Jeanne Selep's Selep Imaging Blog: bluebirds

Showing posts with label bluebirds. Show all posts

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Bluebird Hot Tub Party

Bluebird of Happiness

The phrase "bluebird of happiness" refers to the idea that seeing a bluebird is an omen of good luck, joy or happiness. This concept has existed for centuries in European, Chinese, Russian, Native American and other cultures. I'm hoping this idea is true, because recently I have been seeing a whole lot of bluebirds.

In summer 2020, I put up a bird feeder to add activity outside my dining room window. As summer progressed the feeding birds were fun to watch. They were mostly LBB's as my sister calls them, Little Brown Birds.

Eastern Bluebird at my heated Birdbath

Fall came, and I put up more feeders. When winter came I figured out how to supply electricity to the heated birdbath I had owned for over a decade. (i.e., I purchased a really long outdoor power cord.) Wow, that made a difference once the snow began to fall. Apparently birds like seeing open water.

Bluebird at my birdbath

I now have a large variety of birds in my backyard. Most are still LBB's (little brown birds). But the most exciting sight is a small flock of bluebirds that regularly visit the birdbath.

Bluebird Hot-tub Party

In decades of life in Wisconsin, I've almost never seen a real bluebird, and now 3-5 can show up for a daily hot-tub party.

Bluebirds are Flighty!

But they move fast and are SO flighty! (No wonder they are considered hard to see!) So I used wrapping paper to make a blind on part of my window, put my camera on a tripod, and here are some of the results. (The birdbath is about 6 feet from the window).

Two Male Eastern Bluebirds

My first photos (not shown) highlighted how dirty the birdbath was, so I had to go out in the snow and scrub the birdbath down for better photos. (I had to "style" the birdbath). And I need to add water almost every day when it's zero degrees Fahrenheit out, but the birds make the effort worthwhile.

Female Eastern Bluebird

Despite the blind, the birds seem aware that I am there. The ability to actually stare at my photos (since the actual birds move so fast) makes me feel happy - my bluebirds are looking at me! I want to protect these tiny creatures who can handle -5 degrees Fahrenheit, in a world where the climate is changing faster than we can comprehend.

Bluebird drinking and Reflection

I love how the little bluebird above has a drop of water on his beak. The reflection and spreading water droplet turned out well. He is a male Eastern bluebird. Western bluebirds have blue all the way around the neck.
(I found this site great for bluebird identification and maps, bird song recordings and bluebird information.)

Bluebird head Closeup

Since my post is about bluebirds, I thought I would share two vintage postcards featuring bluebirds that I have in a collection of vintage cards.

Vintage postcard 1 - with Bluebirds and nest

I like the sweet graphics and cute sentiments found on the old cards. One is postmarked 1922, the other says 1920(?).

Vintage postcard 2 - with Bluebirds postmarked 1922

I'm also sharing two vintage porcelain birds I've had for quite some time. I used to think the shape was exaggerated, but now I see what the artist saw.

Vintage ceramic bluebird figurines

My photographs show round fluffed out little birds that seem to match the shape of the sculpted figures.

Eastern Bluebird

I hope sharing my photos of these "bluebirds of happiness" will bring you good luck and joy. After all, you are now seeing them too.

Maybe this is a sign that the pandemic will pass soon? We can only hope... Until then, stay safe and warm!

If you want to see more snow, (yeah, right - who wants to see more snow?!?) check out my Winter Garden.)

Click on the images to see them enlarged.

_____________________________________

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy (garden)...