ML388988631

Age

Not specified

Sex

Not specified

Observation details

AAS documentation # 1377. Immediately recognized as a female bluebird. Back, nape, auriculars, and crown were neutral mouse-gray. Narrow white eyering circled the posterior two-thirds of the eye (dark). Throat, breast, flanks, and undertail coverts were mouse gray. The throat and upper breast were tinted with buff or a dull rust and subtly mottled. The lower belly was paler, contrasting with the darker gray breast and flanks. A small white patch was present at the posterior edge of the flanks. Rectrices, rump, and lower back were pale blue (see photos). Margins of primaries were dull pale blue. Secondaries were broadly edged with white. Greater primary coverts also had pale margins. The bill was black and relatively thin. Legs black. Primaries were unusually long (noticeably longer than those of Eastern Bluebird). The bluebird foraged from the tops of buttonbushes along the rocky shore and from concrete picnic tables and metal lantern hooks in unoccupied campground. It captured insects on the ground. Its gracile posture was typical for Mountain Bluebird with tail held closer to the horizontal than in Eastern Bluebird. Near the end of the 20 minute observation period, a small flock of Eastern Bluebirds appeared at the base of the peninsula about 75 yards from the foraging Mountain. The Mountain showed no overt interest and did not follow the calling Easterns when they flew eastward. Searched for the bluebird on 3 different days during the following week. No luck.

Technical information

Model

Canon EOS 80D

Lens

EF400mm f/5.6L USM

ISO

2000

Focal length

400 mm

Flash

Flash did not fire

f-stop

f/7.1

Shutter speed

1/1000 sec

Dimensions

1440 pixels x 1288 pixels

Original file size

1.19 MB