{"id":142048,"date":"2025-03-27T02:33:20","date_gmt":"2025-03-27T07:33:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=142048"},"modified":"2025-03-26T16:23:04","modified_gmt":"2025-03-26T21:23:04","slug":"female-eastern-bluebird-is-busy-nest-building","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/03\/27\/female-eastern-bluebird-is-busy-nest-building\/","title":{"rendered":"Female Eastern Bluebird Is Busy Nest Building"},"content":{"rendered":"

The female Eastern Bluebird here has been very busy the last three days, bringing in nesting materials by the beakful to place inside the nesting box.<\/p>\n

\"FemaleFemale Eastern Bluebird with nesting materials \u2013 Canon R7, handheld, f8, 1\/2500, ISO 1000, Canon EF 100-400mm II at 400mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

While I was outside for about seven minutes yesterday, I counted her trips with nesting materials. She flew in five times during that seven minute span. Each time I was outside, she made multiple trips to the nest box with pine straw and other materials.<\/p>\n

The male Eastern Bluebird isn’t bringing in nesting materials, but he always seems to be nearby when the female arrives with a beakful of it. A few times, I have seen him go into the nest box to check it out.<\/p>\n

But it is the female bluebird working her tail off to get the nest completed for when she lays her eggs.<\/p>\n

Last year, the Eastern Bluebirds had three broods at this nest box location. That included the male rearing three young pre- and post-fledging after the female disappeared, most likely due to a hawk attack of some kind.<\/p>\n

More about that here: Mama Eastern Bluebird Is No More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

I have still been seeing Cooper’s Hawks in the neighborhood, and there isn\u2019t much that can be done about them. Hopefully, the bluebirds will be able to nest, fledge, and rear their young broods safely this year.<\/p>\n

Eastern Bluebirds were among my mother\u2019s favorite birds, and when I photograph them, I can easily recall her tales of the bluebirds she had nesting right outside her apartment. They are sweet, treasured memories.<\/p>\n

I know my mom would love all of the Eastern Bluebird photos I have been able to take since leaving Utah.<\/p>\n

Each Eastern Bluebird<\/span><\/a> image I share? Reminds me of her.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Eastern Bluebird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The female Eastern Bluebird here has been very busy the last three days, bringing in nesting materials by the beakful to place inside the nesting box.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":142045,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[13950,27,14094,13951],"tags":[4004,5933,4880,14096,4070,13931,2279,9662,440,4450,14095,165,15824,3844,4881,13966],"class_list":["post-142048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arkansas","category-avian","category-eastern-bluebirds","category-sebastian-county","tag-adult","tag-bluebird","tag-bluebirds","tag-eastern-bluebird","tag-female","tag-garden","tag-nest-box","tag-nesting-box","tag-nesting-materials","tag-nesting-season","tag-sialia-sialis","tag-spring","tag-suburban","tag-thrush","tag-thrushes","tag-yard"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/eastern-bluebird-female-nesting-material-mia-mcpherson-1632.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-AX6","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":151051,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/07\/29\/eastern-bluebird-nest-box-news-chicks-are-ready-to-fledge\/","url_meta":{"origin":142048,"position":0},"title":"Eastern Bluebird Nest Box News – Chicks Are Ready To Fledge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"The Eastern Bluebird chicks in one of my friend Steve Creek's nest boxes are getting ready to fledge. It won't be long before they start exploring the world.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Eastern Bluebird chick getting ready to fledge, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/eastern-bluebird-chick-nestbox-mia-mcpherson-3811.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/eastern-bluebird-chick-nestbox-mia-mcpherson-3811.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/eastern-bluebird-chick-nestbox-mia-mcpherson-3811.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/eastern-bluebird-chick-nestbox-mia-mcpherson-3811.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":152110,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2025\/08\/10\/messy-male-eastern-bluebird-post-nesting-season\/","url_meta":{"origin":142048,"position":1},"title":"Messy Male Eastern Bluebird – Post Nesting Season","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"It is post nesting season, and the male Eastern Bluebird is looking a little messy from all the activity. He is still beautiful, but his feathers are worn.","rel":"","context":"In "Arkansas"","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Post nesting season male Eastern Bluebird, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/eastern-bluebird-ragged-mia-mcpherson-5997.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/eastern-bluebird-ragged-mia-mcpherson-5997.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/eastern-bluebird-ragged-mia-mcpherson-5997.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/eastern-bluebird-ragged-mia-mcpherson-5997.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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