Bluebird Happiness aka I'm Seeing Blue

Yesterday was a first for me.  I took a morning walk…in February.  I usually do not begin my morning walks until April or May.  I need the morning to be warm and the morning was warm.  I went out early to fill my empty birdfeeder and was welcomed by comfortable sunshine and bird mania.  The winter birds were going crazy.  They were loud and active. Flying here and there and barely stopping for a rest. Singing, calling, chirping. I would have believed it was spring.

I thought that if the birds around the house are active, I bet the birds in the pastures where I walk would be just as inspired.  They were.  I saw many more birds than I have in months, and I heard many more birds than I saw.  My skills as a bird identifier are weak, especially when it comes to sounds.  Music was never my forte. Nevertheless, I enjoyed all the different sounds and flying birds around me.

The bird of the day, or in this case morning, was the eastern bluebird.  They were all over the farm.

I took photo after photo of the brilliant blue of the males and the muted blues of the females.  A bluebird would perch on a nearby fence post long enough for me to take a photo.  As I walked closer, the bird would retreat away from me to the next fencepost.  I was having fun with the game.

notice the two bluebirds (one on post #6 and one on post #8)...always staying ahead of me

I was continually slowed down by all the bluebirds over and over again.  I just had to stop and take another photo.

up close and personal

The piece de resistance was when an amazing and oh, so blue bluebird lighted on the fence post right, and I mean right, across from me.  I had never, and I do mean never, been that close to a bluebird.  The blue color was more than spectacular.  I thought I was looking at a completely different bird than my familiar bluebird.

That bird stayed on that post long enough for me to take several pictures and long enough for me to watch and wonder.  The moment was FANTASTIC!

bluebird sharing the fence with a male (top) and female house finch

I could have lingered longer, but I decided to finish my walk and let the bluebirds have their own peace. Besides, my dogs were waiting patiently for me and they wanted to finish their morning adventure.

Now, I know why the bluebird is referred to as the ‘Bluebird of Happiness’.

I was certainly happy! 

male and female eastern bluebirds on the horse chestnut tree in my yard

2017 is going to be an incredible birding season…I can feel it!