This is our last day in Hilton Head for the season. Tomorrow we head north to eastern Long Island for the summer (and part of the fall), and I am having withdrawal pains — missing the “wildlife in my backyard” already. The way I get photos will be very different up there, in that there’s not as much nature close by to me, and – frankly – it will take more work and “hunting” for the nature I so crave now. I suspect there will be more days when my daily photos will be more mundane. But – I will work to find places to go to show you some of the beauties of Long Island. We live less than a mile from the ocean beach. But – it’s different – and crammed with sun bathing tourists in the summer. Wildlife – understandably “scatters” while humans take over the sandy beaches.
I am so behind in posting here – - but I have not forgotten to take my daily photos. Admittedly some have been “rushed” – as I have been busy packing and doing the necessary chores one has to do before leaving one home and going to another. But — I will take the time to post once I’m safely settled up north. It will be nice to reminisce about my time here as I go through my photos to post them.
Sadly I must add one last thing. I am now almost positive that my backyard bluebird nest met with a bad ending. Mom and pop bluebird do not come anymore – and I see even more unidentifiable “dead looking things” on the ground surrounding the bird box. They do look like the tiniest birds… 
So sad, and I really don’t know what happened. Predator? Disease?
I probably should clean out the bird box before leaving, but I probably won’t. I admit – I’m a little scared to look inside. But – in the fall, when no one is nesting, I will clean it out and rehang it — this time NOT on a tree, but on a pole. Predators can too easily invade the nest from a tree where it’s much more difficult using a pole that has a predator guard.
See you soon — from eastern Long Island!
So sad to hear about the bluebird babies. I’m always a little surprised, and disappointed, that as much as I stare at my bird house, when something big happens, like babies flying away (or predators threatening the nest) I never see it.
As for Long Island and the beach…sunbathers…hmmm….could be some interesting shots there! LOL.
The more I have been thinking about the bluebird nest fiasco, the more I am thinking it really could have been house sparrows, but I don’t know for sure. You should read about them — they are THE arch enemies of bluebirds, and if you do not take precautions – you should not encourage bluebirds to nest in your box. No one came in or out of the box after the babies died (that I saw — and I stared for hours!), so I don’t think any other birds claimed the box – but they also said that house sparrows won’t necessarily use the box after killing off the babies (and sometimes the parents if they are caught inside the box at the time of the attack.) But – they have been known to make a nest right over top of the carcasses. It’s brutal stuff to read. Raw nature can be so brutal…
I dread opening up the box when we get back in the fall – but it has to be done then – and maybe I’ll get the nerve in June when we return for a few days to pick up Ray’s car. I may not put the box back until I can assess the situation with house sparrows – and other predators.
I know one thing — the bluebird box should not be hung on a tree, but on a pole with a predator guard. They also talk about greasing the pole — it’s more involved than I ever realized! And, there are things called sparrow spookers that can be installed. So much I didn’t know…!
sad to hear about the bluebird babies. you guys have a safe trip
I feel very badly about the babies, too — and wonder if I taken more precautions about where I placed the box it would not have happened. I’ve also been reading about house sparrows, and how they are *the* arch enemy to bluebirds and will invade the nests. I don’t know if this is what happened, but I think I need to do a little more study before I set up the bluebird box again.
We had a good trip back – and are now on eastern Long Island for the spring, summer and part of the fall.