Eastern Bluebird!

Today on a walk I was just about to turn around when I saw a bird perched on a fencepost. My first thought was "bluebird!", but then I quickly doubted myself. It was chilly and windy at the river and one of those days where, while spring was still on my mind, it felt more like late winter than early spring. Wondering what the bird was, I zoomed in with my camera, and you can probably guess by now what I saw--the striking and brilliant blue wings that flash across meadows all summer, but are especially vibrant on gray days like today, surrounded by dull buff grasses. I was able to get closer for some better photos, and I stood and watched the group of four zipping from the tips of dried mullein flowers to the ends of low, bare branches, to the fence posts nearby. I can't begin to explain the joy I felt by simply seeing and hearing these beautiful Eastern Bluebirds for the first time since last fall. To me, the bluebird has always meant spring, which is one of the reasons I love them so much...the other being obvious; their remarkable beauty. The map on the link above indicates that Eastern Bluebirds don't make it as far as Missoula, and that they don't arrive in Montana until May. I am not sure how long I've been seeing them or even if I saw an Eastern Bluebirds on the Bitterroot last summer (I need to keep a better naturalist journal, apparently!), but I know that I saw some last year, somewhere. I am curious about if this is rare or if this is a changing migration patter, maybe due to climate change or the unusually mild winter we had. Either way, it was such a delight to see!

A male and female Eastern Bluebird.

A male Eastern Bluebird in flight.

Eastern Bluebird males, unlike the more common to Missoula all-blue Mountain Bluebird, has a gorgeous red chest.

A few details about Eastern Bluebirds: they feed primarily on insects and while they naturally nest in cavities made by woodpeckers, they rely heavily on bluebird next boxes, as do the Western and Mountain Bluebirds. The bluebird nest boxes have helped their populations which are threatened by the non-native House Sparrow, who kill and remove bluebird eggs and nestlings from their nests in order to take over the bluebirds' nests. Eastern Bluebirds nest and feed in open fields, prairies, and meadows and are most often seen flying from perches and swooping down to catch insects.

A Northern Flicker, who was perched quietly on the post next to the bluebird, caught in mid-flight.

I hope you are all able to see the newly arrived bluebirds as well! And I'd love to hear about sightings, especially if anyone has seen any Mountain Bluebirds yet. Happy Spring!