Blue jay~Sunday Stills Challenge~012212

We have a scrub jay who lives in our neighborhood and yes, I do feed him.  He's been around now for nearly 3 years.  He SHOULD be up in the pinyon forest of our local mountains, about 10 minutes away "as the crow flies".  His relatives are up there and I see them all the time.  He disappeared for a couple of weeks last spring and I figured he went to find a mate, but he returned.  I fed him all summer, as the desert is very hot at 200 feet elevation.  He now looks for me and when he sees my car drive up in the driveway in the afternoons, he waits for me at the front fence.  I enjoy watching his antics, as you can see!  He's around this morning already.  Sometimes he's the first bird to come to the feeding stations, but on other mornings, he waits until the doves are done and then swoops in for his peanut, acorns, or black oil sunflower seeds.  He's quite entertaining!  Sunday Stills Challenge for January 22, 2012.

Blue jay~Nature Notes~111011

We heard him for a full day before he got close enough for a look.  He was a blue jay and his territory was our cabin and the ones around it.  I had some trail mix (unsalted), so I put some peanuts out for him and that was it.  He pestered us all that afternoon and showed up the last morning we were there (bottom two photos).  Yes, he was back first thing in the morning.  It had snowed the previous night, so I went out and brushed the snow off the porch railing.  He was very wary and if he saw me inside, off he went (see the second to the last shot!).  We loved being entertained by him and I mashed up the rest of the nuts for him and left them scattered on the railing for him.  He was quite DEMANDING, showing up and screaming to be fed!  Are all blue jays so loud?  We have a scrub jay who visits our yard at home and he is extremely loud!  Nature Notes for November 10, 2011.  I plan on getting up to see the horses tomorrow and Saturday.  Unfortunately, Cali, my palomino mustang, colicked this week, but the vet came out, gave her some oil, and she is okay now.  I'm anxious to see the horses tomorrow, although a Pacific storm is heading our way. To visit Nature Notes, please go to:  http://ramblingwoods.com/