Eight bluebirds

That's how many bluebirds were in my yard together at one time.  Six in the birdbath, two on the fence watching.  Of course, they saw movement when I got close to the window with my camera and flew away.  Only two brave souls returned.  You'll just have to take my word that there were eight.  You can click on the picture and see it larger if you need to.

Bluebirds

When I started watching for birds around here, I seldom saw bluebirds.  I started reading about them and asking at the wild bird stores, and found out they don't eat seeds; they eat berries and mealworms, and they love birdbaths.  My daughter happened to have an extra birdbath, so I was in business.  I just can't force myself to buy mealworms.  I've had enough times in my life when those little pests got into my cupboard and ruined everything, from popcorn to oatmeal.  Yuck.  They're hard to get rid of, once they get a foothold.  
Year before last I saw an occasional lonely bluebird at the birdbath.  Last spring, I bought a bluebird house and had Cliff put it atop a fence post for me.  
We kept killing baby sparrows that hatched in it, but toward the end of summer, bluebirds finally took possession and hatched out some babies.  I was ecstatic!  
Bluebirds are supposed to migrate, although they sometimes don't leave until November; they start returning in February, which makes me wonder why they bother to leave at all.  
Anyway, it seems that the family of bluebirds that hatched in the bird house is still hanging around.  If I see one or two bluebirds in the bath, I have only to look around nearby and I'll see the rest of them.  There are five altogether, and they're always within sight of one another.  They spend a lot of time bathing, and also hanging out at the bird house, perching atop it or nearby on the fence.  
I mentioned on Facebook that my bluebirds ought to be going south soon, and one of my Tractor Tales buddies told me he has a pair of bluebirds that stay there year 'round.  
Oh, I can only hope!  
Of course, this makes me wonder what they eat this time of year, since I was told they only eat insects and worms.  One website says they eat berries and fruits.  
I'll bet when they get desperate enough, they eat seeds.    
So, I now have bluebirds that call this place home; maybe one day I'll even find a bluebird on my windowsill.  

Randomness

This is one of the baby bluebirds in the birdhouse, the same birdhouse from which we repeatedly snatched sparrows' nests earlier in the year.  I won't be peeking in on them any more, because I don't want to scare or discourage them.

This is a bruise on my left upper arm:  I was taking my daily walk (barefoot as usual) early one morning while Cliff slept; I took the usual turn around my cabin, stepped in a pool of slimy cow poop, and slid down, falling against a board that's part of the cabin.  No, it doesn't hurt.  
I told you the cows were taking over my cabin; I didn't know they had a trap set for me.  

Not to be outdone, Iris has a wound on her upper right leg (see the gaping red hole?).  She goes for walks with us, but I've pretty much let her run where she pleases, up to now.  On the part of our walk that takes us to the fence between us and the crazy neighbors, she made a habit of going through the barbed wire fence and nosing around over there.  The other day she disappeared in the vicinity of that fence; I called her and heard a sharp, panicky whine:  Cliff went to check: a barb on the wire had pierced her skin and was holding her captive.  Today she walked with us, but when we got to that area, she stopped long before we reached the fence, and waited for us to turn and head back up the hill.  I don't think she'll be going through that particular stretch of fence again, any time soon.  She also kept us in sight during the entire walk.  So this little injury might have worked out well, if it indeed taught her a lesson.  

a bright spot in a dreary day

I've been missing the hummingbirds and goldfinches something awful; most of the time these days, the yard outside my computer room window is as still as a cemetery. Lately, though, around sunup and sundown, bluebirds have gathered out there. They perch on the fence. and fly over to drink from the birdbath. Today I actually saw several of them at the birdbath together, and this time they were bathing! This gives me hope that perhaps I might have some luck getting bluebirds to nest in my yard next year.

Later on I saw a house finch bathing with them. Maybe things on the bird scene are going to get interesting again.

You can click on the picture of the birds to see them better; I realize it leaves something to be desired, since I took the shot through a screen.

It's all for the birds

Last year I discovered how much pleasure a person can get watching hummingbirds. This year, it's the goldfinches. There are very few times that there isn't at least one of these yellow lovelies at the feeder; a couple of days ago when Cliff and I were returning from our walk, we counted eight goldfinches altogether, including the ones on the fence.

I also see house finches every day, although I have yet to get a picture of one. I snagged this picture off the Internet.

My daughter gifted me with a birdbath. I've been wanting to attract bluebirds, and according to Dr. Google, that's one thing they like. So far, all I've seen bathe in the thing are robins and sparrows. Evidently goldfinches aren't worried about their hygiene, because they only use it to drink from. I've never seen any of them bathe in it.

I do see bluebirds perching on the back fence on a daily basis. I guess my next move would be to purchase a bluebird house. Wish me luck.