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Nelson, Canada
$13.00
Title
You Had Me At Hello
Artist
Joy McAdams
Medium
Photograph - Photograph
Description
Every year Mountain Bluebirds migrate through our area in early spring, bringing their vibrant blue color (males) to local farmers fields in search of food. They are here for a few weeks, and then poof! - just as suddenly as they appear, they are gone. If you are one of the fortunate you know just where and when to look for them. I lived in the area for over 35 years before I became aware of their existence.
Here a male Mountain blue bird rests on the top of a tree branch, surveying the fields below. It is a brief respite before he darts to to field below for a tasty treat, then flies back to the same spot or other perch to repeat the sequence over and over again.
The mountain bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is a medium-sized bird weighing about 30 g (1.1 oz) with a length from 16โ20 cm (6.3โ7.9 in). They have light underbellies and black eyes. Adult males have thin bills and are bright turquoise-blue and somewhat lighter underneath. Adult females have duller blue wings and tail, grey breast, grey crown, throat and back. In fresh fall plumage, the female's throat and breast are tinged with red-orange, brownish near the flank contrasting with white tail underparts. Their call is a thin 'few'; while their song is warbled high 'chur chur'. It is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada. It is an omnivore and it can live 6 to 10 years in the wild. It eats spiders, grasshoppers, flies and other insects, and small fruits. The mountain bluebird is a relative of the eastern and western bluebirds.
These birds hover over the ground and fly down to catch insects, also flying from a perch to catch them. They mainly eat insects and berries. They may forage in flocks in winter, when they mainly eat grasshoppers. Mountain bluebirds will come to a platform feeder with live meal worms, berries, or peanuts.
Their breeding habitat is open country across western North America, including mountainous areas, as far north as Alaska. They nest in pre-existing cavities or in nest boxes. In remote areas, these birds are less affected by competition for natural nesting locations than other bluebirds. Mountain bluebirds are a monogamous breed. The male can be seen singing from bare branches. The singing takes place right at dawn, just when the sun rises. Females usually build the nests themselves. Eggs are pale blue and unmarked, sometimes white. The clutch size is four or five eggs. Young are naked and helpless at hatching and may have some down. Incubation normally last 14 days and the young will take about 21 days before they leave the nest. Both males and females fiercely protect the nest.
The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho and Nevada.
Mountain bluebirds are cavity nesters and can become very partial to a nest box, especially if they have successfully raised a clutch. They may even reuse the same nest, though not always. Mountain bluebirds will not abandon a nest if human activity is detected close by or at the nest. Because of this, they can be easily banded while they are still in the nest.
Mountain Bluebirds are fairly common, but populations declined by about 26% between 1966 and 2014, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Partners in Flight estimates the global breeding population of 4.6 million, with 80% spending some part of the year in the U.S., 20% breeding in Canada, and 31% wintering in Mexico. The species rates an 8 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score. Mountain Bluebird is a U.S.-Canada Stewardship species, and is not on the 2014 State of the Birds Watch List. These bluebirds benefited from the westward spread of logging and grazing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when the clearing of forest created open habitat for foraging. The subsequent waning of these industries, coupled with the deliberate suppression of wildfires, led to a dwindling of open acreage in the West and the decline of the species. More recently, as land-use practices have stabilized, so have Mountain Bluebird populations. Construction of nest boxes in suitable habitat has also provided a population boost. Populations are declining in areas where trees are too small to provide natural nesting cavities, and where forest and agricultural management practices have reduced the availability of suitable nest sites. Among birds that nest in cavities but canโt excavate them on their own, competition is high for nest sites. Mountain, Western, and more recently Eastern bluebirds compete for nest boxes where their ranges overlap. House Sparrows, European Starlings, and House Wrens also compete fiercely with bluebirds for nest cavities.
This image has placed in the following FAA contests:
1st Place- โFavorite Adult Bird Insect or Bat Imageโ contest- Wonder Of Wings group- July 2023
1st Place- โBluebirds- All Mediumsโ contest - April 2023
1st Place- โPhotography Only Bird or Birdsโ contest- Photography Only group- Feb. 2022
1st Place- "Winged Creatures with Blue in Their Bodies of Wings" Contest- Wonder of Wings Group- March 2021
1st Place- "Songbird Photography" Contest- Go Take a Hike Photography Group- Nov 2019
1st Place (tie) - "Free Choice" Contest- Nov. 2022
1st Place (tie)- "Spring Birds" Contest- April 2022
1st Place (tie)- TGFA Series- Bird Lovers Show and Tell contest- August 2020
2nd Place- "Small Bird Photography" contest- Go Take a Hike Photography Group- Feb. 2024
2nd Place- โ Your Favorite Adult Bird Or Batโ contest- The Wonder of Wings group- Feb 2022
2nd Place- "Spring Bird Migration" Contest- Wild Birds Of The World - A Nature Photography Group- May 2020
2nd Place- "Your Best Songbird Image"- Songbirds Only Group- May 2020
2nd Place (tie)- 'Backyard Birds' contest- Nov. 2023
2nd Place (tie)- "All All Art" Contest- All Art group- Nov. 2019
3rd Place (tie) - "Your Choice" Contest - Nov. 2019
Uploaded
November 3rd, 2019
Statistics
Viewed 3,231 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 03/26/2024 at 1:20 AM
Embed
Sales Sheet
Gary F Richards 26 Days Ago
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Outstanding You Had Me At Hello composition, lighting, shading, color and artwork! Congratulations on your very deserving Top Finish! F/L
Larry Kniskern 26 Days Ago
Centennial, CO - United States
Joy โ I wanted to let you know that your stunning image was a top-fifteen candidate from 53 initial considerations for selection as the February 2024 "Photo of the Month" in the Go Take a Hike Photography Group. Even though not advancing as a finalist, this image is most worthy of recognition as a superb photographic effort, so congratulations and well done! Please feel free to add this gem to the โCandidates for Photo of the Monthโ discussion thread in the group.
Brian Baker 26 Days Ago
Au Gres, MI - United States
Adorable! Congratulations on your win in the Small Bird Photography contest! l/f
Sherilyn Harper 27 Days Ago
Indian Harbour Beach, FL - United States
Congratulations on your win with this beautiful bluebird in the small birds contest
Greta Foose 27 Days Ago
Wheeling, WV - United States
Congratulations on your second place contest win, you had my vote.
Rebecca Grzenda 27 Days Ago
Plainville, MA - United States
Congrats, Joy on your second place win in the Go Take A Hike Photography Group's "Small Bird" Contest.....beautiful image!
Dale Kincaid 27 Days Ago
Broadview Heights, OH - United States
Congratulations on 2nd place in the Small Bird's contest.
Larry Kniskern 27 Days Ago
Centennial, CO - United States
Congratulations, Joy โ your stunning scene finished second place in the Go Take a Hike Photography Groupโs Small Birds photo contest! It will be placed on the group homepage as a special feature for the week, as well in the Contest Winners thread in the group discussion board for archive.
Alinna Lee 29 Days Ago
Belmont, CA - United States
Incredibly beautiful shot, Joy! Voted for Small Bird contest
Telford, PA - United States
Stunning image, Joy! Love the colors and the serene simplicity of this capture! Fav
Au Gres, MI - United States
Revisiting this adorable capture! Congratulations on your win in the Backyard Birds contest! l/f
Cocoa, Fl - United States
Very cute image, capture and caption. I voted for this in the BACKYARD BIRDS contest. FLV
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Thanks for sharing this popular beauty! Congratulations! Your wonderful work has been featured on the home page of the Over 3000 Views group. Please make it available for future viewing by posting your feature in the Featured Images Archive discussion thread and any other appropriate discussion threads-- ie sales of your group images etc.
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Congrats on your win in the FAVOURITE ADULT BIRD INSECT OR BAT IMAGE! LF
Sunset Beach, NC - United States
Congrats on your win in the FAVOURITE ADULT BIRD INSECT OR BAT IMAGE LF with one of my all-time favorites of yours.
Au Gres, MI - United States
Adorable and beautiful! Congratulations on your win in the Favourite Adult Bird, Insect or Bat Image contest! l/f
Hampshire, Ha - United Kingdom
Congratulations on your win with this simply eye catching shot in the FAVOURITE ADULT BIRD INSECT OR BAT IMAGE LF
Sydney, NS - Australia
CONGRATULATIONS! You are the First Place Winner of the WONDER of WINGS 'FAVOURITE ADULT BIRD INSECT OR BAT IMAGE' Contest.
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Spectacular You Had Me at Hello composition, lighting, shading, excellent colors and artwork! F/L
MOSMAN,SYDNEY, NS - Australia
J'Adore this Series, Joy.....each a treasure, FAV, and: congrats for ARTIST OF THE WEEK: INTENT OF THE ARTIST GROUP, Cheers, VIVA
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Congratulations on your well deserved Best of the Best Special Feature of the Week! F/L
St. Louis, MO - United States
Gorgeous Mountain Bluebird close up photograph, Joy! Congratulations on your photograph being selected by Randy for a "Best of the Best" Special Feature in the Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery group! F/L
Cedar City, UT - United States
So adorable and beautiful! Congratulations on your Best of the Best homepage feature in Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery!...L/F
Bowling Green, KY - United States
A precious jewel! Congratulations on your Best Of The Best feature in the WFS Group!
Iola, WI - United States
Dear Wisconsin Flowers and Scenery Group Member, You are to be congratulated on your achievement of getting your beautiful piece of artwork chosen to be featured in our โBest of the Bestโ section of our homepage. This is truly an honor to be selected for this special feature. If your works are featured, it is always an honor, but this honor is above and beyond what one sees most of the time. It is excellently done and presented and deserves a special place on our homepage. Happy sales to you till we meet again.
Punta Gorda, FL - United States
Spectacular You Had Me at Hello composition, lighting, shading, beautiful colors and artwork! F/L voted
Providence Forge, VA - United States
Gorgeous capture! Congrats on your 1st place win in the Blue Birds contest!
Mechanicsville, VA - United States
Beautiful work! Congratulations on your 1st Place Win in the Blue Birds Contest.
Flower Mound, TX - United States
I know I already commented on this but wanted to tell you again that I love it! voted
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