01 June 2018
"The bluebird is like a speck of clear blue sky seen near the end of a storm, reminding us of an ethereal region and a heaven which we had forgotten. His soft warble melts in the ear, as the snow is melting in the valleys around. The bluebird comes and with his warble drills the ice and sets free the rivers and ponds and frozen ground."
This is what Henry David Thoreau wrote in 1859 concerning the spring arrival of Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis) after a long Concord winter.
The indigenous people used to say that the Great Spirit sent the Eastern Bluebird with the sky on its back and the earth on its belly and as long as it returned in the spring, as it always had, their crops would be good and the people would not suffer from famine.
Recent years have not been kind to the Eastern Bluebird. We have poisoned its food with pesticides, destroyed its nesting habitat and subjected it to fierce and unrelenting pressure from introduced species such as House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) and Common Starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Not only do these species evict bluebirds from their cavity nests, they will kill them, even pecking at the skull of a sitting female until she is dead.
As is often the case, when we push a species to the edge, there suddenly awakens in us a desire to protect it, especially if it is cute - and the Eastern Bluebird certainly fulfills this latter requirement. Now legions of people maintain bluebird trails and provide nest boxes which are carefully monitored and alien invaders are ejected.
Over the past three years we have erected a number of such boxes at SpruceHaven and we are happy to report that we have been successful in attracting bluebirds for the second year in a row.
It is a happy event when a nest box produces five healthy young, as has happened this year and today Kevin and I banded the young birds.
They were plump and healthy and we hope that they will live a long and productive life (long as bluebirds go, that is). Our bands will help to track their journeys and give us information about the trajectory of their lives; their successes, their failures and provide clues as to how we may help to ensure that future generations of nature lovers may continue to enjoy the beauty of these marvelous inhabitants of our meadows and pasture lands.
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Hooray for a success story. I am frequently ashamed of our species, and what we do to other inhabitants of earth is a big part of that shame.
ReplyDeleteThank you for showing not only the flip side, but a success story. Long may it last.
I could easily have written your opening sentence myself.
DeleteI meant the second sentence actually.
DeletePretty blue wings.
ReplyDeleteDavid - thanks for your recent visits to my blog. We do plan to keep our 'yard' - 8 acres really - as natural as possible beyond the hardscape that you saw in my last post. In fact, Nature is doing what She does best and has already sprouted native plants in all but the most compacted areas.
ReplyDeleteLove this post about the bluebird. Here in Montana we have the Mountain Bluebird, and it was a bit of a competition between the Bluebirds and the Tree Swallows for our bird boxes. The Swallows 'won', but then squirrels came along and chased them off. Working on Plan B.
We deter the squirrels at our nest boxes by greasing the poles so that they can’t climb up them.
DeleteEn vacker och rörande text om den lilla förtjusande fågeln. Ja, naturen är full av oskyldiga offer för människans framfart, vi vet inte ens allt och alla vill inte heller veta. Önskar de små liven lycka till i denna grymma värld, en värld som för länge sedan glömt att värna och skydda det som är källan till allt liv, vår natur.
ReplyDeleteWe have certainly not been good stewards of the earth, Gunilla.
DeleteHello David,
ReplyDeleteI'm always so surprised over the very strong blue color on this little bird. How cute to see the little bird in your hand.
Hi David.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful bird
It would be a shame if there would be no more.
Beautiful what many do to protect this bird.
The little ones are very nice.
Good work David.
Groettie from Patricia.
So beautiful this little bird,
ReplyDeleteIda
Hello David!
ReplyDeleteWonderful picture of the beautiful Eastern Bluebird!
I didn’t know that the Starling can be so crool and mean to other birds.
Thank you for sharing all those interesting information!
Have a lovely weekend!
Dimi...
It is not cruelty, Dimi, the starlings are just doing what they need to do to survive. If you want cruelty humans can provide all the examples you need.
DeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteSo true, that the human is the one which presents the greatest danger, not least by the introduction of species and encroachment of habitat. Cruelty, as you rightly say, can only pertain to us. YAM xx
Hello, the Bluebird is one of my favorite birds. My spark bird. I am glad to see the nesting was a success, I hope the young bluebirds do well. The House Wren in my yard chase away the bluebirds. Enjoy your weekend!
ReplyDeleteI've seen a Western one............
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear they're being protected.
Wow !! These birds are so beautiful !! This is really a good job for the survival of this bird species!!
ReplyDeleteHave a happy weekend !
Hi David,
ReplyDeleteGreat to read a success story, really good job.
What a beauty the Eastern Bluebird is.
Good for you to see the young being banded from one of your boxes, I get the same feeling in our garden.
All the best, John
The results from your garden are nothing short of remarkable, John.
DeleteHi David,
ReplyDeletesuch an intense shade of blue on this bluebird. So beautiful.
Nice to read that your work already pays off: three young ones!!
These give hope for the future.
Best regards, Corrie
Hi Dave, and, the Eastern Bluebirds are fabulous.
ReplyDeletebeautiful...very sweet looking bluebird, i wish i saw them in my yard!!
ReplyDeletegood work you are doing, it must feel good to be successful in your efforts!!!
This is a difficult species to attract to a backyard, Debbie. Their preferred habitat is undisturbed fields and rough meadows. A manicured suburban garden would not be their habitat of choice.
DeleteI love the poetry in your first few lines David. From now on, when I see an Eastern Bluebird, I will think of the sky on its back and the earth on its belly! May they live long and continue to bring beauty to the world!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Francine!
DeleteIt's good that you are doing something to save such a beautiful bird from all the disasters that other people and introduced species have done and do. Interesting indigenous legend
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful bird. It is sad that introduced species cause so much damage. It is like the grey squirrel in the UK wiping out the beautiful red squirrel. Thankfully we still have the red squirrel in France. Have a good week Diane
ReplyDeleteHi David,
ReplyDeleteIt is good to read that your work has been rewarded with a new nest of these beautiful birds. It is a hopeful sign that the efforts of people result in the succes they hoped for. It is interesting to read what you have written about these birds.
Greetings, Kees
Your description of the bluebird is full of poetry, David. Let's hope its colours reminding of the sky and the earth will convince human beings of the necessity to preserve it and we should preserve our sky and earth for our own sake. Best wishes for a nice Sunday.
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to hear of all you are doing to help this beautiful bird and the good news about nesting. It is so interesting to read about the birds. Thank you so much for recommending A Year In the Meadow - it sounds a wonderful book and, although it looks out of print, I have managed to find a good second hand copy on Amazon for just £2.49.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy the book.
DeleteGood work David. As you so rightly point out, the Bluebirds' good looks have saved it to some extent.
ReplyDeleteDid you catch up with this phenomenal event?
https://www.audubon.org/news/incredible-combination-factors-leads-historic-migration-flight
Hi Phil: I had already seen the report of the stupendous migration flight. I wish I had been there!
DeleteThe Eastern Bluebird is so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the extraordinary work you do.
Many greetings
Maria
Divagar Sobre Tudo um Pouco
Such a beautiful looking bird, what a lovely shade of blue.
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
You are slowly but surely becoming a poet, David!!!
ReplyDeleteI agree, these birds are real jewels!
I love the analogy of its plumage with the sky and earth... so well put.
I still believe reducing drastically our pesticides and herbicides worldwide will be much more effetive than banding them ;-)
Keep well my friend and abrazos with Lady Miriam :)
I doubt very much that we are going to reduce the use of pesticides, Noushka. Miriam and I went to check on another breeding pair of Eastern Bluebirds two evenings ago and everywhere the farmers were spraying their crops. And major corporations like Monsanto are not going to stop selling them and in fact developing new ones.
DeleteIt's good to read of the success coming from your efforts, it's always saddens me to hear of the decline of species because of the destruction we can cause.
ReplyDeleteAnd it’s not going to get any better, Pam, as human populations continue to grow.
DeleteWow, good to know someone is doing something good for the Bluebirds! Wonderful birds!
ReplyDeleteYou will have to come and see them, Matt!
DeleteThe Eastern Bluebird is beautiful and I love the colours of the feathers!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful birds - very much on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid to say that you may not see big flocks of Corellas when you are here - but you never know!
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
You will just have to come and visit so that we can show them to you.
DeleteHello David,
ReplyDeleteThe Eastern Bluebird beautiful!
I like the blue color and its charming eyes!!
Have a good day!
It is always a pleasure to hear from you, Tomoko.
DeleteHello David,
ReplyDeletethese are still beautiful birds.
You do your work with the birds by measuring, weighing and ringing them.
The first birds with its blue plumage is really nice.
Dear greetings, Helma xx
Hola David, maravillosa iniciativa para salvar esta hermosa ave, precioso post. Abrazos y enhorabuena.
ReplyDeleteHello, David!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Bluebird, it's amazing! You do your works with birds, they need our defense. Here many tits, jays, magpies are, even a nightingale lives near my garden.
Happy week!
Bonjour cher ami,
ReplyDeleteJe suis certaine que Monsieur Yves Saint-Laurent aurait aimé avoir dans son jardin Majorelle ces petits merles bleus... Ils sont magnifiques.
Vos photos sont extraordinaires tout comme le travail que vous pratiquez.
Merci pour le partage.
Gros bisous 🐞
Thank you for your comment today, David!
ReplyDeleteI "came" here already one-two hours ago, but needed time to think how to say in English what I wanted to say, and then was interrupted... :D
So, in very simple terms: Also here the species richness and the balance between bird species is upset, probably caused somehow by us humans.
It's sad even from the aesthetic point of view, when the cute, little songbirds become less and noisy, crop-damaging birds like fieldfares become far too many.
You do a great work with so many birds!
It is a very anthropomorphic viewpoint, Sara, to conclude that Fieldfares become far too many. It is amazing that when wildlife is successful we are quick to declare that there are "too many." What there are too many of is humans.
DeleteYes, David, the human point of view of that part of my comment was intentional.
DeleteThe real problem is of course that the fieldfares seem (according to my non-professional observations) to chase off all the other bird species.
We humans are a species among the others and it's natural that we hope to be successful in our little endeavours, in my family's case in growing some organic berries and vegetables, and wouldn't like the crops to be eaten by the birds (or other animals).
Somebody has defined gardening as "caring the earthworms". It breaks my heart to think of the amount of worms the tens of fieldfares around our home eat every day.
This discussion could go on forever, Sara, but how many species do you think humans have "chased off?" How many species have we exterminated? The Fieldfares are only doing what they need to do to survive in the impoverished habitat we have left them. Contrast this with the countless humans who sit with guns to shoot migrating birds of prey, thousands of them - for so called fun. It has been proven time and again, in study after study, that a healthy predator/prey relationship is vital for a successful environment and it is human excess that disturbs it.
DeleteAnd let me also add, those Fieldfare are eating a whole range of insects which are destructive to your organic crops.
DeleteMine is just one voice of many to thank you for the wonderful work you do to help this, and other, species, David. What a shame (should that word be in capitals?) it would be to loose this iconic bird - or any other species, for that matter.
ReplyDeleteThank you, with much love to you and Miriam - - - Richard
Hi David, good to read that the effort you took is succesful, it's so tragic that a lot of species sufffer and decline because of us and in this case also because of other, introduced, species. The same trouble over here, where escaped or exotic species managed to survive in the wild and take over f.i. the holes where the woodpeckers use to breed. I hope your youngsters will grow up to healthy eastern blue birds.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore; I love the phrase you qouted from Henry David Thoreau. It's beautiful!
Kind regards,
Marianne
Someday I will see a real live bluebird. I'm glad you and your fellow birders are doing all you can to monitor and protect them.
ReplyDeleteYou are not far from here. Come on up and we will show you one.....or two......or several.
DeleteShe perceives the story of the blue-backed bird.
ReplyDeleteLaudable and your initiative.
I hope the future will be good with the birds you've marked.
Very beautiful bird ! He looks like a swallow in the first picture no ?
ReplyDeleteThe people of the world are slowly killing their planet...
Enhorabuena y gracias por vuestro trabajo, tanto de campo como de información en el blog.
ReplyDeleteBuen fin de semana
Beautiful blog and wonderful photos ~ favorite is that bluebird and saving birds too!
ReplyDeleteHappy Week ahead to you,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)