The bluebirds have left their nests. They’re still around {sitings are rare}, but the boxes are no longer in use. We like to clear those out for them so in April when they return, moving back in will be easy work. {It’s always a good feeling to open it up and find only the remains of a nest, not of a bird.} We have about half a dozen boxes around our yard and it’s not only the bluebirds that lay their eggs in there, but they are by far our favorite!

Next spring they’ll completely rebuild their nests. They live in open fields like ours for several reasons; as insect-eaters they like to have a long view of an area for bug catching. Posts and small trees are ideal for keeping lookout. They nest in boxes, {which are in essence a man-made solution} but they prefer holes in trees on the edges of woods made by other animals {like woodpeckers and squirrels} but a bluebird can’t create that themselves so naturally they look for abandoned holes in trees and when those are scarce a box like ours does the trick. It’s fun to watch them flit around from box to box checking out the space– when they do move in it’s cause for celebration. Oh the little joys!