Blue Grosbeak: My Favorite Summer Passerine

I like and love lots of things and really don't have favorites of very many things. However, I do consider the Blue Grosbeak to be my favorite summer passerine. It is a highlight during late spring or early summer when I see my first male of the year. I'm glad to have them back from Central America for the summer. I love the dark blue color and the contrasting rufous wing bars. After seeing my first male Blue Grosbeak a few years ago I decided I would not let another summer go by without locating a few males singing on their territory. The male below had set up its territory and was singing from a Russian Olive tree along a dirt road we call Swede Lane in Utah County, Utah.

Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Along Swede Lane in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Here is a full view of the same male after he flew across the dirt road and perched on a barbed wire fence post.

Male Blue Grosbeak Along Swede Lane in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

 A good birding friend, who knows my love for the beautiful birds, located the male below near Lindon Beach in Utah County. True to our friendship he sent a text message to me to provide the location. I was able to hear this bird sing and get a few decent images to add to my collection of images. The image below shows a nice profile highlighting its "gross" beak, rufous wing bars, and dark wings and tail feathers.

Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near Lindon Beach in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

First-summer males look a little messy as they sport their "tween" plumage, morphing from the pale rufous/buff color to a dark blue with contrasting rufous wing bars and black lores. The bi-colored beak can also be distinguished in the images below.

First-summer Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

First-summer Male Blue Grosbeak Singing Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Male Blue Grosbeak Lindon Beach in Utah County, UT (Photo by Jeff Cooper)

Once I've located a few males I know I will be able to return in a couple of months to see juveniles. The image below shows at least two siblings down low.

This juvenile was found a couple summers ago in an open field in American Fork, Utah.

Juvenile Blue Grosbeak Near American Fork Boat Harbor in Utah County, UT

I wish I could have gotten closer to the bird below. I loved the dark blue contrast against the green of the grain. This bird sang its way to the perch below as I was trying to photograph a male Bobolink in an adjacent field of tall grass.

Male Blue Grosbeak Near Palmyra, Utah (Photo by Jeff Cooper)