Friday, July 10

the noisiest of Neighbors

Cyanocitta cristata

Although our human next door neighbors are friendly folks who happen to ride Harleys, the real noisy next door neighbors are these guys. During the winter of 2008-09 there were up to 9 of these blue rascals that came for peanuts on our deck railing.
Apparently we are a desirable neighborhood, as one pair chose to set up housekeeping in the big ponderosa pine in their front yard, despite the Harley traffic in and out of the driveway below.


Pinus ponderosa

They have recently fledged 5 offspring from up here among the top branches. Anyone who has ever had a hungry, demanding infant has nothing on the blue jay parents! The young ones are as big as the parents and seem to think they are going to starve to death before they take another breath. The young chickadees, house finches and robins that also are around the yard are beggars, but the blue jay youth are the absolute Champions of Whine and Complain.

2 comments:

Florida Beach Basics said...

When I was a teacher in New York City (many years ago), students brought in a paper bag with three blue jay babies they had rescued. I took the bag full of birds home on the subway and raised them on baby food - they were wonderful pets. They didn't like my roommate's boyfriend, and would dive bomb him every time he came over. Released them in a safe Long Island nature area - sad to see them go, but glad for the experience. Great birds.

Jann said...

I rarely see jays in the Black Hills! It seems absurd to me but it's true. So, lucky you, I say! Nice pics too.