Blue Birds

 

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.