Sunday, June 2, 2013

Bluebird Fledgling's First Bath

Yesterday I was treated to a mother and father bluebird bringing their young fledglings to my birdbath to test out the waters! The first couple of photos are the disheveled parents...their feathers are all ruffled and they are probably exhausted from taking care of these babies!

Mother and father bluebird, mom watching while dad takes a bath
The juveniles don't have the same thickness of feathers and are not as brightly colored as the adults. There is one fledgling that sat on the deck and wouldn't go near the water for the longest time...but
then he finally flew over to check it out. But he didn't end up going in, ever! His sibling and he were cute as they appeared to see me taking their photos! I thought it was funny that the one was being totally stubborn and just would have nothing to do with that water!

Juvenile (left)  looks on while dad demonstrates taking a bath

Mom joins dad while juvenile watches.

The 2nd fledgling isn't too sure he wants to join the others

Dad is really enjoying his bath, and the youngster (far left) looks like he want to join in

Mom appears to be chewing dad out, not sure what he did but she doesn't look happy with him!!

Meanwhile, this youngster isn't having any part of it!

The baby (splashing, behind mom) has joined in and dad has gotten out

Hmm, still not wanting any part of this!

"What are you looking at?"

Mom and dad have flown away, while the 2 youngsters remain

Finally, the 2nd juvenile flies to the birdbath to join his sibling

Two bluebird babies at the birdbath

It's almost as if they saw me taking their photo! (I was inside the house looking through the kitchen window).



The one baby would not go in the water...

What gifts have you discovered today? Until next time,

Words and photos ©Thanks for today.™, by Jan Huston Doble @ http://www.thanksfor2day.blogspot.com/
Not to be reproduced or re-blogged without express permission of the author.

38 comments:

  1. I don't think I have every said this before, but those baby birds are cute.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just love these photos! Birds are so much fun to watch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, they are fun, Alison. Thanks!

      Delete
  3. What a wonderful experience to be able to watch them and take these photos. Such fun!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Jayne...it was a blast :)

      Delete
  4. I've never seen bluebird babies. These pictures are fantastic! Thanks for posting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Ragtimelil. Glad you now know what the babies look like ;)

      Delete
  5. Oh Jan these are adorable especially the 2 babes looking at you!!!! Priceless joys.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Donna :) It was only the 2nd time I've seen babies visit. The last time, the parents brought them to the feeders... ;)

      Delete
  6. Your pictures of bluebird family bath time are extraordinary. Thanks for sharing them. It's almost as great as actually watching them. Well yes I admit it. I'm just s bit jealous. Good for you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Becky! Maybe you'll see them someday too...you just never know. Always something to surprise us in our gardens ;)

      Delete
  7. What a priceless gift! I adore bluebirds but haven't been able to attract them to my garden for some reason. Not enough open space, maybe? We have them at our family lake house and I could sit for hours and watch them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They don't nest in my yard either, Ginny, but for some reason, they eat from my feeders during the winter. This is the 2nd time I've seen babies in my yard; a couple of yrs ago, parents brought babies to eat from the feeders.

      Delete
  8. That was sooo cool! Great photo's. I loved your post. Not as interesting post as yours, but check out my hummingbirds sitting on my finger while eating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Tammy...that is so cool that hummingbirds actually sat on your finger...that is amazing!

      Delete
  9. They sure grew up fast!
    Ray

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I only wish I could have seen them when they were in the nest, Swimray! They don't nest in my yard...and boxes I had, they never used. But the whole process does go by quickly...

      Delete
  10. Oh my gosh! Those are incredible photos--especially through a window! Your photos must be extremely clean. How did you avoid glare and distortion? Not to mention capturing so many great shots and a series that tells an exquisite story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I meant to say "Your WINDOWS must be extremely clean." :^)

      Delete
    2. Beth, my windows have water droplets all over them...they are right above the kitchen sink where splashes happen frequently! I think the lighting was just right and the sun was out of the way when I took the photos. There are lots of trees/shade in my yard so usually the photos I take through the windows turn out fine :)

      Delete
  11. Oh how charming! I've never even seen a live bluebird, let alone had one at my birdbath!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe you will get lucky one of these days, Robin...you just never know when a surprise will occur in the garden :)

      Delete
  12. Wonderful photos of the Bird Bath lesson! I rarely see our bluebirds at the birdbath as they prefer the bath on the side of the house out of window view. I was lucky to once see the entire family splashing around. I recall it being Mom, Dad and 6 baby's. They made that bath look like so much fun with their splashing about as if Children in a swimming pool during summer....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That sounded like a lot of fun to see, Skeeter...6 babies! Wow. I'm glad you've had the chance to observe parents and babies. One of life's little miracles...

      Delete
  13. Kathryn/plantwhateverbringsyoujoy6/6/13, 5:10 PM

    ADORABLE!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by, Kathryn :)

      Delete
  14. What a beautiful bluebirds!
    Great colors...too!
    We don't have these kind of birds here in Holland...maybe you tell them to fly over.
    I love the young baby's.... beautiful shots.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks iwings...I've told the bluebirds to fly your way ;)

      Delete
  15. These are delightful photos, Jan! With some kind of moral at the end, this could be a children's book. -Jean

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jean. I don't think I'm motivated enough to write a book...but that is a fun idea :)

      Delete
  16. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Jennifer ;) Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  17. These pix are so cute! They do seem to be showing very human-like behavior. Funny! I missed all the bluebird action because I was at work. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. haha, thanks Tammi. I took these photos on a Saturday and wrote the post on a Sunday. Were you working on Sat? LOL. Bluebirds are all over my garden all winter long, eating from feeders and drinking from the stream and/or birdbath, then, in spring they bring their young to eat and drink...and bathe. It might be that they just don't hang out much right around your area. They don't nest in my yard, but just down the street in a woodsier area. So it might not be because you weren't home during the week...because if they're in your area, you would see them when you are home on weekends, as well ;))

      Delete
  18. You really capture the most amazing bird images. Each of these could be a postcard!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Wendy! I guess I was just lucky enough to be standing in the right place at the right time:)

      Delete
  19. What a fun post! Those sure are pretty creatures! Yes, they sure gave you some looks!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for visiting and taking the time to comment! Please enjoy your TODAY and all of the gifts in YOUR garden of life!

Jan

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Post Topics

17 year Cicadas...Enough Already! 2011 Official Post 2012 4th of July collage 5-lined skink A Certain Kind of Light A Cozy Fire A Dusting of Snow A Family Meal A Hawkish Tale A Little Bit of Winter A Visit From Miss Glad on Blooming Friday A Visit With The Queen A Warm Cup of Tea Acorns African Violets African Violets:Kitty Style Agastache Allium Am I too late for GBBD Amaryllis Amazing Zinnias American Beautyberry American Hazelnut American Lady American Robin Anemone Anenome Anglewings Anise Hyssop Another Birthday aphids April 2010 April blooms Arbor Day Are Words Really Necessary? Artemesia Asarum Asclepias Asiatic lilies Aster Aster Yellows Audubon-at-Home August 2009 GBBD August 2013 Autumn Autumn Reflections Awards Awesome Azaleas Azalea on Ice;Picture This Photo Contest;Winter's Beauty Azaleas Azealea Back Yard Backyard Bird Series backyard birds Backyard Makeover Bald Eagles Balloon Flower Bee Collage Bee-Balm Bees Bees Busily Buzzing on Blooms Before and After Being Settled berries Big Eyes Bird Collage Bird Conversations Bird Itch Birdfeeding Birds Birds Before Blooms Birthday Books Black Swallowtail Black Swallowtail Butterflies Black Swallowtail butterfly cats Blackeyed Susan Bleeding Heart Blog Anniversary Blogger blogging blogging friends Blogiversary Blooming Friday Blotanical Blotanical awards Blotanical's 2009 Best Virginia Award Blue Blooms Bluebeard Bluebird Bluebird Fledglings Bluebird in Snow Botanical Interests Boulder Bouquet of the Month:April 2010 Bouquet of the Month:March 2010 Bright Flowers broad-winged damselfly Brown Creeper Brunnera Buddleia Bugbane Bulbs BulbsSproutinginPot Bumblebees Butterflies BUTTERFLIES LIVE Butterfly on Salvia Butterfly weed Calorie-Free Candy Camera-less in April Can You Guess What This Is? Can You Please Identify Me Can't Get Enough Cosmos Cancer Experience Cardinal Cardinal (Female) Cardinal (Male) Cardinal Flower Carolina Wren Carolyn's Shade Gardens Carpenter Bees Carpet Rose Caryopteris Caryopteris x clandonensis Catmint Cedar Waxwing CedarWaxwing celandine poppy Celebrate Your Freedom Cercis canadensis Certified Wildlife Sanctuary Chelone Cherry Blossoms Chickadee Chris McLaughlin Christmas Fern Christmas Rose Chrysanthemum Cicada's Ahead of Schedule Cicada's May 2009 Cicadas May 2013 Cinquefoil Clematis CobraHead Collage Collages Columbine Common Buckeye Common Whitetail dragonfly Composter Coneflower Containers Cooper's Hawk Coral Red Honeysuckle Coreopsis Corona Corydalis Cosmos Covered Hellebore Plants Cozy and Warm Cranberrybush Vibernum Crepe Myrtle Crested Iris Crocus Crocus 'Romance' Crow Cut Flowers From My Garden Cutleaved Coneflower Daffodil Daffodils dainty blue flowers Dayflower Daylilies December 2010 December Birds Deer Poop Desert Island Plant Challenge Desperate for Color on Bloom Day Devastation in the Garden Devotion Dicentra Digitalis purpurea Does This Outfit Make Me Look Fat? Dogs Dragonflies Dragonfly or Damselfly Dried Blooms ducklings Dutchman's Breeches Dwarf Nandina Dwarf Sumac e-Bird e.e.cummings e.e.cummings:i thank You God for most this amazing Earth Day Eastern Bluebird Eastern Comma butterfly Eastern Redbud Eastern Tiger Swallowtail eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly Ebony Jewelwing Echinacea Elderberry Emily Dickinson End of the Line Epimedium Euphorbia Evening Primrose facebook Faith Fall Color Project Feasting on Seeds Feb 2010 GBBD Feb 2010 monster storm Feeling Blue Feeling Blue? Finch Fire Pink First Day of April First Snow First Snowfall Project Fiskars Flame Azalea Flat Tire Basket Flick'r photo large sizes Floral Collages Focal Black and White photo Foliage-Followup Forsythia Fourth of July Foxglove Foxy in November Free Will Friends Fritillaria Frozen Blooms Galanthus Garden Garden Blessings Garden Blogger Bloom Day:November 2008 Garden Blogger Muse Day November 2009 Garden Blogger Muse Day:December 2008 Garden Blogger's Bloom Day:January 2009 Garden Bloggers Garden Bloggers Bloom Day Garden Bloggers Muse Day Garden Bloggers Muse Day (April 2009) Garden Bloggers Operation Christmas Child Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day Garden Bloggers' Muse Day: June 2009 Garden Books Garden Give Away Garden Give Aways Garden Give-Aways Garden Product Give Away Gardening Gone Wild photography contest Gardening Nude Gardening-by-Letter project GardenShoesOnline Garter Snake Ingests Toad GBBD Febrary 2009 GBBD July 2009 GBBD June 2010 GBBD March 09 GBBD:December 2008 GBMD May 2009 GBMD:January 2009 Geese in a Row--and Ducks too Giant Hyssop Give-Away Winner Gladiola Gloves Go Native Goblins and Pumpkins and Snakes oh my God in the Garden Golden Groundsel Goldenglow Goldenrod Goldfinch Goodbye March Graham Rice Gramma's Afghan Grapes Grasshopper Grateful Great Backyard Bird Count Great House Plant Census of 2010 Green and Gold Green Cure fungicide Hairy Woodpecker Happy Father's Day Haven Brand Manure Tea Hawk hawks Heated Birdbath Heather Heliopsis Heliotrope Hellebore Hellebore Collage HelleboreHover Hellebores Hellebores Book Give-Away Helleborus Helleborus niger Help Identify Animal Tracks Henry David Thoreau: Hepatica Heron Heuchera High School Orchestra Concert Highbush Blueberry Hip Mountain Mama Holiday Stress Holiday stress: How Much is Self-Imposed Holly Honored and Humbled Hornworms House Finch Hummingbird Clearwing Hyacinth Hyacinths Hylotelephium I Am Truly Thankful! I'm a bit Bee-hind Iberis Ice on Stream Ice Storm Ilex Impatiens Indentifying Butterflies Iris Iris reticulata It's Here Its Grown On Me Jacob's Ladder January 2010 snow January 2011 January 2013 Japanese Anemone Joe Pye Weed John Keats July garden 2010 Junco June 19th 2009 Just Be Gardens Kerria Kerria-Japanese Rose Keter Dynamic Composter Kombi Ladybird Johnson Lake Anna Lake Anna June 2009 Lake Vacation Lamium Lantana Late to the Party Again lavender Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden Leyland Cypress Liatris Life Experiences Light Lilac Bush Limestone Liriope Liverwort Lobelia Lonicera sempervirens Luna the Greyhound Lungwort Lyme Disease Lyme Disease has gone to my Head Macro in a Mason Jar Mallard ducks March Birthday Bloggers March GBBD mention master gardener May 2010 May Apple Meaning Memorial Day 2010 Memories Mertensia Mid Summer's Eve Mid-June Blooms MidMarch Blooms and Foliage Milkweed Miniature Dachshund mishmash wednesday Mistflower Mites Monarchs Monarchs and Milkweed Monarda Monkshood Monthly Garden Bouquet Moon More April Bouquets Morning Light Mountain Laurel Mourning Doves MuhlyGrass Mums Muscari Muscle My Cat Smokie My Daughter My Dog James My Family My FIRST Enlarged Photo My Husband My Mother My Son My Yard Mystery Tracks Nandina Nandina berries National Cherry Blossom Festival Native Ginger Native Honeysuckle native plants Natural Habitat Nepata New York Fern Non-Natives Northern Flicker Not The Best Notecards November 2009 GBBD Now that's an 'ice picture Obedient Plant Oct 2008 GBBD Almost Ready Oct 2009 October 2009GBBD Of Gloves and Shovels Oh Say Can You See Okay so who or what is eating my plants Oliver Herford:I Heard a Bird Sing Operation Christmas Child Pain Management Techniques Pansies Pansy paperwhites Pay It Forward Project Pay-It-Forward gift-giving exchange Peanut Feeder Peonies by Mary Oliver Peony Perennials Perennials in my garden Perovskia Personal Poetry Personal Poetry: Petunia Phlox Phlox paniculata photo contest Photography Contests phytoplasma Pieris Pieris Japonica Pileated Woodpecker Pine Siskin Pink Azalea Pink Peony Planting Natives Plants on Ice Poetry Pollinators Polymonium Pond Critters Poppy Potentilla Potomac River Pretty Pink Peony Has Popped Prize Winners Product Reviews Project FeederWatch Pulmonaria Pumpkin Carving Purple Coneflower Purpose Questionmark butterfly radishes Rain Rain Barrel Rainbarrel Rainbow Project Rainy Days Raspberry and Lemon Sherbet Reasons I Garden red admiral Red Winged Blackbird Red-Bellied Woodpecker Red-Spotted Purple Red-winged Blackbird Redbud Relaxing Remember Renee's Garden Revised GBBD February 15 Richmond VA Robert Frost Robin Robin'sNestingPlace Rock Soapwort Rock Solid RockSoapwort Roly-Poly Squirrel Rose hips Roses Roses with Thorns Rosy Maple Moth Rudbeckia Rudbeckia lanciniata Russian Sage S.A.D. Salvia Salvia greggi Samuel Taylor Coleridge:The Nightengale Sanguinaria Scilla Seagulls Seasonal Affective Disorder Security Blanket Sedum Sedum Autumn Joy Seed Planting Experiment Seed Starter System Seed-Planting Experiment#1 Seed-Planting Experiment#2 Seed-Planting Experiment#2 (cont.) Seeds Sense of Humor September blooms September Blooms:A Series of Surprises September Surprises #3 Serviceberry Shades of Blue Shady Gardener:Gladsome Be? sharing Sharp-shinned Hawk Shawna Coronado Shirl's Garden Watch Siberion Buglose Skink Slaty Skimmer dragonfly Snake Snake skin Snow Snow in Spring Snowdrop Anenome Snowdrops Snowstorm Solomon's Seal Sounds of the Birds Speedwell Spicebush Swallowtail Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly cats spicebush swallowtail caterpillar Spider Webs Spiderwort sprained ankle Spring Buds and Bulbs Spring Has Sprung Spurge Squirrel Squirrels stainless steel water bottle Standard Poodle Starling Steam on Fence Strawberries Succulents Summer Flowers SunRays Sunrise Sustainable Living project Swallowtail Butterflies Sweaters Hoods and Coats Sweet Allysum Sweet William Teacup and Teapot Tete-a-Tete Thank You to Phillip Thanksgiving The Best Christmas Gifts The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores The GGW photo contest I 'almost' entered on time The Multi-Hued Greens of Spring The Ocean The Seed Keeper Company The Sun Shines at Night The Thrush This Ain't No April Fools Joke This aMayzing Day Thyme Tiarella Titmouse Toad Lily Tools Toulouse goose Tradescantia Tree Sparrow Trees Trillium Trout Lily Tufted Titmouse Tulips Tulips in Spring Tulips on Thursday Turtle Crossing turtle garden Turtlehead TX-Bluebonnet Umbrella VA Gardener Magazine Valentine's Display variegated foliage Verbena Veronica Vinca Violas Virginia Bluebells Virginia Gardener Magazine Wake Robin Walt Whitman:Miracles Washington DC Water Fountain Water Garden Waterfall/Stream WBBS Wednesday Words Weeping Willow West County Gardener What Are You Waiting For What d'ya think Janet What's Happening? What's New in November White Embden geese White Peony White-Breasted Nuthatch Wild Geranium Wild Ginger Wildflower Wednesday Wildflowers Will the Real Turtle Please Come Out William Wordsworth William Wordsworth:The Daffodil's Willow Leaved Sunflower Window; Death; Personal Photography Winter I Am So Over You Winter is for the Birds Winter Light Winter Solstice winter storm slide-show Winter Walk-Off 2014 Winterberry Witch Hazel Woodfern Woodland Pinkroot Woodpecker WORDLESS Friday Wordless Wednesday: Wren X-Rated Yellow but not Mellow Yesterday and Today Zinnia Zinnia Bud (Plan B)