Friday, January 6, 2023

It's the little things

Back in November, I noted we had a rare and solitary bluejay hanging around our neighborhood.

This was something of a minor thrill for the ornithologist in me, since such birds are rare in Idaho. So imagine how happy I was last week to see him (her?) right outside the window at the feeder, gobbling sunflower seeds with greed.

He was a fast bird, so several of the photos I was frantically shooting were blurred. Often he flew away to a nearby tree, then flew back to the feeder.

I was hoping he would become a regular visitor to the feeder, but it appears I'll have no such luck. He showed up twice, a day apart, and that was it.

Such a pretty creature. I hope he returns.

 

A jay at the feeder. It's the little things, y'know?

6 comments:

  1. I think you may instinctively know the sex of this Jay.
    We have white tailed deer here, and when they run, once you've ever seen it, the difference is huge. The females have a different, more graceful movement. The males have a jerky , gotta get outta here yesterday kind of run.
    I've noticed the same thing when a "pet" possum brought home a boyfriend for supper at her (our) place. That guy was fast and jerked when he ran. I've seen it before in other animals too, but these are the first and best examples that come to mind.
    You spend so much time observing wildlife you probably know without thinking about it. Glad he's got you feeding him . No telling how he wound up there.

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  2. I grew up with these birds on Long Island. They're beautiful, but they're also aggressive as hell. If they're not native to your area, it's better he moved on. They'll chase off everything else, except maybe Mockingbirds, which will stand their ground. I've seen these jays take on CATS!

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  3. Put peanuts out. Jays love peanuts more than anyway.

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  4. Where are all the squirrels? Usually I've seen bunches of the 2 kinds of critters together cleaning up all the birdseed they can get!

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    Replies
    1. One word: Dog. Seriously, Mr. Darcy wouldn't allow squirrels anywhere near the deck.

      - Patrice

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  5. Blue jays show up in my yard during the winter when it is stormy and then they are gone til the next storm Lovely birds

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