Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Western Bluebird

Western Bluebird

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this week's wildbird, I am sharing one of my lifers from Colorado.. The Western Bluebird..



 The adult males are a bright blue on top and on the throat. They have an orange breast and sides.  A brownish patch on the back and a gray belly..


 Immature & female Western bluebirds are a duller color.

 The Western Bluebird (male)  has a blue throat and the (female) has a gray throat.  This photo above the throat feathers looks like the have a tinge of blue.. Maybe it is a juvenile or the female?
 


For comparison...I included this male Eastern Bluebird above that shows the throat is all orange..I was excited to add the Western Bluebird to my lifer list.. So now I have seen all three Bluebirds in the USA. The Eastern Bluebird, Mountain Bluebird and the latest the Western Bluebird..

I hope you enjoyed my Western Bluebird post..  Thanks for stopping by my post and for all the nice comments.

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.  Thanks to both of our hosts... Michelle for Nature Notes and our host Stewart of Wild Bird Wednesday.  Happy Birding and have a wonderful week!

63 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

Another lifer for you Eileen, are there any mopre, just kidding. Beautiful Western Bluebird.

Caroline Gill said...

So pleased, Eileen, that I 'popped by' today as Bluebirds are among my favourite birds from your part of the world (second only to Cardinals, if I am allowed rankings!). Thank you for your kind comment on my blog.

Stewart M said...

What a great looking bird - and nice to see the difference between the two species.

Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne

orchid0324 said...

Isn't that amazing to see or know the different of the male and the female(young one)♡♡♡ I truly enjoyed it from your wonderful pictures. Love the third picture of the sweet juvenile or the female very much♬♬♬

Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*

Mersad said...

I love their look. Dark orange and blue, go so well together!

Mersad
Mersad Donko Photography

Noushka said...

Great footage on this species, Eileen!
How I would love to see it with my own eyes.... lens too!!
As with many birds, some females can look brighter and more colorful than other,s I guess it is the same with this one, so it is very difficult to tell them apart from youngish males...
Well done, keep well :)

DeniseinVA said...

Lovely visuals, and great descriptions Eileen. Have a great day!

jp@A Green Ridge said...

Curious myself as I never have seen one...until now!!!...:)JP

Author R. Mac Wheeler said...

cool

I've never seen a bird I didn't love.

I think it's the eyes.

Jo said...

Congratulations on the lifer sighting of this Bluebird and having seen all three! Great photos as always, Eileen. Have a wonderful day. Jo

Elizabeth Edwards said...

one of my most favorite birdies. my parents always had them in their birdhouses - so fun to watch. ( :

Linda Kay said...

I had no idea they would be so different. Still have that beautiful blue color, however. Thanks for sharing these.

TexWisGirl said...

very cute little fluff.

MadSnapper said...

as far as i know, i have never seen any of the three. they are beautiful and i love the shot where he is all fluffed up

Linda W. said...

I love the bird's expression in the third photo. He looks annoyed! Nice shots of a pretty bird.

GreenComotion said...

Very nice photos, Eileen.
We see the eastern cousins here in Atlanta.

Have a Beautiful Day!

Peace :)

Irma said...

Beautiful pictures Eileen.
Nice to see the different birds.
Beautiful Western Bluebird.

DIMI said...

Hello Eileen!!
Great shots and captures of the bluebird!What a beauty!!Wishing you a lovely week!!
Dimi...

Joyful said...

Aw, what a pretty bird and great captures of it. xx

Icy BC said...

They are beautiful birds, and fantastic shots!

John eos shooter said...

Great species! Well spotted!

FAB said...

Lovely images Eileen of your recent lifer.

Anonymous said...

Hi Eileen, I am not sure why but many Western species with counterparts in the East, are less brilliant. Could be climate-related. Your pictures are wonderful. Have a super good day!

EG CameraGirl said...

Cutie pies, just the Eastern version. ;))

Hootin Anni said...

So pretty Eileen!!!!

Carver said...

The bluebirds are beauties. I liked seeing eastern and western for comparison.

Our photos said...

Very nice. Lovely colors on the last one !

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Great pictures of one of my fav. birds... I love our Eastern Bluebirds and did get to see a Western Bluebird when we were in Colorado. BUT--other than photos, I have not seen a Mountain Bluebird.

Thanks for sharing.
Hugs,
Betsy

Stephanie said...

Nice looking bird!

fredamans said...

Beautiful shots, especially that last one.

Pat said...

Such cute little birds!

Cloudia said...

What a sweet little bird, Eileen.
Thanks for sharing


Aloha!


Rose said...

Glad you got to capture the Western Bluebird...and wow, that last pic of the Eastern Bluebird is fantastic!

Rohrerbot said...

Really glad you got this one Eileen. The Western is a common bird for us here. It's the Eastern that's a lot of work! We have a group down here the ABA may split down the road known as the "Azure" group. They breed separately from the other Eastern Bluebirds and live between a piece of Arizona grasslands and Mexico. The blue is duller....sky color. But for now they are called Easterns. Congrats!

Willow said...

Loved this post .Bluebirds are one of my favs but sadly we don't have them here ~ so loved seeing yours .

Inspired By June said...

A lifer, Eileen! That's great - and such a sweet little bluebird, too! I'm planning to put up some bluebird houses on our back fence line next year. We'll see what we can see!

Bethany Carson said...

Very handsome birds! Congrats on seeing all three species of bluebirds!

Karen said...

Such pretty little birds, east and west!

Gail Dixon said...

How wonderful that you've seen all bluebird species. I've only seen the Eastern. Lovely shots of the Western. He couldn't have picked a better spot to stand out. It's really hard to identify immatures and females. I always have a really hard time with that.

Micupoftea said...

Isn't birding enjoyable? Great candid pics. I also keep a list of birds that visit our yard and really like seeing those that are migrating. I feel so lucky to have spotted these travelers on their journey :)

Margaret Birding For Pleasure said...

Great shots especially the last one. Lovely little bird.

Unknown said...

Lovely shots of this very pretty bird. Enjoy your week, Eileen!

Lynne said...

Wonderful photos Eileen . . .
(Peeking in between travels.)

Poppy said...

All beautiful shots of this gorgeous bird, but especially love the last one for its brilliant colour!

Happy Wednesday, Eileen!

Poppy

Betty Manousos said...

hi eileen!

i always enjoy seeing your birds!
terrific shots especially that last one.

have a great day! xo

Ida said...

Yes I did enjoy your Blue Bird shots very much. It's such a charming little bird.

Ileana said...

Beautiful little birds! I have not seen such a bird in my area!

HappyK said...

I just love blue birds. So pretty.

Black Jack's Carol said...

A bluebird of any description would make me ecstatic. How wonderful to have seen all three. Your photos are gorgeous, Eileen! I always look forward to your posts.

Debbie said...

cute fluffy little birds. nice to see the differences!!

Brian King said...

A little beauty!

sallie (fulltime-Life.com) said...

You are such an amazing birder! Of course, this is the bluebird I am most familiar with being from the west most of my life. Never tire of seeing this beauty ... your pictures are remarkable.

Rambling Woods said...

Oh congrats on the lifer and in seeing all three species of bluebirds... Thank you for linking into Nature Notes Eileen.... Michelle

Linda said...

Nice to see, although I am proud that our Eastern Bluebird is more colorful.

Arija said...

Hi Eileen, wish I could see these little darlings in the flesh too some day. Why, oh why are our continents so far apart?

Elaine said...

Love the bluebirds. Congrats on another lifer!

Maria said...

You've got a great image on that last one, I din't know it was so beautiful!

Mary Howell Cromer said...

Yea Congratulations on seeing these little beauties. Would you believe in 7 years of traveling the areas where they live, I believe the only captures I got, were in Custer South Dakota...I just never seem to see them. Nice job!

Kathie Brown said...

It looks like it was raining when you took most of these photos! What a nice addition to your life list! Congrats!

Helma said...

For me a new species to see.
Very nice this bird and this in turn has beautiful colors in his feathers-)

NatureFootstep said...

oh, you have three different bluebirds? Such a gift, I would say. They are wonderful.

Pat Tillett said...

I love bluebirds and you've taken some beautiful photos of them.

Charlie@Seattle Trekker said...

I love the detail and the expression that you captured in your photos.

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