Follow all of the Blue’s Family activities
Hunting and gathering
A Bluebird diet consists primarily of insects with the occasional seeds and berries thrown in. We were (unsurprisingly) fresh out of stored insects, so as a treat to our residents we quickly put together a bird feeder consisting of crushed up sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and craisins stuck to a pinecone with peanut butter. It doesn’t look like the birds are too interested in our feeder (maybe it will attract the squirrels).
The birds have plenty to eat without our help though, as they are regularly leaving the nest every 5-10 minutes to fetch more abundant larvae for themselves and the fledglings. That’s a word I had to re-learn: fledgling. I was calling the baby birds chicks until I decided to Google the correct term.
I was able to get decent footage of each parent visiting the birdhouse. They are, understandibly, cautious when I set up the cameras nearby. I gave them as much space as I could.
Parental instincts
Usually if any human is nearby, Mama Blue will promptly leave the birdhouse and seek higher ground (or branches). While I was setting up my camera this morning, Mama heard me and departed the house as she usually does. However before flying up to a higher branch, she hovered about 10 feet from me to check me out. Ah of course I hadn’t started recording, it would have easily been the best shot of the day. I was unaware of how easily a bluebird can hover in place. It was like a hummingbird, but with just a few wing-flaps per second.
After Mama decided that I wasn’t worth her time, she headed out in search of more food (as she returned minutes later with a worm or caterpillar of some sort). A feeling of helplessness came over me during my encounter with Mama. Despite the average bluebird only weighing 1 ounce, I don’t think Mama would have hesitated to attack me if I had made the wrong move. That would have been an embarrassing injury to explain.
[Better] pictures of the day
Adult bluebird returning to the house 
Mama surveying the landscape before returning home 
Mama bluebird just before departing the house
That’s all for today. Check back soon as I plan to make this a semi-daily routine.
Great picture and video.
Thank you!