Keep in mind Mountain Bluebirds aren't all "brilliant blue" as the
bird was described. In my experience they have always seemed
gray-blue. I'd think the blue of a male Eastern Bluebird could be
described as brilliant though...and if the bird was flying around
eye-level or below it might seem completely blue. But anything is
possible :)

Just giving my two cents.

Eric Cannizzaro



On Sun, Mar 1, 2009 at 9:16 PM, Jane Stein <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Oh, man!  What a thought!  I've seen one once in my life and thought I was
> just going to pass out from how gorgeous it was!
>
>
>
> Scott W. Morrical wrote:
>
>> If it was totally blue, did you consider Mountain Bluebird, which is  an
>> occasional winter vagrant in the east???  That would be more likely  than
>> Indigo Bunting on March 1 in Vermont, but still a great find!
>>
>> Scott
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>> South Burlington
>>
>>
>> Quoting Jane Stein <[log in to unmask]>:
>>
>>> There are a fair number of Bluebirds that winter over this far north,
>>> but since they're often nomadic in winter and don't generally come to
>>> feeders, we're not that aware of them.  I have occasional visits all
>>> winter here.
>>>
>>> Indigo Buntings don't winter over, and seem extraordinarily unlikely to
>>> be back this early.
>>>
>>> Jane
>>> Shoreham
>>>
>>> Maeve Kim wrote:
>>>
>>>> There are definitely bluebirds around at this time of year. I've   seen
>>>>  them most winters in the Panton/Ferrisburg area. Yesterday I   saw two  on
>>>> Greenbush Road, close to where it connects with Route 7.
>>>>
>>>> Maeve Kim
>>>> Jericho Center
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Mar 1, 2009, at 3:44 PM, Kay Johnson wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Driving today on Mountain Road (bordering Bristol and Monkton) a bird
>>>>> crossed the path of my car that looked like an Indigo Bunting.
>>>>>
>>>>> I have seen and photographed birds of this species before, so have  a
>>>>> good
>>>>> sense of what they look like.  The bird I saw today was all  brilliant
>>>>> blue
>>>>> and about the right size.
>>>>>
>>>>> Is it likely that an Indigo Bunting in breeding plumage would  appear
>>>>> this
>>>>> far north this early?  It did not look like a blue jay and was not  a
>>>>> blue
>>>>> bird (not that the latter would be likely seen here at this time).
>>>>>
>>>>> Please advise. Thanks, Kay at Partridge Place in Hinesburg.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>