Bill Leslie: Bluebird babies have arrived

In late April, my wife Cindy and I found three bluebird eggs in our backyard box. This discovery followed a more than 20-year drought of bluebird activity outside our home in Cary. To say we are excited is an understatement! This pandemic has left all of us looking for glimpses of hope, life and meaning.

Our bluebird couple seems thrilled with mealworms we bought at a hardware store

We have learned a great deal about these beautiful birds from loyal readers of this blog. I can’t thank you enough for your thoughtful and informative comments.

Did you know that male bluebirds try to attract a female through courtship songs and wing waving? Once a bond is set, nest construction will take four to five days.

Mama bluebirds usually lay eggs in the morning. That’s why we conducted our box inspections in the afternoon. A female will not begin incubation until her last egg has been laid.

We discovered our nestlings this week. It was difficult for me to get a clear photograph of the little ones but I did my best.

Right now we have been watching the father scramble to find food and bring it to the nest while mom keeps the chicks warm. After about 20 days or so, the nestlings will become fledglings and leave the nest. We will keep you posted on the activity.

We will keep our eyes out for predators including sparrows, snakes and cats.

bleslie@wral.com is my email address. I would love to hear your bluebird stories and advice.

I also have lots of questions, including what we should do with the nest once the little chicks have flown away.