Last summer I put hummingbird feeders up on my deck and have been watching those fascinating little birds and snapping photos of them. I could almost say that hummingbirds are my favorite. But then I remember another time and place and a different bird. Years ago I had a summer place in Montana where I was blessed with lots of Mountain Bluebirds. I set up a nest box, watched, and took photos. The Mountain Bluebird family story is in the photos below. For many years I considered them my favorite birds.
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| → Click on images for a better view. ← Overview Nest box on the left. Storm brews in the distance. This is in the Rocky Mountains of Montana. |
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| Solitary nest box. Selected as home by Mountain Bluebirds in late May. |
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| Dad |
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| Mom |
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| Yes, the eggs are BLUE too. 😊 |
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| Mom doing her duty. |
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| First egg hatched. Look carefully. The beek is easy to spot. |
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| Checking on the family. |
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| Feeding is a busy project. |
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| Mom and Dad both bring food. |
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| These little ones are hungry. |
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| Trying to pretend they are not there. |
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| More food please. |
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| Getting bigger. |
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| So big it is getting crowded. Note poop stuck on walls. Sometimes the parents could be seen bringing the poop out of the nest. |
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| Almost ready to leave the nest. |
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| Box cleaned out and ready for next year. |
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| I miss the storm clouds in Montana's big sky country. And the Mountain Bluebirds! |
If you enjoy critters like I do check out Eileen's Saturday's Critters. Thanks, Eileen, for hosting and sharing.
Hello, John
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing the big skies in Montana. What a great series and story on the Mountain Bluebirds. They are beautiful birds, I love their pretty blue color. The female and young are so sweet. They are great parents. Beautiful post and photos. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, enjoy your day and weekend! PS, thank you for the comment.
Gorgeous blue!
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to come here for a lovely view and a breath of fresh air. Thanks, John.
I came back again! 😊
Deletei am STUNNED and SPEECHLESS with story of bluebirds dear John :)))
ReplyDeleteoh these EXCELLENT images enlightened not just my day but heart too believe me :)
how AMAZING you have not only the memories of your such lovely experience but photos either :)
EACH IMAGE AND DESCRIPTION sounds award wining to me honestly !!!
a really uplifting post THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for the treasure !
more blessings to your days ahead!
Nice work John, a bird I have never seen
ReplyDeleteI love bluebirds -- my bluebirds this week are of course the Eastern variety. They keep their color even in winter. Nice photos!
ReplyDeletebe safe... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
That was fun! I loved seeing the birds, too. Such pretty creatures, completely different from hummers but very beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing you wonderful experiences with these birds. The photos were fantastic!
ReplyDeleteExcellent photo story. Blue birds are a very gentle little bird. Check out Ellis bird farm .
ReplyDeleteIt was great seeing the bluebirds. Such a nice series of pictures!!
ReplyDeleteWhat stunning looking birds. How lucky you were to have them nesting.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I really enjoyed this post. Now, i enjoy them all, but the Bluebirds have a special spot in my heart. You have captured their beauty so well. Those huge thunderstorms are also a beautiful sight to see. Waiting to see some more this summer.
ReplyDeleteThe photos of the babies are so very sweet! We had these Bluebirds in the mts of NC but not down here in FL. They are the most beautiful blue! Love your photos and the babies!
ReplyDeleteWonderful. Beautiful photo essay of a clutch through fledging. Love the box location. In Montana bluebird boxes are often placed along rural roads, parallel and under the power and phone lines. That is unsettling because kestrels sit on the lines to feed on the birds using the nests.
ReplyDeleteYou are very patient to obtain the chronology of the nest in photos. We don't have Montana Bluebirds here - we do have Blackbirds- though haven't seen many recently. Stay well there in Seattle John. Best Wishes. KEV.
ReplyDeleteHe is, indeed, a beauty! I can never pick one photo or critter over another, they are all so gorgeous :)
ReplyDeleteFeel free to share at My Corner of the World
O, so sweet.
ReplyDeleteHello John, thank you for another lovely post.
ReplyDeleteThose mountain bluebirds are very special and I have enjoyed seeing all of your photographs here, including the storm clouds in your last one.
Here in the UK, we've enjoyed clear blue skies today, which made such a difference. Many areas had snow but I was able to enjoy a local walk taking care not to slip on icy paths.
Enjoy these last January days.
My good wishes.
All the best Jan
Thanks for your photo story of these beautiful birds, John.
ReplyDeleteWe don't often see mountain bluebirds on the Colorado front range so I enjoyed seeing all your photos and learning about them. The one photo of the baby birds with their beaks open for food made me laugh---they looked so hungry! Our most common bird is the magpie--they are much like brows and I see many chick a dees and nuthatches.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice post! I love how vibrant the colouring is on the bluebird!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful blue God paints the birds.
ReplyDelete