Al Larson Photography

I never cease to be amazed when I see a bird approach their nest box. They never crash into the side of the box but gracefully land at the entrance. Sometimes they seemingly fly directly into the box with hardly a pause. Othertimes they grasp the edge of the entrance, hang by their feet and brace their bodies with their tails against the box. The best time to observe bird activities at the nest is after the eggs hatch and until the nestlings fledge. Once the bluebird nestlings fledge they take up residence elsewhere. However, should the parents decide on a second brood the fledglings may stay in the area. They have been known to sometimes assist their parents feed the new siblings. I’ve also seen them coaxing their younger brothers and sisters to come out at time of fledging.

A couple days ago Jimmy Yorgenson and I checked some Wood Duck boxes on the south side of Lake Lowell. Water level is rather high this year and we feared that we may not be able to get to all of the boxes. As luck would have it we were able to reach 30 of the nest boxes. We repaired some and added clean shavings to others for bedding. It will be impractical to get to the remainder of the boxes until water level is lowered.

There was evidence that some of the boxes had been used by Wood Ducks last year. Also many of the boxes had small owl pellets inside. Five of the thirty boxes had live Western Screech-Owls in them. One had a pair of owls. One bird was banded last year as an adult setting on eggs. Another was banded as an adult in 2008 using the same box as this day.

On this outing we also observed three Great Horned Owls and one Barn Owl perched or flying through the trees. This was a great day for owls!

This photo was taken while making the rounds checking nestboxes on the Sagehen Reservoir bluebird  trail. The day was warm. I was driving the pickup with the window open on the driver’s side. Returning to the vehicle after checking a box I discovered this little lady in the cab of the pickup. Trapped as she was she presented an opportunity to snap some pictures. After several exposures I moved around to the other side of the vehicle and the bird exited through the open window. No apparent harm was done with this encounter. My guess is that she entered the cab in search of insects or maybe just curiosity. Note the brownish area on her upper back. Male western bluebird’s back is even more brown which help distinguish them fron the eastern species.

Imagine my surprise this morning at predawn. I arose, turned the porch light on and peered out the wndow.  Nearly an inch of snow had fallen during the night. Temperature stood at about 32 degrees. The snow was almost imperceptably slipping over the eaves. I hurridly put the camera into action and captured this shot. It’s a good thing I did for a few moments later the entire snow sheet went crashing to the ground.

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Most of the bluebirds have long since departed from Idaho to warmer climes, but I still have my photos of them to enjoy. This concerned pair of Mountain Bluebirds is keeping watchful eyes upon me as I check the contents of their nestbox. As soon as I enter data in my notes, I close the nestbox and depart. The parents seem to tolerate my intrusion, for they soon go about their business of caring for their nest. It just takes a couple of minutes for me to gather the information I need. Banding a nest of  five nestlings takes less than ten minutes. I try to make my intrusions as quickly as posible. It’s a joy to work with a subject as tolerant as the bluebird.

At the end of WWII, I found myself on duty with the USMC in Peiping, China. I soon found a Chinese friend (at left in photo) who could speak good English. He knew his way around the city and volunteered to show me the sights of Peiping. We visited the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, a Buddha temple and a Catholic church (where we sat in a balcony with the choir boys).  Our principle means of transportation was bicycle. There were also rickashaws and san lurs (three-wheeled pedal-powered rickashaw) available. Restaurants served real Chinese food to be eaten with chop-sticks. Eating soup with chop-sticks is an adventure of its own.

One evening Lu and his friend, Shorty (male) and I stopped by a photo studio for the above portrait. We donned costumes that could have been worn in ancient China. Lu posed as a General. Shorty in his dress, posed as the Emperess. I wore the attire of Emperor Liu Pei Hwang Sheang, Sung Guo Dynasty (right in the picture). As I remember, I was glad to shed the footwear. My feet were too big to comfortably fit in those shoes.

I wonder how many times we pass an old landmark and watch it fall into disrepair? Then there are folks who pass by without ever seeing it. This old barn stood at Barber just off of Warm Springs Ave. in Boise. It would be interesting to hear the stories this old barn could tell if only it could talk. Luckily I stopped by one day and took this photo. Now this barn is no more. It passed over the Great Divide this past summer. It almost breaks my heart to look at this site, bulldozed over, sadly waiting the next stage of developement.

I took the liberty to publish this photo in sephia. A tired old building needs to look old. Right?

Here we are on a ridge in the Owyhee Mountains. In this view we are looking toward the north-east across the Snake river plain. The elevation is about 6,000 feet. This is a magnificent view and is one of my favorites.

Situated on the ridge like this the box is exposed to all kinds of weather. Cold winds blow in the spring. Rain, sleet and snow delay the nesting patterns. Though a week or two later than the more sheltered sites this site has been very successful. Nearly every year for the last 30 years Mountain Bluebirds have fledged from this box.

The lady checking the nest box is a dear friend and often accompanies me on my rounds. With nearly 150 nestboxes to check on this trail it is a pleasure to have someone along to do the driving and share the surprises we find along the way.

My Bluebird friends have all departed to their winter quarters. I wonder where they spend the winter?

The temperature dipped to 6 degrees below zero F. last night here at the ranch. I should have gone south with the bluebirds. I still have my memories and photos of these lovely creatures from last summer. So I dream about the adventures and close encounters I had with some of them when I monitored my “Bluebird Trails.” Every once in a while I encountered a bird that would come in close and pose for me. These I christened my photogenic birds.

A few days ago I was in our yard in Boise and I happened upon this mushroom growing close to an old tree stump. I had never seen one just like this before. I snapped a photo of it to show anyone who might be interested in such a thing. I hardly think it may be edible. It could cause a severe bellyache or possibly eternal slumber.

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