eurasian jay

It's wet, cold, and windy, so I cancelled the Hospital today (well they do it when they feel like it |=)|). Here's a Jay, just so you know these are still in the garden. I'll sort out another Woody pic for later. Another that I can't remember if it was through a gap in the door or through the...

One from yesterday. I really can't remember if this was through the window or through a gap in the door; judging by the lack of reflection, I think it was through a gap in the door. I forgot to elaborate about a female Sparrowhawk that I mentioned in comments yesterday: I knew that the...

If I'm lucky, I might be uploading another species soon, but it's Jays for now. A male GSW visited yesterday, but he seemed a bit nervous of the Starlings. The female that visits sometimes isn't as nervous, in fact she bullies the Starlings. Anyway, I'm hoping he'll be back when the Starlings...

One from yesterday. This Jay spends most of the day in the garden in the trees, so it's always first to the nuts when I throw more out. Although it's good to have these birds in the garden, there's also a downside. I've noticed that the Great and Blue Tits visit much less often, and the...

Another getting the nuts from the string of Monkey Nuts. I've a feeling that the Jay numbers are increasing. I threw out about 20 Monkey Nuts yesterday morning, and 6 Jays appeared before I'd even closed the door. Within seconds all of the nuts were gone, leaving a rather bemused-looking...

This is a bit grainy, and the outside light got in the way, but I like the background. Through the window as usual.

One from this morning; through the windows as usual. I've been reading up on Jays, and found out a few things that were interesting: Their feathers reflect UV light, so they are even more colourful to other birds They're great mimics: They may mimic crying babies, other bird songs, water...

This is another where I think the colour isn't quite right, but this is the first Jay that I've caught in this spot. It's where the Starlings and Sparrows post their lookouts, and when this Jay got spooked, it tried to hide there instead of flying off. Through the window as usual.

I'll be back in a couple of hours, but I wanted to upload this first. I've been trying to get a reasonable rear view of the plumage colours for some time, and this is my best effort so far (poor light, I'm afraid). Not through the window, through a 3 inch gap in the door (which is dodgy now...

I usually save two uploads in case I get something different in the garden, but it's dull and raining, so I'll upload another now. I'll save my last pic in case it brightens up. Notice how the bird's crop is overfilled, yet it still takes another Monkey Nut. Through the window as usual. Doux...

I was saving my last upload, as the Sparrowhawks have been busy today; busy but not successful. But it's now cloudy, so any shots I get will be in poor light (assuming one of the Sparrowhawks gets lucky and hits what it's aiming for |=)|) Interestingly, there's been only one kill in the garden...

One from this morning, and in a slightly different setting. Well it's in the same trees, but it chose a section that almost matches it's colours. Through the window, and there's almost a fog of reflection on the glass that I couldn't avoid.

Another slow (1/25th) shutter job, and through the window as usual. If you look closely, you can see how the Jays grip the nut shells. Two outer toes and hind toe, gripping the perch, inner toe gripping the nut shell. Then they just peck at the shell to expose the nuts inside.

Well, I should have just deleted this, but being a bit mad, I'm uploading it instead.|=)| I tried for ages to sort out the colours on this, but it looks wrong no matter what I do. I thought it was the White Balance that was wrong, but everything else looks fine, except for the Jay. The bird was...

Lots more pics of these to come, but I'll stop if I catch one of the Sparrowhawks in the garden.||=) They're still making kills, but are attacking from a different direction, to avoid the Jays seeing them; also plucking and eating in the trees instead of on the ground. Through the window as usual.

This morning was my best (worst financially |=)|) day so far for Jays; there was 4 on the fence - 3 on the ground - and 3 in the trees, all at the same time. So I'm up to 10 Jays now, which would be great had I won the Lottery on Saturday.|=)| Through the window, and the usual slow (1/30th...

Still loads of pictures of these to upload, I'll change to something else soon (saw a LTT in the garden yesterday, maybe it'll return). I think this was through a 3 inch gap in the door, and not through the window for a change. Unfortunately the Mice are getting brave, so I doubt I'll risk the...

I might be OK, now, I'll let you know after I've done some more typing.|=)| Another through the window Jay; I've not been able to clean the windows yet, so this, and the next picture, were taken through smeared (thank you, Pigeons) glass.

I have to take a break from the Laptop for a while; I won't bore you with the details, but I have problems with my joints/tendons, and using my arms can be difficult at times. It's nothing new, I've had it for over 25 years, so I'm used to it. And as I've said before, I'm much better off than a...

You must be getting bored with these by now, but I've still a few different poses/expressions left to catch.|=)| Through the grubby section of the window; the Spider's Web is still there. I'll try and get a clearer picture of the Crown feathers raised, when I get the chance.

When I'm at the kitchen sink, I've caught the Jays watching me a few times lately, but the light is never great in the trees. But this morning I got the picture I was after, even though I only managed 1/25th second shutter. Through the window as usual. There's been a few unsuccessful...

I'm uploading this for two reasons: I like the pose, and I'm surprised at the result. This was hand-held @ 1/20th second shutter, which is the slowest exposure I've managed without deleting the image (I think). Through the window as usual. Oh, and I've now lost count of the Jays, there was at...

These never quite work out right for me, but I think it's more to do with the small sensor in my camera than how I metered for the backlight (why blame yourself when you can blame your tools |=)|) Anyway, it's a bit different, so I'm uploading it. Through the window as usual.

I like this picture, but the bird looks a bit grainy; there's a reason for that: This was taken through a grubby part of the window, and it's grubby because there's a Spider's Web in the corner of the window. I can't clean that bit of the window without destroying the Spider's Web, so I leave...