I guess it’s human nature that we value our common birds less than we do the uncommon or rare birds that come by. I was thinking while walking the Pole Farm trails yesterday that one such bird is the blue jay, common if not ubiquitous in the neighborhoods and the wilds of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains.
With its natty combination of blue, black and white feathers, it is a beautiful bird. For birders in other parts of the world visiting the Eastern or Midwestern U.S., spotting a blue jay would be a priority and a thrill.
I was reminded of that this morning as I went to the Reed Bryan Farm side of Mercer Meadows, the part of the park that features the last pole standing from the old AT&T Pole Farm.
I had come down the trail with Gretchen, one of the best birders in the area, who pointed out the abundant Savannah, swamp and Lincoln’s sparrows on both sides of us. Before she turned back uphill to start a tour she was about to lead, we stopped just past the creek that passes under a bridge at a long line of trees.
Before crossing the bridge, we’d spotted scores of sparrows and seen a Merlin and a Cooper’s hawk tangle in the air. Once over the bridge, we spotted Downy and red-bellied woodpeckers and, high up on a bare tree, one of the several blue jays patrolling the area.
I couldn’t tell as I was shooting, but the jay had an acorn in its bill. Well lit by the sun, the bird struck a handsome pose.
I have put a horizontal crop of the scene at the top of the post to go along with the vertical crop from another frame here.
Whichever way you frame one, the blue jay is a striking specimen. I’m glad to see them virtually every day without having to cross an ocean to do so. 🦅