2009 Fall trip Front Royal, Virginia

Started a fall trip yesterday Oct 14. Drove in rain all day yesterday, and it is still raining tonight Oct 15. Stayed at a campground in Somerset PA. last night. Tonight we are staying at the Front Royal campground. It is a few miles from the north entrance to the Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. It is supposed to be peak season for leaf peeping, but with the rain it doesn't impress. We are sure it is bound to get better tomorrow. Here are a few pictures of our campsite, and me in my office on the bed above the cab. If and when we head into the park, the campsites have no electricity, and probably no cell phone or internet service, so it may be several days to my nest post.

Two bluebirds still in nest

It is day 18 and there is still 2 chicks in the nest. The other 3 left yesterday. I tried to watch them after they left, with no luck. The adults will take mealworms and disappear into the trees.

2 week old bluebirds

This is the male feeding the chicks. There is no longer any room inside for him with 5 large chicks. As you can see the roof of the nestbox is raised about an inch with plexiglas for the camera to get light. The camera (installed under the roof.) transmits a wireless signal back to the house, about 600 ft.



I happened to snap a picture of this bluebird in flight




This is the nestbox and mealworm feeding station with a bluebird on each.



This photo is the chicks almost ready to leave the nest.