Wild Side Ornithology Club

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If you are ever lucky enough to see a Mountain bluebird, he will make sure you never forget it. He is one of the most dazzling of all the birds, yet he is smaller than your hand. He is so certain of his exquisite appearance, he will grace the fencepost he is sitting on right in front of you while you oogle for several minutes before flying away, until your heart is absolutely swollen right outta your chest. Well, speaking for myself, you know how subjective awe is.

His lady friend might be considered not quite so spectacular, except, of course, unless you're a male bluebird who thinks she's Audrey Hepburn, of course.

 

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The Florida scrub jay is not a bird I've ever seen, but the National Audubon Society shows this as another blue bird of beauty, probably twice the size of the mountain bluebird.

 

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We had Steller's Jays in Wyoming, and I've seen at least one here in the Piney Woods. Wyoming wasn't in their territory according to the Patuxent Bird Center map back in the 1990s, when they were daily visitors to our bird feeder for several years in a row. I loved those feisty characters. For some reason, they might appear the same day as the regular blue jays, but I don't recollect seeing them there at the same time. I used to live on the front porch, just to watch whoever showed up. The blue jays were so outstanding, I didn't even mind their commandeering tone against all other birds in the near vicinity until they'd had their fill of seed and moved on. They were 3-times-a-day at least visitors in the summers.

Our Wyoming tribe seemed to have a lot more blue on them, but then again, there aren't that many cloudy days in Wyoming and blue is just more brilliant when you see it on a bird's back.

 

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Oh, my, all those beautiful patterned feathers on the blue jay. Photo credits: Wikimedia.

 

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The Eastern bluebird is the one most Americans get to see on the east coast, and even here in the Piney woods of the Lone Star State. I noticed them the first year. They liked the special bluebird feed I put out.

Credits: Wikipedia
Oh, yes, and the girl bird: beauty in his eye.

 

[freedombecki]

Last year, (2012), a tribe of very small bluebirds with deep berry-red chests came by the dozens into my back yard. It must've been the holly berries on the tree that now blocks 1/4 of my lake view. Anyway, I looked all over the place and talked to some friends who agreed I saw Western blue birds. I still can't find anything online that equals the deep blue feathers and the deep red berry chests of the tribe that visited my yard. I thought "Well, they're pygmies, and their color is concentrated," but when I looked them up, all of them have a small size. I must have a really potent Holly tree out there, and I shan't cut it down ever after being enchanted if not totally dazzled out of my wits and entertained too for all of 2 weeks last year. I just couldn't get over their precious beauty and those deep colors that were more like eye candy than anything else, and so small and sweet, too. They hopped around and had a ball the whole time they were in my yard. You'd think they thought they were in heaven. Just loved them!

Here's what the dictionary of web says (pictorially) about Western bluebirds, but ours were so deeply colored in royal blue and royal red, it must have been the prettiest flock that ever flew the friendly skies of the Piney Woods countryside.

Credits: ebirdr.com

 

[freedombecki]

The Painted Bunting is truly a pretty bird, also blue and red, but so many other colors and a huge beak like the blue bunting (above) ~ I see them just about every summer. Unlike the bluebirds, though, ours are so shy they're outta here when they notice you noticing them.

Credits: Wild Birding at About.com

 

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Phainopepla seen in Canada:

Credits: Phainopepla in Brampton

 

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Blue grosbeaks have visited, too:

Credits: the state of Oklahoma, at Birds of Oklahoma dot com.

 

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There's another blue bunting photo at the USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and this one seems to show the blue color best, by Peter WEber:

Cyanocompsa parellina


Credits: Blue Bunting

 

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The Lazuli Bunting:

.

 

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Indigo Bunting:

Again, thanks USGS Patuxent Bird ID Center and Jim Stasz: Indigo Bunting

Yep, He's a kumbaya from time to time:

 

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Down under, there's the fairy bird:

Credits: Feather Emporium

 

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And in South America, you have the Blue-backed Manakin:

 

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And thanks to Wikimedia for the blue peacock:

 

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And thanks to Northrup for the pretty blue peacock:

 

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My favorite pair, Spoonman.

 

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Today's Bing! pictures a curious bird checking out a spotted woodpecker. I realized I hadn't noticed that bird before, and when I followed the Bing! link, it's true, I've always gone to American bird threads to view American birds. The bird pictured is the
Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the one pictured on the tree trunk at this morning's Bing! is from the UK.

I found this image, too:

The Great Spotted Woodpecker credits: Great spotted woodpecker - Paulmitch's Gallery - Gallery - Lumix G Experience

 

[koshergrl]

I thought I saw an albatross a while back...as it turns out it was just an immense gull, lol..I don't remember as a kid having so many different types of seagulls here, and I know very well we didn't have pelicans at ALL.

 

[koshergrl]

Today's Bing! pictures a curious bird checking out a spotted woodpecker. I realized I hadn't noticed that bird before, and when I followed the Bing! link, it's true, I've always gone to American bird threads to view American birds. The bird pictured is the
Great Spotted Woodpecker, and the one pictured on the tree trunk at this morning's Bing! is from the UK.

I found this image, too:

The Great Spotted Woodpecker credits: Great spotted woodpecker - Paulmitch's Gallery - Gallery - Lumix G Experience

I love woodpeckers!

I also love kingfishers, and I see them occasionally here: