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Thursday, November 23, 2023

Perennial Bluebirds

At our previous home in south Florida, Eastern Bluebirds were rarely encountered. They depend upon tree cavities for nesting and face competition from introduced House Sparrows and European Starlings. Widespread development in southern Florida during the 20th Century resulted in loss of bluebird habitat, particularly pine forests. There have been a few attempts to reintroduce them, with limited success. They nest in the northern two-thirds of Florida as well as the eastern half of the US and southeastern Canada. 

Here in central Connecticut, bluebirds may be present all year round. It would be difficult to tell whether the individual winter birds are permanent residents or migrants from the north. Severe winters may drive them to move south and along the coast. Judging by their habits, I suspect that those which we saw last winter and those that are lingering into mid-November are the same birds that raised their families nearby. One or two family groups frequently visited our suet feeders, often foraged together and inspected the nest boxes.   

Cold, windy and wet weather and medical issues have kept me inside most of the past two weeks. I obtained these window shots of a male Eastern Bluebird at the suet feeder in early November:


This poor photo of a pair visiting a nest box was from about 80 feet (24 m) away through our permanently stained rear porthole window. The female, in flight,  has a gray head and less intense blue and red plumage:

In a stroke of good luck, several visited the nest box while I was outside and not far away:


These photos, also taken outside, are of bluebirds roosting in trees on the opposite side of the clear-cut, about 100 feet (30 m) distant:



From my high perch at the upstairs kitchen window, the early morning light and deep shadows presented an exposure challenge as I watched a flock of American Robins harvesting crabapples. Our bluebirds and robins are both members of the Thrush family (Turdidae):



Again from outside, a  highlight was this visitor from the north, a lone female Purple Finch which posed briefly in the shrubs:


A White-breasted Nuthatch peered out from behind a tree trunk:

Window shot of a female Northern Cardinal:

Sunset on November 15:

For my reflection meme, I retrieved this view of Mangroves in an estuary off Sanibel Island, Florida, October, 2015:

This week's header: November Sunset 

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Linking to:



Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World
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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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20 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos! I haven't seen a blue bird in ages. Thanks for sharing yours.

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  2. You're seeing some beautiful sunsets at the moment.

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  3. Eastern blue bird looks so exquisite and cute!

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  4. Amazing number of Bluebirds you get! We see them occasionally but lots of nestboxes get put out.

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  5. Great photos. If I had taken one of your "poor" photos I would be one happy dude and showing everyone I know.
    Also, I love that you know so much about the birds you photograph.
    I hope you had a good Thanksgiving!!

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  6. Lovely series of photographs! The Bluebirds are especially adorable.
    Saw our first of the season Robins last week as a flock of about 30 flew overhead.

    Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one, Ken.

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  7. Birds seem to have their own personalities. So cute!

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  8. Thanks for the photos! Always a treat for me to see bluebirds!

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  9. Hello Ken,
    I hope you and your family had a very happy Thanksgiving.
    I just loved your Bluebirds, awesome series of photos.
    Cute captures of the Robins eating the berries.
    I also like your Purple Finch, a great sighting. I rarely see them here.
    Your sky images are beautiful! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.
    Take care, have a great day and happy new week!

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  10. Great bird shots of the delicate little birds, and the sunsets magnificent but my fav is the reflection shot. It's quite stunning. #Allseasons

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  11. Hello :=)
    Cold weather doesn't agree with me either, I hope you feel better soon. Beautiful captures of all the birds, the sunsets, and reflection photo.I took note of one of the things you wrote, that the beautiful bluebirds, and the cute Robin are both members of the Thrush family, I'm utterly amazed at this. Thanks for pointing this out.
    All the best
    Sonjia.

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  12. Great shots! I'd be hard pressed to choose a favorite.
    Thanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2023/11/a-few-sights-from-brussels.html

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  13. ...Kenneth, you captured some gorgeous images. I hope that you will be on the mend soon.

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  14. These are delightful. Thank you! Aloha

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  15. I have never seen a blue bird here but have seen a purple finch pair...Michelle

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  16. Delightful birds! Your header is fantastic!

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  17. I love bluebirds! Excellent photos!

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  18. I had discovered Bluebirds through your earlier posts and from then my desire to spot them has evolved over the time period. The shot of Mangroves in Island is a magnificent shot. Thanks for sharing with Garden Affair.

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