![\"mountain](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/10\/mountain-bluebird-4587b-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nConditions are\u00a0tough in the Centennial Valley of Montana, for both the living and the long-dead.<\/p>\n
I realize that this image isn’t likely to have universal appeal, partly because the bluebird is in pretty rough condition.\u00a0 But so is the fence post and there’s just something about that visual congruity that grabs me.<\/p>\n
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\u00a01\/2000, f\/8, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM +1.4x, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Weather in this part of Montana is some of the most severe in the continental USA and Mountain Bluebirds in the area are known to attempt three annual nestings\u00a0when their earlier attempts fail, which is quite unusual for the species elsewhere.\u00a0 Late cold snaps early this summer caused massive nest failures so most of these birds had to re-nest at least once.\u00a0 I’ve spent many, many hours watching the nesting activities of bluebirds in the valley and believe me it’s a frenetic, energy-consuming business.\u00a0 This photo was taken this past September 9th when nesting season was over and this bird was finally able to relax a little.\u00a0 Though I realize that the scruffy appearance of this male is\u00a0probably mostly due to molting, for me it’s symbolic of the fact that the bird has recently been through the ringer.<\/p>\n And the condition of the post matches that of the bird.\u00a0 The Centennial Valley is littered with very old fence posts (many still in use) that were originally cut by pioneers in the nearby mountains but this particular post is one of the oldest and\u00a0most weathered that is still standing.\u00a0 The battered bird on the weathered post just appeals to me for some reason.<\/p>\n Perhaps it’s because the older I get the more I root for the old-timers who have experienced some of the rigors of life…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Conditions are tough in the Centennial Valley of Montana, for both the living and the long-dead.<\/p>\n I realize that this image isn’t likely to have universal appeal, partly because the bluebird is in pretty rough condition. But so is the fence post and there’s just something about that visual congruity that grabs me.<\/p>\n