Cody Polansky shot this photo in Lake Arrowhead, California on November 18, 2007 with a Sony DSC H9 15x zoom on his back deck. The flock of Western Bluebirds arrived a few weeks ago, and visits the bird bath about once an hour for a drink. He had two adults and six fledglings last nesting season, so maybe they brought their friends back.
The bird bath is a Kozybird Spa with deck rail mount. Cody (who runs a plumbing business) ran the drip tube himself with soft copper. (Posted 11/19/2007)
References and More Information:
- Fall and Winter Bluebirding
- Western Bluebird nests, eggs and young (photos)
- All about Western Bluebirds
Previous Pictures of the Week: © Original photographs are copyrighted, and may not be used without the permission of the photographer. Please honor their copyright protection. If you would like to use a photo for educational purposes, you can contact me.
- Tips for photographing cavity nesters
- June 11, 2006 – Great Crested Flycatcher
- June 19, 2006 – Snake Lick
- June 26, 2006 – House Finch Nest
- July 3, 2006 – Tree Swallow in Flight
- July 17, 2006 – Bluebird Battle
- July 24, 2006 – Bear Attack
- August 1, 2006 – Neglected Nestboxes (House Sparrow nests)
- August 14, 2006 – Threesome (Bluebird Babes)
- August 28, 2006 – Peering (flicker)
- January 2007 – New Hill Trail (Sialis)
- February 12 2007 – Sharp-shinned? Hawk feeding on dead starling
- February 19, 2007 – Joe’s Cafe (Suet/Mealworm Feeder)
- March 25, 2007 – Sunflower Eater
- February 2007 – Snags & Suet (Pileated Woodpeckers)
- May 2007 – Birdcam Shots and Birdcam Photo Album
- May 12, 2007 – Carolina Wren nest in a boot
- May 25, 2007 – Batman Bird (Tree Swallows)
- June 2007 – Bluebird nest of cattails, one with leaves, and a TRES nest with maple seeds
- June 20, 2007 – Nine Egger (Tree Swallow nest)
- June 27, 2007 – Black-capped Chickadees (funny and serious photos)
- July 7, 2007 – Anting and Sunbathing
- Red-shouldered Hawk perching on nestbox
- November 18, 2007 – Western Bluebirds at the Spa
- March 15, 2008 – Under Construction – Eastern Bluebirds Building a Nest
- April 9, 2008 – Bluebird Battle in PA
- April 10, 2008 – Mouse Surprise
- April 15, 2008 – Bluebird News (nest in paper box)
- April 23, 2008 – My personal nightmare
- April 25, 2008 – Brave White-breasted Nuthatch
- April, 2008 – How an egg hatches
- May 3, 2008 – Newborn Blue (baby hatching)
- May 3, 2008 – Brave Blue (female on nest)
- May 14, 2008 – House Wren Havoc (eggs pecked)
- May 25, 2008 – House Wren Takeover (of nest, more pecked eggs)
- May 29, 2008 – Take Your Pick (parents feeding fledgling)
- June 10, 2008 – That Look Belongs in a Holster (female MOBL)
- August 23, 2008 – Cat on Nestbox
- September 28, 2008 – HOSP on the House
- October 10, 2008 – Cuddling nestlings (taken in summer time)
- October 27, 2008 – HOSP in flight
- October, 2008 – Possible double and dwarf egg in one nest
- December 16, 2008 – The Next Generation (children building boxes)
- January 22, 2009 – Blue with Cold
- January 28, 2009 – Prothonotary Warbler on a camper | Nest building PROW | PROW nesting in tree cavity
- May, 2009 – To Kill a Mockingbird (Snake eating mockingbird – may be disturbing)
- May 21, 2009 – Should I Stay or Should I Go Now? (Titmouse nestling in box)
- May 25, 2009 – Which of these is not like the others? (Cowbird egg)
- May 23, 2009 – The Honeypot at the end of the rainbow (bumblebee nest)
- June 20, 2009 – House Wren nest decorated with Western Bluebird feathers
- June 20, 2009 – Wonderful WEBLS of WA
- June 20, 2009 – Bluebirds of Bickleton
- July 12, 2009 – Hairy Shrimp (newborn bluebirds)
- July 2009 – Diet (bluebird with earthworm in beak)
- July 2009 – Bluebirds nesting outside of cavity
- July 19, 2009 – HOSP on Holiday
- July 20, 2009 – Pink bluebird eggs
- August 2, 2009 – Pinkies (baby mice)
- August 2, 2009 – En garde (male bluebird in box)
- September 29, 2009 – 1917 instructions for bird house construction
- I forget when – Rainbox
- April 11, 2010 – nuthatch bark
- April 12, 2010 – My first white egg
- April 12, 2009 – TUTI nest by Keith Kridler
- May 2010 – TUTI newborns
- May 2010 – Christmas Chickadee
- May 2010 – Bluebird and Chickadee eggs in the same nest
- June 2012 – Paparazzi
- April 2013 – Under Construction – Titmouse nestbuilding
- July 2013 – Pink Bluebird Eggs
- July 2014 – Cowbird egg in Eastern Bluebird nest
- July 2014 – Newborn HOSP
- July 2015: Patience Pays (Male Eastern Bluebird)
A bluebird, famous for the scrap of sky
Borne on his back – an indigo so bright
That just a glimpse of his distinctive flight,
All swoop and flurry, captivates the eye …
– George Bradley, “New Yorker” Mar. 19, 2001