Eastern Bluebird (Merlebleu de l'est)

Three Bridges Road

St. Jacobs, ON

25 June 2015

     Recently my time has been pretty much occupied with keeping watch on the young Peregrine Falcons Falco peregrinus (along with a whole team of volunteers) to make sure that they receive any help they might need if they get into trouble while familiarizing themselves with the hazards of an urban environment. Every day they become more proficient and their expertise grows exponentially, so I think we are nearing the end of our concern.

     Yesterday we had to go and pick up an order of bag sausage, a Mennonite delicacy in this part of the world, and on the way back home we swung by one of our most reliable spots to see Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis. We knew that by now they should be feeding young and a little patience was quickly rewarded.

     The first bird we spotted was this female with a juicy morsel to be delivered to hungry mouths at the nest.

     The male was not to be outdone and we saw him drop from a perch to snag a butterfly.

     This is a species that gives reason for great optimism. Several years ago the species was in steep decline due to lack of natural nesting cavities, and increased competition from such introduced birds as House Sparrow Passer domesticus and Common Starling Sturnus vulgaris. Thanks to a concerted effort by many bird lovers entire trails of bluebird boxes have been established and the species is making a robust and much welcomed comeback.

     Once a bluebird enlivens your morning it's pretty hard to have the rest of the day be anything but great!