Just a few photos of the Bluebird and Chickadee in their houses.  We think we have another Bluebird family starting in the other house.

https://vimeo.com/274593791

Jean, those bluebirds are beautiful.  I take it the less colorful one is the female.  A neighbor here had a chickadee nest one year and I think it was only for one year.  When I had a cottage a neighbor had several bluebird boxes and all were inhabited by bluebirds!  I had hummingbird feeders, as did several neighbors.  I guess we were for the birds!

Mary Ann

Thanks, Mary Ann.  We enjoy seeing the birds.  They definitely have different personalities.  There is one Mourning dove that comes to the feeders that is so bossy.  He just pushes the other doves right off the feeders.  They go sit on the fence or peck around on the ground unti he leaves.  I say “he” but they all look the same to me. 

Jean, your blue bird photos are great.  I've had a pair of cardinals nesting in my fence which is covered in shrubs, but they seem to have left.  I usually get a flock of cardinals from down your way every spring, but not as many this year.  Maybe they decided to stay in your neighborhood.  I have a water station under my trees and I often seen blue birds, cardinals, crows, doves plus the occasional bird I don't recognize.
 
My oldest son gave me a rain barrel when I moved into this house and I'm able to keep my flowers and my birds watered all summer. 

Sue

We also had lots of birds in Ocala, but we never put up Bluebird houses until we moved here.  We have two birdhouses and the first birds to nest in one of them was a Carolina Chickadee and his mate.  Then soon after they claimed one of the birdhouses, a bluebird took over the other.

Love the birds, Jean... but had trouble with video tonight.  I got to see enough to know you have the "Eastern bluebird" like we did in Missouri.  When in CO one year I did get a photo of the western bluebird & have never seen one again.  They are solid blue but not as bright of blue as the eastern.  My brother in central MO had a family that stayed with them for years & my SIL was so proud of them that when I got a good photo of them & gave her prints, she took it for "show & tell" to a school reunion.  She grew up in northern Kansas & I've never seen bluebirds in KS so maybe was extra special to her.  You are so good with the birds & photos... thanks!

Sato, I am having trouble with videos lately but will try again.  I'm not sure if it is the fault of my computers or the internet server.  I have a new HP laptop but can't get it to connect with my system.... cannot remember the last password so trying to figure how to recover it without changing.  I was told if I change the password all my "toys" like phone, Fitbit, iPod, etc., connected will have to be changed, not what I want to do!

The Eastern Bluebird is supposed to be our State bird here in New York, but I have never seen one here. 

After the Chickadee and fledglings left, Larry cleaned out the birdhouse and removed the nest which was made of moss.  Now we have Bluebirds making a nest in that house.  Larry just came in from adding mealworms to the flat feeder and the minute he was in the house the male Bluebird was getting mealworms and taking them to the house and feeding the Mrs.

Rammel, Bluebirds like mealworms.  Larry uses the mealworms in a package from Walmart’s.  Maybe if you put some out it will entice some Bluebirds.

Sue, we don’t see many Cardinals.  We have a couple (male and female) that are regulars to the feeders.

Jean, I have a tiny bird nesting in one of my new bird house,it is hard to tell, but looks  light brown.  the head and bill looks like a nuthatch, shrill voice. My neighbor thought it is a Carolina wren, but I think it is to small. it is half the size of a sparrow

Gloria, I noticed in one of your photos that was posted you have lots of birdhouses in the backyard tree.  We love to watch the different birds that visit our yard.

Jean, we have lots of cardinals when they are going back north--usually stop for a couple of days to eat at my feeders.  This year we only had a couple of pairs who stopped to raise some babies.  I'm wondering if it was because this winter was warmer except for one period when we had at least a foot of snow here in Auburn.

Sue

The cardinals were our state bird but just do not see any now? They must rather stay in the south.

We have cardinals right through the winter.  They stand out so brightly when there is snow.  They tend to nest low which is not a good thing around here.  Have a coyote around lately.

Rick, the cardinals nest low here and where we lived in Kansas City.... not very sturdy nests, either.  I don't see as many here as before we had the cats, but neighbors feed birds in their back yards across the street.  I hear a brown thrush down by the river & "talk" to it often.......it used to come up to the house... before the cats.  They have a sort of "trill" and end with what sounds like a juicy kiss. It will keep answering when I talk like that.      Normally we have lots of red winged blackbirds down by the river but have not seen any this year. 

Funny you should mention the red wing blackbird.  My son said he saw one a couple of days ago.  I have fun feeding "the wildlife" - find it very relaxing.  We usually have cardinals and the last year or so some wood peckers and the mocking birds.  I usually check for them early morning and at dusk.

Rick, when we first moved here I was out the door as the sun came up, birds singing everywhere.  So many we don't see at all now and I don't see the sun coming up, either.  By the time the cats come in they are ready to eat, I eat and by then the pretty colors have changed to blue sky.  Up until this year I would watch the hundreds of cormorants leaving their nesting area to the east, flying west to the fields or where ever they went for the day.  Lots of egrets, herons & all kinds of ducks & geese.  No cormorants this year (the little lake owners took down the trees they nested in), no geese or ducks, herons or egrets.... just now & then one or two flying by.  The city saw fit to demolish the rookery when they put in a new exit ramp for the bypass.  How sad is that to trade concrete for wildlife?  That new ramp is a joke, it was needed a mile further north but "politics" dictated otherwise.  Somewhere I have a photo of a cardinal father feeding a young red winged blackbird.... baby had outgrown Dad!  So far I am not seeing the red wings but just plain old blackbirds down by the river (or at the feeder).  It is almost dark & a little after 9:00 pm.... start getting shorter days now.  I need to fill the bird feeder so the early birds have something to eat in the morning.

Sato...
...thank you, what a difference when we hear the voice of any of our S& F's members who we may or may not ever get to meet in person...
...Your flowers video clip as always, has been put together perfectly to show the flowers off in the best possible way...I found that most enjoyable...

Sato, I liked your video with its beautiful flowers and your singing.  I remember your voice from before your illness and I think you've lost none of your tone.  It was good to hear your voice again.

Mary Ann

Sato that was a pleasant presentation.  The photos, always your great flowers, and as stated it was good to hear your voice.

Sato, I agree with the above three. Great to see/hear!

Vanilla-Jackie, Mary, Jack, Bubble, thanks for your comments to my video.  The photos, translations involved there are not suitable for the scenes.

Sato, pretty roses in the Rose Garden.

Mary Ann

Sato the roses were lovely but believe I would spend the day at the Port watching the ships glide by.

Sato, your video was a nice start for the day.

Sato, the flowers are beautiful, all of them.  The roses seem to have no blemishes on them which is unusual.  I love cosmos; they are so dainty. 

Mary Ann

Mary Ann, Jean, Jack, thank you for your comments.

Mary Ann, I see people enjoying the beach and water at Grand Haven although the trees block the view.  It looks very pleasant there.  It is 83F here but I’m sure it feels hotter due to the humidity.  I check the Duluth webcam but mostly seem to miss the action.  I’m either too late or too early.