluebirds that had hatched the previous summer.  The adults were often, but not always, the mated pair in the territory that included their nest box.  The juvenile bluebirds in a winter flock, on the other hand, were usually not the offspring of the adults in that flock.  However, fledglings from a late nest did sometimes remain with their parents into the winter.  (aha!)

That last statement made me chuckle.  Question answered, question unanswered.  Am I seeing the inexperienced second brood juveniles returning to the feeder with their parents?  Or am I seeing young birds from other local families or migrants that have joined this pair's flock for winter survival?  It is certain I will never know the answer, but it is also certain that I am seeing young birds, numbering four to six, accompanying the familiar adult pair to the feeder, and that all of them are better equipped to survive the winter in the company of each other.

In the last three images, above, you are seeing the same young bluebird attempting to enter the feeder. She ultimately did not go inside, choosing to grab morsels of food from the outer rim, instead.  

More observations on wintering bluebirds and flocking behavior in upcoming posts.  

Links and Resources:

Studying Eastern Bluebirds, A Biologist's Report and Reflections by T. David Pitts

Feeding mealworms to bluebirds
My blog posts on my bluebird family
Bluebird art found on my website watercolor gallery and in my online shop.

Eastern Bluebird Family Pays a Visit

The female eastern bluebird that nested in the nest box during the 2011 breeding season paid me a visit this morning and brought her juveniles along.  I could not be more delighted than when this family pays a visit.  The parent female is indistinguishable from her daughter in plumage, but I can recognize her behavior. 

Above you see her staring at me from the nest box.  She had just checked the mealworm feeder and found it empty.  There is a message in that look.

When the family arrives, they flutter up to gazebo shelves to take a look around from up high before approaching the feeder.  Sometimes they arrive chattering, but this morning they were silent.  I just happened to be outside.  On this occasion, the parent female identified herself by what she did next.  She flew to the shepherd's hook closer to where I was standing and wing waved.  Can you imagine what pleasure that gives me?!

I gladly went inside to get mealworms and suet.  I put both out from time to time and the titmice and wrens happily check the feeder every morning and empty it of all contents, including the cornmeal crumbs.  The bluebirds scattered when I walked to the feeder, so after adding food, I whistled.  Never worry that you can't whistle very well.  Your whistle will be recognizable and birds will associate it with you and the food you bring.  

Above you see the female feeding and I believe the other two are her juveniles.  The male typically joins her inside the feeder.    

Along with the bluebirds, I had dark-eyed juncos and white-throated sparrows visiting, in addition to the titmice, chickadees, red-bellies and downies.  And the sweet little yellow-rumped warbler that likes to hang around made an appearance today.  I rarely catch him/her in an image, so I was doubly delighted when she paused long enough to allow this one.

A bluebird, titmouse, cardinal and robin are all featured in my Autumn Birds note card set, a boxed set of 4 x 5 blank cards featuring new watercolor images of some favorite birds in autumn settings.  Creating these cards and working with a printer has been a fun project and I am excited about the beautiful results.  

Visit my cards online at my Vickie Henderson Art website.  If you are near the Knoxville area, you can also find them at Knoxville's Wild Birds Unlimited.

Links and Resources:

Recommended for quality printing:  High Resolutions

The Hooded Crane is still at the Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge near Dayton TN.  Visit my post about this unusual crane appearance.  And check out the young birders in the Chattanooga Times Free Press article on the crane.

Visit my bluebird family posts about the fun experience I had watching this family during the 2011 nesting season.  You will also enjoy seeing the gazebo and the fun action that happens around it from time to time that I call "magic". 

In 2009 I followed the nesting season of a pair of red-shouldered hawks.  Watch for my Red-shouldered Hawk sketchbook to be in print soon!