Blue Jays - I didn't know that!

08-23-2007, 07:35 AM

This morning I noticed a group of birds working their way from tree to tree in a generally south direction. They weren't real close so it was a bit hard to tell what they were, but I finally decided they were Blue Jays, even though they weren't acting or looking quite like Blue Jays. There would be a group of 5 or 6, then 2 or 3, then another half dozen, probably 25 or so in all.

I pulled out a book on bird behavior I have (Stokes Nature Guides, A Guide to Bird Behavior, vols I and II) to see what I could find out, since Blue Jays are a "year round" bird around here:

Quote:

Seasonal Movement -

Most Blue Jays stay within the same area throughout the year, drifting slightly to new locations in fall and winter if their demands for food cannot be met. Other Blue Jays, however, migrate south in fall and north in spring. The former tend to be the adults, while the latter are primarily first-year birds.

So I think that's what I saw, a group of first year Jays starting to gather and work their way south. Nothing earth shattering, but I just never knew they did that.

08-23-2007, 08:53 AM

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canadian stellars jay. bird of british columbias Province

american blue jay

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08-23-2007, 08:53 AM

they are both beauitful birds

08-23-2007, 12:47 PM

In Ontario we seem to have Blue Jays all year long - at least in Southern Ontario. We get the American variety. Nice BC native tho. Maine isn't all that much warmer - maybe those came from Nova Scotia or further North.

Yesterday my husband came home from work with a tall tale. It seems a fellow worker has a large tree on his property & it was covered with Monarch Butterflies getting ready to go South. It must have been quite the sight.

08-23-2007, 03:40 PM

we just had an opening of tiger monarchs. they are called....... thousands of them