Mountain Bluebirds in the Qu'Appelle Valley

Yeah! Mountain Bluebirds have arrived in the valley north of Regina, Saskatchewan! 

We went for a drive this afternoon to look for Mountain Bluebirds and saw a flock of a dozen or more flitting around a group of trees. The males are oh-so-bright and easy to see, but there were many females, too — although most were more brown than blue. 

My first Mountain Bluebird picture of the year!  
And what a lovely bright male!  © SB

None of the Bluebirds we saw were on fences or near the nest boxes that are scattered along the route we took through the Qu'Appelle Valley. Instead, they flew and settled on the trees.

These Mountain Bluebirds, then, are likely passing through on their way to parts norths. Those few who are staying to nest along Rte 99 (from Craven to Highway 6) or near the old church on the other side of the valley have perhaps not yet settled in.

Yeah, for Mountain Bluebirds!!!


What are these? Mountain Bluebirds 
Location: Along Rte 99, between Craven and Highway 6, north of Regina, Saskatchewan

Photo dates: March 24, 2014. 

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Mountain Bluebirds: Brilliant flashes of Saskatchewan sky

Mountain Bluebird on nestbox - I hope he stays! © SB

Dozens of sky-blue Mountain Bluebirds rose
from the grass and bushes along the side of Route 99 east of Craven, Saskatchewan, yesterday.

A single brilliant male. A group of perhaps three pairs. A flock of 13 — that I counted. More...

Will these lovely birds nest in the many boxes on the road, or are they moving through?

I hope they stay. To see so many Mountain Bluebirds in one small stretch along the Qu'Appelle Valley, so close to Regina, was a total enchantment.

Sky blue. That's what I've read in bird books about Mountain Bluebirds.

And it's true, as long as you see the sky ranging from pale aquamarine to deepest sapphire, with glints of iridescence.

These birds are not a gentle baby blue; their feather flash, reflect the light.

Flying jewels, impossibly, brilliantly blue.

And yet, at the same time, easy to miss or to ignore.

The two cars that passed me on that (at times) quiet road buzzed by in a cloud of dust, their drivers oblivious to the tiny beauties on the valley fence posts, grasses, trees.

Female Mountain Bluebird on a wire - softer, grayer.  © SB

Fence post Mountain Bluebird, #1, male. © SB

Fence post Mountain Bluebird, #2, male. © SB 

What are these? Mountain Bluebirds.   
Location: Along Rte 99, not far east of Craven, Saskatchewan, Canada.   

Photo date: April 3, 2013. 

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Mountain Bluebird in the Valley

Mountain Bluebird on fence
beside its nestbox  © SB

On the weekend, I saw two nest boxes in the valley with active pairs of Mountain Bluebirds hovering nearby.

A rarity, yes, as most boxes along the Qu'Appelle east of Craven are busily occupied by tree swallows.

And oh, the loveliness of this tiny bird!

Mountain Bluebirds are so vividly blue — and so amazingly easy to pass by without even seeing.

I'm fascinated by how colours that on close examination look vivid and distinct blend to invisibly into the surroundings.

But then again, perhaps we rarely look at what surrounds us.

I feel honoured to know these bright, impossibly possible Mountain Bluebirds exist, and somewhat sad to realize it took me 15 year in Saskatchewan to find them.

At the nestbox  © SB

What is this?  Mountain Bluebird

Location: Near the little church across the valley from Craven, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: May 19, 2012.  

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Mountain Bluebirds: A Saskatchewan Pair

Near the church in the valley, north of Regina, Saskatchewan:  I saw my first Mountain Bluebirds (of the year — and ever!) yesterday, near the lovely St. Nicholas Church, in the Qu'Appelle Valley.

The initial Mountain Bluebird to catch our attention was a male, checking out one of the nest boxes along the road a short distance northeast of the church.

It sat on the fence wire, then fluttered around the opening and flew up to the top of the box. (We stayed in the car, and watched for several minutes.)

The second (and third) Mountain Bluebirds were a pair in the churchyard itself, which we saw later in the morning, as we circled back through the valley on the way home.

(There is a nest box in the churchyard, too — but, yes, these locations are so close, these Mountain Bluebirds may have been the same birds. scouting locations...)

Mountain Bluebirds are small surprising gems — when you're not paying attention, they seem to blend invisibly with their surroundings... But once you focus close (zoom in, mentally or with camera), their colours are so intense (All About Birds calls the males "breathtakingly brilliant sky blue") that I feel compelled to say that I did very little with these photos. (A tiny bit of sharpening, and some correcting for the weird ISO levels I'd left the camera at — and that's it.)

Mountain Bluebird, on nest box  © SB

Close-up (same shot as above)
of Mountain Bluebird  © SB  

View of the valley near the bluebirds (Facing SW;
above pix were taken of second box from left) © SB

Mountain Bluebird pair in the churchyard,
on/above gravestone west of the church © SB   

What are these?  Mountain Bluebirds.
Location: Northeast of Craven, near St. Nicholas Church in the Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan.

Photo date: April 14, 2012. 

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