At this moment most of the country is in the grips of Winter, and eastern America is being pounded by the snow monster's wrath.  Lately in this part of Wyoming it's been a little more like Spring is around-the-corner, which in the Wind River Canyon it most definitely isn't.  Our Fed-Ex guy got stuck in the lower end of our driveway-hill yesterday!  I didn't have to rescue this one, but he was going to walk the small package all the way up to our cabin.  

     Winter in the Wind River Canyon can be a mild one; so far we've had two good snowstorms that have left drifts over three feet deep; big deal.  But, our Sun doesn't reach us till after 11 o'clock in the morning, and before 3:30 the Sun dives behind the western rim.  Snow and ice don't melt in the canyon when most of it gets barely four hours of sunlight.  Winter Blues?  A few extra minutes of Sun in the afternoon is immediately noticeable down in this freezer.  When I was pondering subjects for this week's Wind River Canyon Blog, it seemed maybe bringing in a little gift of sunshine would be appreciated by everyone.

     The Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) is my idea of what Spring is all about in the Mountain Bluebird Portrait, WyomingMountain Bluebird Portrait Photographed in Wonderful Wyoming. Rocky Mountains.  Just seeing that little sky-blue wonder is enough to make this old photographer's heart soar.  You can't help but love a bird that is the color of a mile-high blue sky.  But, try and find one.............as it turns out, they don't grow on trees.  In a dozen years of shooting digitally I've discovered them nesting in only two places.  In my experience they are a friendly and trusting species that are fairly easy to approach, if you can find one.  You'd think birds the color of a sapphire would be easy to find, but they're highly territorial and finicky about their nesting site.  The above photo is a much better identification than any description I could write; this is what a male Mountain Bluebird looks like, and he's maybe 7 plus inches beak to tail.  Mountain Bluebirds also have the unusual habit of hovering above their prey (mostly bugs); it's an amazing thing to witness.

     While cruising around last Spring looking for anything new growing, running or flying around, I spotted a mating pair of Mountain Bluebirds in a fairly isolated cliff side.  With a little patience, and practiced slow movements, I was able to gain a little access into their lives, once the male trusted me.  That's the trick with this bird species; if the male trusts you, you're in.  I would work my way slowly to a cliff's edge, and sit down and wait.  In a short time trust was built and they accepted my presence:  All I wanted was the two of them in the same frame on some weird rock.  Never did I spend more than a couple of hours with them at a time, and rarely on successive days, so as not to be a hindrance to their nesting behavior; don't overstay your welcome with any wild animal; good advice when visiting friends and family, too.   Mountain Bluebirds, Mating Pair - WyomingPhotograph of Mountain Bluebird mating pair nesting in Wyoming.      One of my favorite  Mountain Bluebird pictures was taken at a mansion by the northern end Mountain Bluebird-Wind River Canyon, WyomingMountain Bluebird on Antelope horns in Wyoming. of the Wind River Canyon.  Antelope horns had been mounted to the birdhouse post, and it apparently made a convenient perch for the male as he was patrolling his territory.  If you take time to watch and analyse the behavior of your target wildlife, you will find photo-ops that will make more interesting photographs.  I have spent over a decade taking notes on the behavior of my Hummingbirds; once you understand their behavior, it makes for better photographs.  This works for shooting sports, children, weddings, portraits, and wild animals----the better your understanding of the subject in the lens, the more your work will show your new-found knowledge and interest.  Get to know all about who or what you're planning to photograph; knowledge is king.

     My last little gift of sunshine from the Rocky Mountains is a picture of a male Bluebird imitating a rocket ship, or at least that's what I've been told by kids.  It truly wasn't planned and was the result of "putting the hammer down."  Holding down the shutter button and using those fps (frames-per-second) you paid for yields unseen and unexpected results.  Your camera can capture what your eye cannot, let it work for you.  Try it on the kids football game, or a child coming down a slide; up your shutter speed and practice, practice, practice.  A little good luck is always nice, too.   Mountain Bluebird, In Flight, WyomingMountain Bluebird in Flight in Wyoming. Till next week...."Keep your camera ready!"  I guess we should have bought the snowblower instead of that new lens:-)

All the words and pictures by Michael John Balog-Hogbats Photography-Wind River Canyon-Wyoming

*For more bluebirds, hummingbirds, mountains, and wild animal photographs from the Wind River Canyon, visit www.HogbatsPhotography.com