.................when who arrived right outside the window forcing me to grab a camera off the dining room table, slowly raise the blinds, and start snapping away, the delightful Madame Bluebird, bringing proverbial happiness!
She stayed a few minutes, her spindly legs and feet seemingly glued to the sparkling snow, eating a few seeds, looking out over the garden and posing for the camera. I say 'she' because of her duller blue, the male being brighter.
Through the 1940's to the 1970's, the population of the Eastern Bluebird spiraled downward due to changing agricultural practices eliminating nesting sites, pesticide poisoning and some severe winters. This has now been reversed thanks to backyard birders, conservation organizations and farmers, by placing incredible numbers of nesting boxes throughout the their range. The birds responded and are now on the rebound, even becoming common in some areas including here in North Carolina.
The critical feature of a bluebird nest box is its entrance hole which must be exactly 1-1/2 inches (38 mm) in diameter to prevent use of the box by starlings. In addition, the birds prefer boxes located in field type settings with scattered trees not closer than 25 feet.
(Info. from Garden Bird Facts)
Eastern Bluebird ~ visiting the porch January 31, 2010
To see other visitors to the garden yesterday during the snowfall, check my previous post.
Our snowfall turned to sleet early yesterday morning. The sharp gritty noise it made on the bedroom window woke me just before first light. It continued much of the day making the hoped-for fluffy, sticky stuff, change into blowing drifts and then a hard crust. The landscape was transformed. We were unable to open the back door as the hard snow was piled against it - DH had to go around with his snow shovel (a relic from our Northern years!) and dig us out! The bitter cold will continue for several days. Our birds arrived at dawn. The feeder birds assisted in scattering seed for the ground feeders, all were eating well. It's on days like this DH and I feel money for seed was well spent. The birds are grateful for a meal to keep them warm and their body weight correct enabling them to fly.
Male Rufous-sided Towhee - always bouncing along and visits feeders.
My purchase, again small items for the corner of that expanding suitcase, were these beautiful vintage wooden spools of fine metallic threads in silver and gold tones.
Climbing up from the beach road, you enter through this stone arch leading to the cliff walk. One is transported into a quiet world..........................
Reaching the daisy-covered park at the top of the cliff, one is ready for a rest on one of the many benches looking out across the bay.
-crop.JPG)
