Some Scrub Jays readily come to feeders but I have very few images of them because I prefer to photograph birds in a natural setting. There are several subspecies and the “interior” race found around here is shy and furtive which only adds to my woes when I attempt to photograph them.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
But two weeks ago I found this bird in Ophir Canyon and it was a little more cooperative. It was apparently quite fond of this perch because it returned to the same spot several times. I like the way the bird is framed by the pinyon pine and the rousing (fluffing) pose I caught here. The white supercilium above the eye almost looks like a dusting of snow.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
These are noisy birds and this one called out several times while I had my lens trained on it. That call is one of the most characteristic sounds of western scrublands. Their most frequently heard vocalization, the “scold”, was colorfully described by W. L. Dawson in 1923 as follows:
- “No masquerader at Mardi Gras has sprung such a cacophonic device upon a quiveringly expectant public. Dzweep dzweep: it curdles the blood, as it is meant to do. It costs the bird an effort, no doubt, for the whole body moves in sympathy. Could anything be more saucy than the mocking bow of the California Jay, as he dips his head and jerks his tail and asks Who the devil are you? ”
As I photographed this bird that scolding call from this and other jays was ringing through the canyon. It can be heard here if you have the interest.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Here the jay is eating snow – the bird took several big gulps of it.
Birds have to have water but when it’s very cold the only standing water available is frozen solid so they eat snow. But if you remember your basic physics you’ll recall the incredible amount of energy required to melt frozen water. So eating snow and melting it internally uses up precious energy that is already at a premium when it’s very cold – a classic Catch-22.
1/4000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Once the bird turned slightly away from me to present its more colorful wings and tail. They really are quite beautiful birds.
Scrub Jays are saucy, raucous, intelligent and they exhibit interesting behaviors. They are often studied and are well known among animal behaviorists as a model subject for studies of cognitive abilities, spatial memory and various behaviors. While I was researching this post I got caught up in reading about some of those behaviors and almost forgot that I had a blog post to write…
Ron
Beautiful images Ron! I was lucky enough a few weeks ago to find a Red-shouldered Hawk perched in a tree across the street from my house.The neighborhood Blue Jays were not happy about his presence there. When I had the scope on the hawk, a Blue Jay flew from behind him and actually buzzed his head close enough to raise the feathers on his head, making him look like he had a head shape of a Tufted Titmouse! I think the hawk was more surprised than I was!
I grew up with Blue Jaysall around. I love their cries.
Love your photos Ron. Beautiful bird! Interesting the bird you photographed was eating snow. Good water source I suppose. I enjoy Scrub Jays. We have Pine Trees in our front yard, and a family of 4 visit us everyday for their Peanuts etc. One of the Jay’s lets us know if the dish is empty. He/she makes a fuss. Our Scrub Jays have a darker blue in their feathers.
“Fuss” is a Scrub Jay’s middle name, Jean. I envy you your jays in your yard. Some folks closer to the mountains here have them but I don’t.
Late to the party again.
Your writing and your photography both *appear* effortless. Which is a sign of just how well you have mastered both of these demanding disciplines.
Loved hearing that call. And the bird itself is a charmer. Whose voice seems to my anthromorphic self to suggest that it isn’t the docile little bird it appears…
Ha, they’re far from docile, EC. They’re aggressive, noisy little busy-bodies and I love them. Thank you for the kind words.
Wonderful shots, Ron, and the setting is beautiful! Thanks for the link to the call. I haven’t seen this bird around Dillon, but will read up on it and maybe find where it hangs out.
Thanks!
Good luck, Jane. I hope you find some. Thank you.
Wonderful shots. I like how it is framed by the Pinyon & snow and the different poses. Just nice to look at!!
“Just nice to look at”
Well said, Rod – in a nutshell that’s my goal with my photographs. Nothing spectacular necessarily, just something pleasing to the eye.
These are just wonderful, Ron. I don’t comment often, though I enjoy your photos every day, so when I do you’ll know that I really, really love the photos! We have lots and lots of snow here in Teton Valley, Idaho and though I get tired of it a lot sooner than it lasts, I do love photos of birds in the snow. I spend lots of time trying to get good photos of birds in the snow. There’s just something serene and sometimes magical about them. I also love the pine framing on these.
Birds in snow are often a tough subject, Marya – partly because of the exposure issues. But I agree with you about their appeal. Thanks.
Ron,
I’m from California and new to your blog. You are an exquisite photographer and a vivid storyteller. I have already learned so much, thank you. The Srub Jays along the coast of Northern Cal are much bigger, not much small than crows. They seem very bossy by their calls and behavior. I love them.
Wow, I didn’t know that yours were that large, Lydia. These are really quite small. Thanks very much.
Laura Culley said it all for me…I couldn’t agree more–on all counts. Like Laura, I find your writing as entertaining and interesting as your photos…it could easily stand alone. That said,, todays images are beautiful…love the colors, textures and composition. My favorites are shots 1-4. Love the “framing” of the blue bird with the blue-gray foliage…beautiful!!! I love to watch our eastern jays when they come to our feeders. It seems that each has a surprisingly diifferent sound, different behaviours and, all have sassy attitudes. It amazes me how unique each one is!
Patty, Writing doesn’t come easy for me (maybe it doesn’t for anyone, at least to some degree) so I have to work pretty hard at it. I appreciate the positive feedback on it from both you and Laura – it’s always nice to have hard work recognized.
Even though writing is a struggle at times I mostly enjoy the process. I blog for many reasons but one of them is the improvement I’ve seen in my writing over the past 5+ years of blogging. When I go back and read some of my earliest posts it often makes me cringe…
Writing IS hard. It’s five percent inspiration and 95 percent perspiration. Yes, I know that’s a cliche (although I adjusted the numbers slightly). It’s kinda like a puzzle, getting all the words right, in the right order and organizing them so that the words sing the song in your heart in the right key. It’s NOT for sissies. Nor is the process of photography! Same thing, different discipline. To do both, well, let’s just say You Da Man! 😀
“It’s NOT for sissies”
That’s for sure!
When I read a well written book or even a phrase I often think “How did they EVER come up with that?” It makes me as jealous as I get when some other photographer takes a photo that I’ve been after for years.
Funny that you say writing is “hard” ard for you, because it comes across as the exact opposite…such an easy, interesting flow…a comfortable, catchy combination of precision, factual information with a nice touch of humor…and totally without pomposity or condescension….love it!
Damned evil iPad is at it again…as always…what the heck is “ard”??????? And where the heck did it come from???
Thank you, Patty. I try to avoid “pomposity and condescension” whenever possible, partly because it annoys me so when I read such things on other blogs. When I see that kind of thing once I don’t go back…
I’ve got to echo Patty’s comments. I neglected to mention what a delight it was to see these images framed in the pinyon pines with snow–distraction is now the bane of my existence. Yes, you can get lots of photos around a feeder, but they wouldn’t be anywhere near as spectacular as in their real backgrounds. Each image was a sheer delight. Again, thank you!
Wonderful post and images. I often think “oh, it’s just a jay…” but they are beautiful and smart. I watched a documentary that highlighted a related species, the Island Scrub-Jay that lives on Santa Cruz Island off Southern California. The study documented their memory with regard to their cached acorn locations. They are quite remarkable. Thanks so much!
Sharon, I was actually skimming some reports of those spatial memory studies about Jays last night and this morning. Fascinating birds.
Spectacular shots, yet again. You’ve captured outstanding shots of these just very cool birds. As I’ve mentioned, I love the whole darn Corvid family–the whole bunch of ’em. “Saucy and raucous” fits these guys perfectly and that’s another reason I love your daily blogs. Not only do you deliver amazing images of my favorite critters (which means just about everybody in The Great Out There–I’m easy!), you use language beautifully, too. Applause and just thank you!
“you use language beautifully”
Wow, coming from “wordsmith” Laura Culley that means a lot! I just wish I did as well with my punctuation but I’m working on it. Thanks, Laura!
Those little white eyebrows! Love that comparison you made to a dusting of snow. The first one, where the bird is fluffed up, is my favorite.
“Love that comparison you made to a dusting of snow”
At first I actually thought for a moment that it WAS snow, Kathleen. But then I remembered the white supercilium.
Great captures, Ron 🙂 It is a pretty bird. Eating snow is a problem for all critters even if better than no water. I have a heated bucket outdoors for the dog and cat that is often frequented by birds when the creek is frozen over even though it’s close to the door.
“Eating snow is a problem for all critters”
You’re sure right about that, Judy. When I’ve been cold to the core (a common occurrence when I lived in Montana especially, but it also happens here when I’m photographing birds) I’ve sometimes thought of how I’d hate to have to eat snow as a water source when I’m already so cold.
Hot coffee (or hot Irish whiskey) sounds so much more appealing…
Been there…………….. Hot coffee is a definite plus! 🙂
What wonderful shots Ron, thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Thanks very much, Charlotte.
Great shots of an illusive scolder and chatterer!
This series was obviously a fun time for you.
Thanks for sharing.
Yes, it was a fun series, Dick – partly because I’ve so seldom ever been able to get close to them and partly because this was about the only bird I photographed that entire morning.
These looks like Christmas cards Ron…simply beautiful. I like the use of the words saucy & raucous…we don’t hear those enough 🙂
“I like the use of the words saucy & raucous…we don’t hear those enough”
We have some of the same tastes in words, Zaphir. I like them too and there’s certainly a fair number of bird species that they apply to.
Congratulations Ron, you lucked out on this one… very nice surroundings. Tack sharp, as always…
Well done, yes, very well done. You continue to be an inspiration to all us “nature photographer
wannabe’s.”
Luck is always part of the equation when it comes to bird photography, Roger – both varieties, good and bad. I’ll take the former whenever I can get it! Thank you.
Your “luck” starts when you get up so danged early, drive so darned far (with a carful of awkward equipment), patiently sit there with aching shoulders, window open, freezing your fingerd, nose and butt off, just hoping to get at least one good “keeper”….meanwhile, back at the ranch, our luck starts—we’re nice and warm, eating dozens of chocolate donuts,drinking gallons of hot coffee, hoping you don’t freeze too solid to function and return–eagerly waiting for the results of your “luck”…Ah! life is good!!!
What Patty said! Yeah, you’re lucky. Here are some wise words about that. “Luck is the residue of design,” said somebody I can’t remember now. Roger Penske (IndyCar, NASCAR and IMSA team owner) is credited with saying, “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.” And many race drivers and photographers uttered, “I’d rather be lucky than good any day!” The last one doesn’t count here 😀
Ron:
Very nice scrub jay photos? They look a lot like the Florida scrub jay which my wife and I have photographed. Do you know the differences?
Richard, The Florida Scrub Jay and the Island Scrub Jay are very closely related to the Western Scrub Jay. One physical difference I’m aware of is the white forehead of Florida Scrub Jay that the Western does not have.