Bulls Point Trail, Royal Botanical Gardens, Hamilton ON. March 29th.2021. It was a ‘should-have-worn-gloves’ morning as three of us set out for a hopeful circuit through woodlands, the brisk north-westerly seemed unfair and probably dampened bird activity, we were happiest when we were out of its cruelest cut.
We were half way around our planned circuit when we found an endearing pair of Eastern Bluebirds. They were unconcerned by our presence allowing a careful photo-ops approach.
It’s not hard to understand why bluebirds are so popular, it would be hard to improve much on the male Eastern Bluebird for colour in particular and overall cuteness in general. His mate is a little less eye-popping but her evident, albeit muted, similarity makes the species popular for studying the different behaviours and appearance of the sexes, something not always easy for newer birders.
Their bounce-back from relative scarcity in the 60s and 70s is partly (perhaps largely) thanks to the popularity of erecting nest boxes. So popular, that there are many organisations devoted to creating bluebird trails and thereby encouraging the growth of bluebird populations. Who could possibly object? Bluebirds have recovered well and are so easily observed and studied that I suspect many graduate degrees have been earned on the back of Sialia sialis.
We continued on our way and racked up thirty or so species with few surprises. At a nice lookout spot a male Red–bellied Woodpecker came close to us, I think he thought we were bringing food, as many do at this spot, if so he was disappointed. He, like the bluebird, was spectacular in his spring, breeding, plumage designed to impress a mate and hold his ground.
The day produced a few more notables: newly returned Killdeers and Belted Kingfisher, and a vocal Cooper’s Hawk that swept past clacking loudly to let us know he was master of that neck of the woods; but otherwise nothing totally unexpected. The Eastern Bluebirds were My Birds of the Day, I’d known that from the moment I first saw them.