Week 39 – Mountain Bluebird

 

Mountain Bluebird. Photograph by Neil Paprocki.

After 39 weeks this is officially the first time I’ve used the same species twice during this 52-week project. I’m happy that it is the Mountain Bluebird.

I was excited to visit my old stomping grounds in southern Utah and northern Arizona this past weekend where I spent two years working for the California Condor Reintroduction Program. I must have been totally engrossed in my work with condors because I never noticed the huge numbers of bluebirds that undoubtably call this area home in the fall.

This photograph was taken near Kolob, Utah. This nearly 9,000 foot plateau stands just above Zion National Park, and is home to tens-of-thousands of domestic sheep making it a perfect summer range for condors. These same open pastures, surrounded by stands of cavity-filled Aspen, make great habitat for bluebirds!

Fall colors in Kolob, Utah. Photograph by Neil Paprocki.

Sure enough I saw several large mixed-flocks of bluebirds mingling with each other on fence posts and shrubs, foraging on the still abundant grasshopper populations. Many of these bluebirds like the one pictured above were undergoing heavy molt. They will soon be sporting fresh plumage in preparation for next spring’s breeding season.

I can’t help but wonder if any of these individuals are Mountain Bluebirds from Al Larson’s trails in Idaho. It seems a bit early, and I didn’t see any bands, but anything is possible!

All of the previous 52-week blog posts can be found at the Wild Lens blog or on Flickr.