Nice to hear the Bluebird fledging news from Mont Co. Here in Carroll, today
was fledging day in our yard. I noticed a HOSP (sorry I can't say the whole
common name - it makes me toss my cookies) on our box and went down to see
if there was a problem. Nope- the box was empty of the 5 young 'uns it held
yesterday. Satisfied that they had made their maiden voyages to the trees, I
took the box down. I've had Bluebird broods as late as mid- August, but I
prefer that the birds have more growing time before the dreadful, harsh
winters we have here. (Stop laughing!) So I try to discourage late broods.
It's something I think I picked up from the Zeleny book. I'd go over to my
right a few feet and check that out but I can't walk very well with my
broken wrist. Somebody wanna go get it for me?

    Jerry Tarbell
Carroll County- and yes, for those who haven't heard, I did break my wrist.
And it has nothing to do with my age! I'll be fine. Someday. Maybe.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Don Simonson" <>
To: <>
Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 9:21 PM
Subject: [MDOSPREY] 42 EASTERN BLUEBIRDS in one tree Mont Co.


> On Saturday July 12 at our home in Darnestown, Montgomery County, I was
indoors about 7:45 pm when my wife Marcia called to me from the yard that I
better come out to the back yard, to see a whole lot of bluebirds. And added
that I "might want to bring the binos".   Juvenile bluebirds were perched
all over the crown of a large, mostly bare sycamore tree in the back yard,
with more arriving all the time. At first we counted 25, then 30, but more
kept coming.  At about 8:00 pm the number in sight at one time peaked at
42!!!! We could hear still more calling from the neighboring yard.
>
> I have never seen so many Eastern Bluebirds at one time, let alone in one
tree.  This year we had four boxes occupied simultaneously on our 2 acre
yard. Each box produced two or more broods, but this flock must have
included other juveniles from elsewhere as well as our "own".
>
> Kudos to Andy Rabin for putting up so many bluebird boxes in Seneca State
Park in the 1990's.  I think that is when the bluebird population really
took off in this part of Darnestown.
>
> Good birding!
> Don Simonson, Darnestown, Montgomery County MD
>