A Year-round Resident of Wildwood

One of the loveliest residents of Wildwood is the Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis), a member of the Thrush family. In the spring, they like to nest in boxes at the Park Road entrance. In winter, they are easier to see in the trees and on power lines at the Wetland. However, they enjoy a wide range in the park.
One morning in late January, as I approached the north bridge, I caught sight of bright blue wings flitting over the creek. Because there were no leaves, I could easily see small birds perched on bare limbs. Off came my gloves and out came my camera. I aimed toward the trees and hoped for the best. (Remember that my small camera does not have a long range for birding.) At first, it was a game of hide-and-seek!

  

Then one small bird ventured into the open. A dusting of snow lingered on the ground as the small female posed for me.

                                            Soon I saw a male perched on another tree.

               He fluffed out his feathers and tucked down his beak to resist the cold wind.

A few days later, as I approached the Grand Staircase from the upper west trail, I saw several Bluebirds in the trees in the woods. They were too busy to stop for photos. However, as I watched and waited, one finally stopped to rest. I had to shoot toward the setting sun which isn't good for pictures. However, the images turned out okay!

                             

                                       And the birdie even turned to face the camera!