Blue Bird Nest Cycle

A Presentation Prepared by Virginia Master Naturalist Bill Fox

Why Attract Birds and Butterflies to Your Yard?

•Fun for You to observe•Enjoyment of Nature’s Beauty•Identify different birds and butterflies•Keep your own Bird Journal and/or •Photographs of Bird Behavior•Participate in organized Surveys

How to Attract Birds and Butterflies? Focus -on their Needs.

•Food: Seed, Suet, Seed and Berry Bearing Flowers, Shrubs Trees and Other Natural Goodies• Water •Cover from Predators or Habitat Foliage•Nest Sites

Other natural goodies

Bluebird Nest Box Placement

•If you have open space for a garden you probably have enough space for a bluebird nest site•Key may be to have the nest box about six feet or more away from heavy cover•Facing East is best•Five and half to six feet high

12/27/2010The male house hunts early

1/6/2011

Female is the decision maker

A “honeymoon” periodYes, that is ice and there are Bluebird Polar Bear Clubs.

3/17/2011

Nest building stars later.

3/25/2011 7:24 am Predator Attack

3/25/2022 7:24 am

3/25/2011 7:32 am Wing Waving Celebrationafter the predator has been driven off

3/25/2011 7:32 Calm Returns

House Keeping

4/30/2011 11:28 am

4/30/2011 11:28 am

Most young bluebirds leave the nest or fledge between 15 and 18 days of age

Wildlife Mapping is Being Used by Many States

Your wildlife observation post can be your backyard

Can help monitor population shiftsNeed training (Contact Bill Fox 338 8989)

orwww.dgif.virginia.gov/wildlifemapping

Can be used for tracking of population shifts ( Bluebirds, Evening Grosbeaks and others)

Great Backyard Bird Count

www.birdsource.org/gbbc/Feb. 15 t0 18, 2013

Photography

Point and shoot cameras can be used for stills and bird identification

Digital Single Lens Reflex camera is needed for birds in flight

Scopes with camera for close ups in the wildSome people like to use videos

Uneven light and focusing are common problems

Bluebird half in sun

Note that the wing in direct sunlight has the color washed out in the photo

Bluebird Nest CycleThe End

Appendix

• Presentation Principles– Pleasurable– Relevant– Organized– Thematic– Stop before saturation point– Good story: beginning, middle, end

Backyard Birding Outline How to Attract-Focus

•Better Enjoy and Appreciate Your Local Habitat•How to Attract Birds-Focus on Needs (Seasonal)

•Food •Water

•Predator Protection (Cover)•Nest Sites

The Exposure Triangle + One

Shutter SpeedCamera

Aperture (F-Stop)Lens

ISO (Media Speed)Camera Processor

Exposure Compensation=0 at 18% grey

Low F-StopReduces DOFNeeds less LightAids auto focus

Low ISO needs more lightReduces electronic noise

Typical Speeds1/640 + sec for sports1/100 sec normal people1/1000 + sec flying birds