The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Bionic on August 22, 2013, 11:04:02 am

Title: Jays
Post by: Bionic on August 22, 2013, 11:04:02 am
I love jays but hadn't seen any since we moved in here 18 months ago.
Then this morning I saw one eating the corn I put out for the geese. I called OH and he said 'oh look, there is another one' and then there was another and another. 4 in all.
And then they were gone - how strange
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: Louise Gaunt on August 22, 2013, 11:28:29 am
We have jays around us, they swoop in to feed out if the ducks bowl, make a lot of noise and then fly off into the woods. One is an excellent mimic and can make squirrel and cat noises as well as its normal raucous cry.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: mab on August 22, 2013, 11:48:42 am
i never saw jays when I was younger, but I've seen one or two in recent years before moving here. Now there are jays in the trees in the gulley here on a regular basis - took me a while to realise what was making the noise down there as I didn't know anything about jays.


 it's still hard to get a good look at them though, usually look up at the cry to see them disappearing into the branches.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: sabrina on August 22, 2013, 11:50:24 am
Not a bird we have near us as far as I know.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: Backinwellies on August 22, 2013, 12:17:44 pm
They must live my side of valley... see them frequently here  Sally.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: Bionic on August 22, 2013, 12:25:35 pm
They must live my side of valley... see them frequently here  Sally.
Or maybe I've just been asleep before  :roflanim:
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: ZaktheLad on August 22, 2013, 12:58:17 pm
We have a few around by us but they are very quick to dart away again with a noisy call.  We also have a pair of green woodpeckers who have been resident in an old tree for the pastfew years and visit our garden daily.  I have never seen any young, but they do nest every year so I hope they do succeed in raising some.  They are really special birds and I love watching them pecking about for ants on the grass.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: Oly on August 22, 2013, 01:11:20 pm
We used to have lots when I was a kid, then they disappeared for about 20 years and now are back stronger than ever.  Makes you wonder what pesticides, etc may have recently been banned...??
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: Lesley Silvester on August 22, 2013, 10:36:17 pm
I love Jays, too, but rarely see any and not in our area. My best visitors to my feeders are the goldfinches. I love their bright faces.
Title: Re: Jays
Post by: benkt on August 22, 2013, 11:45:36 pm
Beautiful birds, but not my favourites - I remember seeing one eating out a nest full of tiny greenfinches from deep in a buddleja at our old house. Pretty but vicious.