A male bluebird feeding chicks caught my attention on July 14. He kept bringing food to the birdhouse in my Arkansas yard.
The following day, I photographed him arriving with a spider in his beak.
Male Bluebird Feeding Chicks in the Birdhouse
This is the second nesting round for these Eastern Bluebirds. On June 23, I watched the female carry nesting material into this same birdhouse.
I shared that earlier activity in Eastern Bluebird Nest Building Starts Again in My Arkansas Yard.
Less than a month later, the male began making food deliveries. That change told me the nesting had moved into its next stage.
While I watched, the female remained inside the birdhouse. She only came out when the male arrived with food. Because of that pattern, I knew he was delivering the food to their chicks.
Photographing the Male With a Spider
On July 15, the male returned with a spider held in his beak. It was a rainy day, but I was ready with my camera. I photographed him before he entered the birdhouse.
This was not the first time I had seen bluebirds bring spiders to their young. I wrote about that behavior in Why Eastern Bluebirds Feed Spiders To Their Chicks.
My photography setup on the deck gives me a good view of the birdhouse. I can watch the adults approach while keeping some distance from their activity.
You can view the camera equipment and settings I used for this photograph on my Flickr page.
The male moves quickly when he arrives with food. Having the camera ready gives me a better chance of capturing what he carries.
Round Two for My Eastern Bluebirds
Watching this second nesting develop has been rewarding. First, I saw the female carrying nesting material. Now, both adults are busy caring for another group of young.
The spider photograph helps connect those two parts of the story. I will keep watching from my deck as the chicks grow and the parents continue their work.