Shades of blue and brown, and an Easter memory

Eastern Bluebirds are among my favorite bird species. They add not only color, but a sense of peace and order to any scene. "The bluebird is a symbol of hope, love, and renewal and is also a part of many Native American legends. It symbolizes the essence of life and beauty." [ Bluebird Symbolism And Spiritual Meaning] 

Here at our new home in central Connecticut, bluebirds now occupy one of our two nest boxes. Another pair seems unsettled about whether to choose the second one. Both boxes face open lawn areas. The first is backed by a woodland, while the second has a drop-off and wide open space behind it. 

The timing of the seasons has changed over the years. My life list of bird species, which I started in  late winter of 1948, recorded the first American Robin on February 12, 1949. It was my 18th species. Back then in northern New Jersey, it was unusual to see a robin much before early March. On March 22 an Eastern Bluebird was entry #32, then about average for its first sighting. Now both species are quite common in the dead of winter all over the eastern US and southern Canada.

Although Eastern Bluebirds are now numerous in the eastern US, their population was severely depleted in the early 1900s because the older trees which provided their nesting holes were removed by forest management practices. They also competed poorly with other hole-nesting birds, particularly the introduced House Sparrows and European Starlings. 

Bluebirds never returned to extreme southern Florida. Attempts to reintroduce them have had limited success, particularly in Everglades National Park and surrounding developed areas. Although I compiled 1,520 checklists between 2005 and 2022  since I started birding the West Miramar Water Conservation Area, I never encountered a single bluebird. 

Sparrows are often described as LBB's, dull little brown birds. They may not be given credit for their subtle beauty. Preparing to depart for breeding grounds to the north, the plumage of White-throated Sparrows is quite striking:

Tiny and inobtrusive, the Chipping Sparrow brightens up in spring:

Even smaller, a House Wren was the 41st species I have seen on or from the property since we moved here. He was singing vigorously near our window on April 16:

The nearly full Pink Moon was setting behind the ridge just south of Hartford early on the morning of  April 15. I hoped it would sink behind the flashing lights of a tall communications tower visible in this iPhone photo:

The Moon did not quite get to the tower before disappearing (telescopic DSLR view a few minutes later):

This is my Easter street scene, a chalk message on the path along the shore of Diamond Lake:

Moving from our 4-bedroom home in Florida forced us to downsize. It was very difficult to give away so many of our belongings. One decorative piece that we spared was this crucifix, as there is a story behind it.

In New Mexico, just after Easter in the 1990s, we were preparing for arrival of a house guest who was a special friend, a Catholic priest who began his ministry in our town just as I started out in private family practice. He joked that we were the two people in town that nobody trusted-- the new doctor and the new priest!

Just before he arrived, I decided to try to make a cross out of 2 lengths of dried and skeletonized  Ocotillo which littered the floor of the Pinyon-Juniper woodland back of our home. I quickly found 2 sticks that were properly proportioned. On my way back to the house an old dead branch caught my attention. I wired the three pieces together without changing or cutting them, to create a crucifix. Here was the result, a nice reminder of his Easter season visit:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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