bluebirds

Another beautiful day. The activities of the bluebirds in the back is one of the summer highlights. We've been fortunate enough to have bluebirds raising their young in the birdhouses along the fence line for many years. Often they have two hatches over the course of the summer. That has been the case this year. Eventually the young birds fledge. This is fairly easy to ascertain as there is more and more activity in the birdhouse as parents hurry to feed they brood. And then there is nothing, no activity at all as the young birds have left the nest. That was the case last night as the bluebirds weren't around per usual. I checked the house, and it was empty. They are not gone for good. I will see the young birds along the fence line for weeks as they are taught to fend for themselves. When Ellen lived here, she said she saw the bluebird family all winter long periodically, huddled around the old family home on the back fence