Bluebirds of Surprise! #phenology

We're going to bet you've heard of the Bluebird of Happiness, whether or not one's flown up your nose. We had bluebirds nesting in a couple of houses this Summer past. They disappeared a couple of months or so ago. We figured all bluebirds had migrated South. Seeing a handful at the front birdbath this morning was a delightful surprise. We're even more surprise, and grateful, that we managed to get an in focus photo of at least some of them, else we might not even believe ourselves, although, according to this map, we're either located near the Northern boundary of the year-round range, so, with global warming, we may see more bluebirds in the future.

there are three bluebirds in this photo, can you find them?

Photo by J. Harrington

The winds today have shifted around and are now Northerly. We're guessing that some very hardy bluebirds had been Summering somewhere North of us and finally decided it's time to catch a tailwind South to warmer climes. One of the real treats in phenology is the occasional surprise that nature throws at us to demonstrate that, indeed, "a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds." (Thank you, Ralph Waldo E.)

Bluebird skies have arrived along with the change in winds. We'll enjoy them for a day or so, Then, we're scheduled to go "Up North" over the weekend and hope against hope that the snow currently included in the forecast goes away. Now, we admit we'd feel differently if we were going duck hunting instead....

The Last Word of a Blue Bird

by Robert Frost

As told to a child


As I went out a Crow
In a low voice said, "Oh,
I was looking for you.
How do you do?
I just came to tell you
To tell Lesley (will you?)
That her little Bluebird
Wanted me to bring word
That the north wind last night
That made the stars bright
And made ice on the trough
Almost made him cough
His tail feathers off.
He just had to fly!
But he sent her Good-by,
And said to be good,
And wear her red hood,
And look for the skunk tracks
In the snow with an ax-
And do everything!
And perhaps in the spring
He would come back and sing."

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