WHAT’S YOUR “SPARK” BIRD?
Answers by “Sparked” BHAS Birders
This is part of a series of articles revealing the “spark” birds of some of our avid birders in BHAS. Why are you interested in birding? Was there a moment when you got hooked? Or have you always been interested?
My own “spark” bird was spotted almost 17 years ago when my husband and I were barging on the Erie Canal in upstate NY in May. One early morning he spotted an Eastern Bluebird flying near us–“Look there!”, he pointed. In front of our barge in full flight was the most beautiful bluebird I’d ever seen! An Eastern Bluebird! We watched it excitedly as it flew ahead and finally disappeared into the opposite side of the canal. Now that I live in the PNW, I look for the Western Bluebird and am thrilled whenever we see them.
FACTS: These birds are cavity nesters and appreciate boxes or other birds’ nests to lay 3-5 eggs which hatch after about 12 days. They eat insects and love mealworms, fruits and seeds. They are also territorial.
Listen to the Eastern Bluebird’s song here:
https://macaullibrary.org/asset/214245791
Check out YouTube videos and Cornell University for more info, or even live nest cam videos of these birds in their nests right now, such as this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=louQxcri2X0&ab_channel=BackyardBirdhouse
By Stevie Morris
