This is a western bluebird. It’s Marian’s favorite local bird—except for our hummingbirds, of course—and she’s been bugging me to get a good picture of one for a while. On Friday I finally did. The light was good, there was a tree for me to stand behind, and this little guy posed cooperatively for a nice long time. According to Wikipedia, “the bluebird is the quintessential helpful garden bird. Gardeners go to extreme lengths to attract and keep them in the garden for their advantageous properties. Bluebirds are voracious insect consumers, quickly ridding a garden of insect pests.” What’s not to like?
