Bluebirds are here....

Just wanted to tell you that I saw my first bluebird today. I am in zone 5 and their normal arrival time is around the 16th of March. We are supposed to get really cold this next week. At least one night down to 6 degrees. Do you think these birds will pack up and go back home due to the cold? I have food out, but they don't seem to eat anything I feed, even the bluebird suet cakes. Just don't want them to freeze to death, but don't know what to do to help them through this really cold weather.

Hi Brugie' Mine stay hear around and hope you have a heated birdbath for them too' Don't worry,they're eating somewhere else most likely,they'll be fine'HTH Sis'

Thanks Sis,

They are such a beautiful bird and the numbers seem to be declining so I sure want to do my part to keep them strong and healthy. Yes, we have liquid ice for them and no snow cover now, so maybe they are finding something nourishing. Thanks again,

Shirley

Brugie, do you have your nest boxes out now? They like to sleep in them in the winter to stay warm. You can even put a few small tree branches inside so they don't crush each other. I feed mine homemade suet with raisins and dried cherries and they love it. They love raisins.

I haven't figured out how to get them to go to the suet. Yes, I make some of my suet cakes too with a recipe from the bluebird book by Stokes. We have nest boxes out, about 5 of them. Just have to hope they are smart enough to take cover. Another bird I'd like to coax in to stay a while is the Indigo Bunting. We have one that flies by and we only get to see him for one day.

Brugie is your suet away from distractions,like moving objects like(some yard art,windmills etc') Away from your everday walk patterns,in other words,located for quiet,easy safe access??? The blues I've observed like their own space and don't "socialize" with the feeding frenzy of others' Just curious'

We live in the country and have three acres. The bluebird nests, etc. are down in the orchard, so yes they are away from everything that might be distracting. I'm going to work on getting them to eat the suet by placing some mealy worms on a cake just laying down on the ground. Maybe they will accidentally get some of the suet and then start eating it. They do love the fruit from the trees later on.

Brugie, the indigo buntings usually prefer open fields and usually nest and travel with the Gold Finches. They love red and white millet as well as thistle seeds.

I have the thistle seeds, but not the millet. I also heard that they like day old donuts.