Peanuts In My Pocket

I’m not sure if I just never noticed them before or if, due to my colorblindness, I couldn’t see them, but the Western Bluebird seems to be everywhere I look in the LA/OC area. When I shifted to serious birding after retiring, these little birds were among the first I photographed. I spotted them while playing disc golf, then grabbed my camera and walked the course, hoping to get a decent shot. Before I upgraded my gear, this was harder than it sounds, but eventually, I captured a photo clear enough for AI birding tools to identify.

Looking back through my eBird checklists, I’ve recorded Western Bluebirds at every park I’ve visited, often several at a time. This trend continued during my birding trip to Huntington Beach Central Park yesterday, where I photographed a dozen, including a nesting pair feeding chicks.

It’s no accident that I’m seeing more of these charming birds. One of the main reasons for their resurgence is the widespread installation of bluebird nest boxes. These small, elevated wooden boxes mimic the natural cavities that bluebirds require for nesting, typically found in dead or dying trees. Conservationist Dick Purvis launched the effort by installing bluebird boxes in places like O’Neill Park in the 1980s. The initiative gained momentum with the creation of the Southern California Bluebird Club in 2007.

I notice nest boxes in nearly every park I visit on my birding rounds. I can remember a time when I’d see one and wonder, “What are those for?” I knew they were bird boxes but didn’t realize they were for bluebirds. I used to think bluebirds were only an East Coast thing. Next spring, I plan to install one in my own yard. I might even build it myself, maybe.