Male Mountain Bluebird – Haughty And Proud

And with a definite attitude.

I have a busy morning ahead of me so today’s post will be brief.

 

1/5000, f/6.3, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in

Yesterday morning I found the same male Mountain Bluebird that attacked my pickup mirrors on June 24th and this time he was just as aggressive as he was back then. Apparently he’s still nesting (I saw him go to the nest) and even though I wasn’t close to his nest he definitely didn’t like having my pickup on the road within sight of it.

In this photo there’s no question in my mind that he was challenging me, or more likely my pickup, and I think it shows in his posture and demeanor. I like the photo a lot, for a lot of reasons.

You may be seeing more photos of this bird in the future. This morning I just didn’t have time.

Ron

 

26 Comments

  1. Nice image! I have not seen him yet everyone else has! I know the location.

  2. Definitely a beautiful bird. Maybe he’s a Chevy guy?

  3. He is a beauty – and right to be proud.
    I hope your busy day is packed with good things.

  4. I like this feisty guy. He knows what is his and he is keeping it. Beware!
    Take Care,
    Kaye

  5. Such a pretty boy! Funny to think these birds can be so feisty given widely they’re known as the “bluebird of happiness” (in many cultures, it appears) — Sept. 24 is even National Bluebird of Happiness Day! Someone needs to tell this fella he’s letting his species down. (Not really, I know from Dan’s earlier explanation, this is a normal, hormone-driven behavior, so he’s simply doing his “job.”)

    • Chris, maybe the official Bluebird of Happiness is the Western or Eastern Bluebird and not the Mountain Bluebird… 🙂

      • Well, doggone if you aren’t right (according to that arbiter of all human knowledge, Wikipedia, which mentions the red breast). So this lets your guy be as cranky as he wants, whenever he wants! 😂

  6. Charlotte Norton

    BEAUTIFUL!!

    Charlotte Norton

  7. He’s definitely getting ready to rumble. 🎵 When you’re a Jet… 🎶

    • As in West Side Story? I’m not a musical kind of guy, even more so when I was a teenager, but I saw that movie. Why? Because I had the hots for Natalie Wood. Most of my fantasy girlfriends were blond but I made an exception for Natalie.

  8. Michael McNamara

    Fearless and defiant.

  9. Angela Dombrowski

    Hi Ron. As a bird lover I have been enjoying your posts for over a year now. I think you must be “part bird”. Your ability to analyze their thoughts seem to be spot on. Thanks for brightening my days.

    Angie

  10. Arwen Lynch-Poe, Professional Joy Seeker

    “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!” He is definitely wanting you to cross that line in the sand!

  11. He sure doesn’t like you/truck in the area – at least he hasn’t done himself in with all his protective actions! 😉

  12. Everett F Sanborn

    Here comes that damned photographer guy in his pickup to take more photos of me. This time I am going to smash his mirrors.

    Pretty bird and photograph Ron. Yes, he looks ready to go to battle again to drive you away.

    • “he looks ready to go to battle again to drive you away”

      And it worked, Everett. I left him and drove on down the road because my presence seemed to upset him so.

  13. He seems to have staked out that little patch of vegetation as his own. That stance tells me you’d best keep your distance or your truck is toast. Go ahead, make his day.

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