On 30 November 2020, Ron reported that he had found a small group of Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides) at Tolay Lake Regional Park, so I left work a bit early today (3 December 2020) and headed over to see if they were still around.
Luckily, they were! I haven't seen Mountain Bluebirds in a long time, and I had forgotten just how blue they are! The adult males (above) are especially striking. The females (below) are more subtle, but you can still see that bright cerulean (or cobalt) blue on the wings, rump, and tail:
Note that Mountain Bluebirds lack the rufous or chestnut tones of Western Bluebirds.
Mountain Bluebirds are rare in Sonoma County. They nest at high elevations in western North America. It looks like there are ~12 records for this species in Sonoma County.
Many thanks to Ron for getting the word out about these beautiful birds!
5 comments:
I'd love to know where in Tolay these bluebirds were spotted!
Wow! I wonder why they're here now?
Hi, Eleanor!
The Mountain Bluebirds were spending time in the older vineyard area along the Causeway Trail -- so just beyond the first gate and on the left if you're walking away from the parking lot. (I think it's probably ~0.5 mile from the parking area.)
Good luck!
Jackie
Hi, Alice!
Well, my understanding is that Mountain Bluebirds spend time at lower elevations during the winter, but that their wintering distribution varies from year to year, in part due to weather and food availability.
I was interested to read about their life history, which also might contribute to a tendency to wander:
"The Mountain Bluebird nests primarily in pre-existing tree cavities, especially old woodpecker holes that, in many places, are probably in limited supply. Intraspecific and interspecific competition for these sites almost certainly has driven the evolution of many aspects of this species’ natural history, including early arrival to the breeding grounds. Across much of its range, the Mountain Bluebird historically has nested largely in patches of burned-over coniferous forest, after woodpeckers have added cavities to the snags and trees left standing. Such habitat is continually created throughout western North America, but in unpredictable locations. The challenges of finding a place to live and nest may have given the species its “wandering genes.” As described in this account, the Mountain Bluebird is a regular vagrant across North America, much to the delight of birdwatchers." (From the Birds of the World species account by Johnson and Dawson)
Jackie
These birds are beautiful! I so appreciate your photograpy, Jackie. Thanks for this email blog that I so look forward to every day!
Kathy
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