A Small Blue-gray Bird

June 7, 2025

A small bird with a long tail. Its total length, just 4″ to 5″, weighing a quarter of an ounce, about the weight of a nickel. Here, perching on the ferns of asparagus. A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) sitting still for a split second for a photo. They seem to always be in motion.

They are here during breeding season. Eating insects, insect eggs, and spiders, sometimes catching the insects while in flight. The males are great participants in family life, working to help build their cup-shaped nests, helping to incubate the eggs, and helping to raise and feed the babies.

These little birds seem to enjoy collecting their meals in the vegetable garden. I hope they sense my appreciation.

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Published by

Brenda Clements Jones

Brenda is a certified Virginia Master Naturalist, a Habitat Defender for Shenandoah National Park, and a devoted fan of Mother Nature. She lives in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains near Shenandoah National Park, and hikes up to the higher elevations of her mountain often to see what nature is up to. Her constant hiking companion is a camera that captures nature as it unfolds through the seasons. It’s her goal to share the natural world around her through her photographs.

One thought on “A Small Blue-gray Bird”

  1. I commend you for capturing this shot! They are never still. What a cute little bird! Hope you’re doing well, Bren.

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