scrub jay

I was sitting by my feeders today and had the opportunity to photograph these two beautiful birds! I am not quite sure why, but they prefer shelled peanuts to ones still in the shells. My only guess is that they want an immediate and easy food source. I hope they come back! It honestly came out...

It's looking more like another early spring for us. This jay didn't look too happy with the light rain falling but we really need it. The buds are on a redbud tree that grows wild in our area.

I'm getting the hang of the new camera, this being my favorite shot yet.

The jays think they own the chopped peanuts on this log. This is what happens when the doves try to take over. The good part is that some birds prefer to eat their share on the floor of the deck so nothing goes to waste. Sorry I haven't gotten to everyone's pictures this past week. I've been...

Scrub jay seen at Big Morongo noticeably different from those at the coast

Common but beautiful scrub jay seen all over California, this was at Muir Beach near Point Reyes

In the 3 weeks I was there, the jays emptied out two whole sunflowers and were working hard on the rest. This is just about the last shot I took from Mom's garden. Ever. Brother and SIL are finishing packing and staging the house for sale. By next visit it will have been sold. I hope the next...

This is the time of year our jays start hunting for ticks and fleas on the local deer.

A year round bird in our garden, I watched three of these jays try to stop a hawk from grabbing what I thought might be one of their young from a nest this morning. Certainly not a fun part of nature for me.

to get them from down here

Last 3 of the jay-and-sunflower series today. This shot was my Mom's favorite.

The next day both the jay and I had benefited from practice ;) I'll post the best shot next time I'm on line.

More of the jay-and-sunflower antics.

Abseiling down the grain elevator ;)

with seed in beak

A few minutes on line before heading to hospital for some rehydration (must do that about once a week). Here come three more from the jay-and-sunflower series. Enjoy |=)| I'll get back on line later today to view others' photos.

What seems to work best, but is obviously a massive effort, is flying up to the flower and then ... well, I'm out of quota, and others are waiting to use the connection, so the aerobatics will have to wait 'til tomorrow. Lots of aerobatic and acrobatic shots to come, though. Some of them quite...

Jays are very intelligent birds! Here's one plan of attack this jay has tried on the sunflower - climbing up the stalk and peering out and up from the nearest leaf stem perch. Didn't quite work, though.

One more from my long hike on Wednesday. I got several good shots of this juvie scrub jay, but sadly the shot of the moment when a parent jay came along and fet him/her, on top of a post a bit further away from me, was not sharp.

This scrub jay seems to have a bee in its beak, but I think it was actually just a chip of wood from the stump. I wonder what the jay was planning to do with a wood chip ...?