Last Thursday I was sitting at my computer at the elementary school where I teach and happened to look out the window. I noticed a bird sitting on the fence nearby. I got up and went to the window to check it out. I saw some blue on it, could it be? Yes! It
was a male Mountain Bluebird. What a beautiful bird! They have been reported this fall/winter all over Arizona, but I hadn't seen one. The last time I saw one was in Tuolumne Meadows, Yosemite National Park in 2007. Since my students were at the library, I went outside to take a closer look and also noticed a female nearby. When my students returned I took them outside to see them. The male was even hovering in the air searching for insects. What a sight! They were all very excited to see them.
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| male Mountain Bluebird |
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| female Mountain Bluebird |
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| male Mountain Bluebird |
This week they have continued to hang out nearby, usually visible from our classroom windows.
A wondeful post & sighting for you and your students jeremy!
ReplyDeleteTerrific photographs! What a joy that must have been for both you and your stundents to view the beautiful Mountain Bluebirds. Happy bluebird watching!
ReplyDeleteSuch lovely birds - great photos of the birds and the kids!
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful birds! Every winter one or two vagrant mountain bluebirds end up in southern Ontario.
ReplyDeleteAll three bluebirds are found in the southern part of Arizona, but I do not believe that the Eastern has been recorded in the Tucson/Pima area. Its distribution is expanding.
ReplyDeleteThe Mountain Bluebird, as you describe it, seems to be uncommon in the area, and only during the winter. Perhaps this is what would be called an irruption. The uniform blue of the male makes it distinctive.
The Summer Tanager was observed at Sweetwater Park last Thurs. (16th). It is also uniform in color (the male), the color being red, and I had no problem in making a decision. The "Scarlet" Tanager differs in having black wings.
However, and most surprisingly, a Black-white Warbler (Mniotilta) was foraging on the same tree with the tanager. This was also an unequivocal "lifer," with bystanders concurring that that was what it was. It is very much like a nuthatch in its movements. Many field guides of the Western half of N. America do not even have entries for it.