Fledgling Mountain Bluebird perched on a wire fence, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, MontanaFledgling Mountain Bluebird perched on a wire fence – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/1600, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

As I write this snow has been falling and the grass that has greened up outside my window is turning white. It is warm enough that I doubt the snow will stick but it does indicate that winter still hasn’t given up and left the Salt Lake Valley and the Wasatch Front. Gray weather has kept me out of the field and I’m itching for some normal spring days where the sun actually shines.

I dug through my older files and found this photo of a fledgling Mountain Bluebird perched on a wire fence that I photographed in July of 2017 up in Montana’s Centennial Valley. I’m not sure why I hadn’t processed the photo before because I really like the greens in the background, the great eye contact I had with the fledgling bluebird and the spider webs on the fence near the young bluebird’s feet. These Mountain Bluebird chicks are cute little buggers!

I’ve seen Mountain Bluebirds here in northern Utah already this year and I hope to get some photos of them soon however that depends on the weather. The roads to some of the places I know where the bluebirds should be are a muddy mess from all of the moisture we have been getting and even though I have a 4×4 I really don’t want to get stuck in the mud trying to get to them.

I know I’ve been griping about the weather here and I apologize for that but I just feel like I am missing out on seeing and photographing some of the mating behaviors and displays of our spring birds.

Life is good even when the weather isn’t.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Mountain Bluebird photos plus facts and information about this species.