Sightings: Steller's Jays (Cyanocitta stelleri)

THE ORIGIN

June 28, 2007

Several years ago, I noticed a banded Steller's Jay sneaking kibble from our cat's food dish. Having no experience with bird studies, I wondered how and why that particular bird had been captured, and by whom. At that time, (before peanuts) jays were surprise visitors appearing on glorious, sunny days for brief encounters, stealing bits of food, then calling loudly from high branches of redwood trees.

Subsequently, I learned from my friend, Jeff Jacobsen, about Pia and Dr. Jeff Black's study of the "social system and ecological relationships that drive the distribution and dynamics of the local jay population" (Wildlife Department, Humboldt State University--see link below). Pia placed a feeder/trap at eye level outside my family room window where I could see the birds coming and going each day. I looked forward to watching their dazzling-blue plumage, jaunty crests, and trickster manners.

Each of us watching feeders have stories to tell about the relationships, habits, and unique characteristics of individual birds that frequent our places. I hope this blog will allow us to share our observations and images, as well as provide an opportunity to share our delight in these curious, smart, and at times, raucous birds. c.arnold

Friday, July 27, 2007

Sky white still

Birds:

1. morlb (Red Eye)
2. mwrg (Wringer)
3. mgrr (Droopy)
4. mrgo (Mr. Go)
5. plbmp (Princesa)
6. unbanded (Shopper)
7. unbanded ( Rusty Bill)
8. unbanded juveniles x 2
9. mwbw (Checkers)
10. mlbbb
11. mlbrg (Trapper)
12. molbo (Mrs. Tame Bird)
13. banded juvenile (metal)
14. banded juvenile (red)

Molbo is back. She hasn’t been here since I started making a bird list each day. My thought is that she’s been sitting on a nest. She made several morning visits to the feeder, in and out. A new juvenile arrived today with red tape around its band. Pia told me it had been banded at the Secret Garden feeder on the HSU campus. Juveniles banded by Jeff Black have brown tape around the band, those banded at Jeff Jacobsen’s have a blue tape around the metal band and, those banded here are plain metal.