On
our most recent camping outing to Blue Water Lake, we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves right next to a tree with a hole where a Blue Bird pair had decided
to nest and raise a family. All day long
these hyper responsible adults were bringing worms and insects and dropping
them into the open mouths of their hungry offspring. We got a few pictures though they were very fast
and didn’t stop to pose for us.
We prefer all blue Mountain blue birds in Montana. These are Western Blue Birds, and have less blue, especially the female, and are also pretty.
I
looked up Blue Bird on the internet and found there are many legends, spiritual
meanings, songs and photos of these wonderful birds. One of Paul MacCartney’s best songs is “I’m a
Blue Bird” – a very charming tune.
Although
the beliefs of different Native American tribes are varied and diverse,
bluebirds are generally seen as positive creatures wherever they appear, often
due to their bright and joyful color as well as for their pleasant song.
Being
in Navajo and Cochiti country, I found out that bluebirds represent good
fortune, fertility and prosperity to these Native Americans.
According
to a Cochiti legend, the sun’s firstborn was named Bluebird, and bluebirds were
associated with the rising sun since they woke people in the morning with their
song.
The
bluebird was also important to the Pima and represented growth and tradition.
The Pima also have a story that tells of an ugly bluebird who was ashamed of
his appearance and wanted to become more attractive.
Many
of the modern interpretations of bluebird symbolism match some of the older
beliefs, and one example sees the bluebird as a symbol of contentment with what
one has in life rather than always seeking more.
Bluebirds can remind us to value what we have rather than
spending our whole lives chasing more – because sometimes, what we have in
front of us is more precious than we realize.
We certainly enjoyed being their neighbors for a few days. Though we are not serious bird watchers, we got much pleasure watching and listening to this Blue Bird couple at Blue Water Lake State Park here in New Mexico.
