Spring and summer
are my favorite seasons because it always feels like something new happens or visits every day. July is a major baby bird month, and just like in previous years, we had loads and loads of Blue Jays. I love baby Blue Jays because they are wonderfully adorable in looks as well as behavior. For the calendar, I started thinking about July with the beautiful sunny photo of the adult, lured by the vibrancy and detail. But then I looked at photos of the youngsters. All three are cute and quite typical but I found the “mohawk” one the most interesting to look at, so that was the choice for July. The calendars are on sale starting today (once approved by the website) and continue until Sunday. Get yours here.
These are funky times
when it comes to bird appearance. Everybody is molting to a certain degree but the Blue Jays are looking the roughest. However, we are now past the chicken skin naked phase and new feathers are starting to show. I just love this wild mix of textures and colors.
Sometimes, there are individual birds
that I recognize because of certain mannerisms or looks. This young Blue Jay that we call Frazzle or Frazzolino is one of these. I wrote about him here before. He seems to have suffered a head injury at some point and his head feathers are slow to grow back. He is a bit different than his siblings, a bit slower, maybe a bit more tame, but otherwise a very typical Blue Jay and very adorable. I love seeing him around and it will be interesting to see if he stays continues to hang around.
The other entertaining thing
are the loads of young Blue Jays. They are all very excited to find food and will try almost any feeder, and they will announce it too. I like photos like here where they have a bit of a sleepy eye. I have only ever seen this with the babies. They are just the cutest little “penguins”.
At times right now
it feels like there are only Blue Jays around. They have a lot of young, as always, and they are exploring every corner of the yard, excitedly exclaiming and begging the parents for food. They are utterly adorable, and I love their enthusiastic personality. Here are a couple of them, plus an adult. One of the babies is very recognizable because it is missing head feathers. Maybe it got attacked somehow. We call him Frazzle because that is how he comes across. He is our favorite right now (he is in the third and fourth photo).
Long time no Blue Jay!
Even if they have been present and are regulars here, shame on me. I always find it funny how these birds are seemingly greedy for food but at the same time alert everybody when the feeders have been replenished. Such goofballs! They look so similar from afar but there are distinctive differences between them. I especially love the ones with the dotted foreheads.
It's been a while
since I have posted these lovely blue friends. Blue Jays are around year-round, and currently, there is a good number of them visiting too. Maybe that is why sometimes I don’t see them as so special. They are masters at sitting for photos, and so entertaining, though. And I love all the details in their plumage.
Here is the other regular
that currently dominates the yard along with the MoDos. And I have to say I never get tired of the Blue Jays. Their stunning looks make up for their sometimes overwhelming noise level. I also love how expressive their head feathers are.
In the last couple of days,
temperatures have gone down a lot. I got a kick out of my impeccable timing with the bird bath (I know, I am getting old, I guess 😛) - there was actual frost on the lawn and roof yesterday in the morning. The Blue Jays have returned to the feeders in larger numbers to sample and collect peanuts, which they then proceed to hide. This is the week where the serviceberry has beautiful fall colors, and I love how the Blue Jays couple with it.
The regulars
are all hanging in there despite the rain and muddy atmosphere outside, and here are some of them. The Blue Jays are giving their nickname that I gave them, blue screemers, full worth, and sometimes I am not sure what is even going on - are they screaming because they see food? Haha. Then there is a House Finch and a Chickadee. Come good into the weekend!
The baby Blue Jays
are all over the backyard now, exploring baths, feeders and plants. I absolutely adore these creatures with their curious and utterly cute faces and behavior. Some of them have been getting into the large Mulberry tree on the neighbor’s lot that is a huge bird magnet. If you wonder how to tell they are youngsters apart from the behavior - check out the pink edges of their beaks.
Blue Jay activity,
along with that of the MoDos, has never gone down. I think by now they are used to the squeak of the door that indicates me coming out. They sit in the trees, waiting to see where I refill, and then come down to scream and try to get as many peanuts as possible before a rival arrives.
