BRINGING BACK THE BLUEBIRDS!By Dan Lee and Nancy Feagans, from the Palos Verdes South Bay Audubon SocietyJune 3, 2009

There are 3 Kinds of Bluebirds:Eastern BluebirdsMountain BluebirdsWestern BluebirdsWestern Bluebirds live here in Southern CaliforniaWhat sounds dothese birds make?June 3, 2009

Why we want to helpBluebirds used to be able to find old, dead treeswith holes called cavities and build their nests inside. But in recent years most of the old trees have been cut down to make way for homes, businesses, and shopping malls.

Other birds like House Sparrows and European Starlings will attack and drive away the Bluebirds because they want to build their nest in the same cavities.June 3, 2009

So we decided to make a Bluebird Trail with nest boxes in Harbor Park!Last October with the help of Bluebird expert Dick Purvis we hung 10 nest boxes in trees - new homes for the Bluebirds! June 3, 2009

Heres a view of our Bluebird Trail from aboveJune 3, 2009

.and in April, the Bluebirds moved in!Look what we found in Box 13 a mother Bluebird and 6 Bluebird eggs in the nest!Now we check the nest boxes once a weekJune 3, 2009

Soon the eggs hatch and Box 13 has brand-new baby Bluebirds!We feel like new Grandparents!June 3, 2009

Dan lowers Box 13 to check on the babiesThe Bluebird mom and dad are keeping watch!June 3, 2009

Here are the Bluebird babies in Box 13 at 2 weeks old.Arent they cute?June 3, 2009

Feeding the baby a bug!June 3, 2009

At 3 weeks old, the babies have flown (fledged) from the nest box; here the dad still feeds a fledgling.Soon, the mom and dad will teach the young Bluebirds how to catch their own food.June 3, 2009

A Danger to Nesting BluebirdsAt Easter time every year, a lot of the plastic grass from Easter baskets is left outside and in parks where Bluebirds and other birds build their nests. This is very dangerous to birds and their babies.June 3, 2009

Other cavity nesting birds like the nest boxes, too; I wonder whos in Box 9?June 3, 2009

The Tree Swallows seem to like our boxes!Inside Box 9 we found a nest with tiny white eggs; see how the Tree Swallows use a lot of feathers to build their nests?See the Tree Swallow perchedon the front of box 9?June 3, 2009

The Tree Swallow babies are ready to fledge!June 3, 2009

Western Bluebirds and Tree Swallows can live happily near each other.This is called nest box pairing.June 3, 2009

We hope you enjoyed this show and dont forget to look for the beautiful Bluebirds when you go outside!June 3, 2009