Mountain Bluebird male / Sialia currucoides

Well, 24 hours ago, I was so relieved that I was all caught up with my recent photos, leaving me with just the last few days of our 13-day birding trip to South Texas to sort through, edit and post. Then, yesterday, I happened to check the weather forecast and discovered that we were in for a few days of rain. That settled it, I knew I had better go for a short drive, and ended up going to my 'usual' places.

Four of the birds I saw and was able to photograph were a Wilson's Snipe, a Black Tern on a fence post, a Mountain Bluebird against a field of yellow, and a female American Goldfinch who was hanging out with a pair of Bluebirds.

By the time I got out SW of the city, a few dark clouds were rolling in and it was windy. I remember the wind slightly ruffling the Snipe's feathers, but the other three birds were having a hard time keeping their balance, especially the Tern.

Though these birds didn't come with the excitement of being lifers for me, I get just as much enjoyment from finding and taking photos of these birds that I have seen before, many times over the years. Which is just as well, as I so rarely see a new bird species, except for when I am fortunate enough to go on special trip like the one to South Texas. It also feels good to be able to share a few 'better' photos, when I post so many that are just record shots : )

In Bluebirds, the blue colour is produced by the structure of the feather - there is no blue pigment. "Tiny air pockets in the barbs of feathers can scatter incoming light, resulting in a specific, non-iridescent color. Blue colors in feathers are almost always produced in this manner. Examples include the blue feathers of Bluebirds, Indigo Buntings, Blue Jay's and Steller's Jays."

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/id

www.jstor.org/discover/pgs/index?id=10.2307/4077277&i...

"A female Mountain Bluebird pays more attention to good nest sites than to attractive males. She chooses her mate solely on the basis of the location and quality of the nesting cavity he offers her—disregarding his attributes as a singer, a flier, or a looker.

A male Mountain Bluebird frequently feeds his mate while she is incubating and brooding. As the male approaches with food, the female may beg fledgling-style—with open beak, quivering wings, and begging calls. More often, she waits until her mate perches nearby, then silently flicks the wing farthest from him—a signal that usually sends him off to find her a snack.

The oldest recorded Mountain Bluebird was a female, and at least 9 years old when she was recaptured and rereleased during banding operations in Alberta in 2005. She had been banded in the same province in 1997." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mountain_Bluebird/