Now there is more to a bluejay than any other animal. He has got more different kinds of feeling. Whatever a bluejay feels he can put into language, and not mere commonplace language, but straight out and out book talk, and there is such a command of language. You never saw a bluejay get stuck for a word. He is a vocabularized geyser.... He talks the best grammar of all the animals. - "Moral Lecture" 1985 -Mark Twain
From The Corneal Lab of Ornithology:
Blue Jays have a wide variety of vocalizations, with an immense “vocabulary.” Blue Jays are also excellent mimics. Captive Blue Jays sometimes learn to imitate human speech and meowing cats. In the wild, they often mimic Red-shouldered and Red-tailed hawks, and sometimes other species.
Quite the mimicker... More than once I've thought a hawk was eyeing the hens only to find out it was a noisy jay! They're beautiful birds though; especially in the winter when their bright colors stand out against the gray background...
Wild Bird Wednesday
Outdoors Wednesday
Nature Notes
You bird photos are LOVELY !!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New year 2013 !
Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
I so love blue jays. Your photos are excellent. I want to wish you a healthy and prosperous New Year! I enjoy you blog and look forward to seeing your achievements in 2013.
ReplyDeleteThese are gorgeous birds, always a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors in these birds,so many tones make up the feathers! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures! I've seen a few in my garden but they never stand still enough for me to see them well. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteAnd they're lots of fun. Happy New Year Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
ReplyDeletesuch gorgeous birds we tend to take for granted!
ReplyDeleteI miss the many blue jays we used to see in Quebec. They are here in Vancouver as well, but it seems, I only occasionally manage to photograph one. Loved your photos and Mark Twain's words. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteExcellent shots of one of my favourite birds.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors on the Blue Jay - the snow looks cold - so different from the weather in the southern hemisphere!
ReplyDeleteGreat capture.
ReplyDeleteGreat garden bird. The way some birds can mimic is remarkable really.
ReplyDeleteCheers and thanks for linking to WBW.
Stewart M - Melbourne
Your photo's are beautiful! I love your garden coops!
ReplyDeleteThey beautiful birds and it is funny to witness them pretend to be a hawk. Great captures! Happy New Year to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos, and very interesting about their mimicking. Now I'll be on the lookout.
ReplyDeleteLovely blue and white feathers on that bird. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteJM
They have fooled me, too, thinking a hawk was nearby. (And the other birds) I got a new peanut feeder so they don't have to squawk til I bring more. :) One of my favorites.
ReplyDeleteOh you showed off the jays to their best advantage. I put out peanuts in the shell during the fall and they carry them off to cache. Here they come into yelling the call of a Coopers Hawk which is the most common hawk I have in the yard..Smart..smart birds...Michelle from Nature Notes.. Happy 2013
ReplyDeleteBeautiful series.
ReplyDeleteSo true. In spite of their noise ,disruptions , and outright bullying of other birds at the feeder, Jays are fun to watch. I too have heard Jays making hawk sounds that caused my flock of ducks to , well...duck and look to the skies. Another time while outside gardening, I kept hearing a phone ringing, but there are no phones anywhere near where I was. Yup, it was a Jay perched above me in a tree. He must have been chuckling ( you just know Jays chuckle) at me.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird Rebecca! Those Jays can be rambunctious can't they?
ReplyDeleteUnbelievably amazing shots!
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for those who enjoy and want to share beautiful photography. Share your photos from the week and connect with other photogs.
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Please join us each Friday for Photog Friday at www.photogfriday.blogspot.com
ReplyDeletefor those who enjoy and want to share beautiful photography. Share your photos from the week and connect with other photogs.
And be sure to sign up on our site to get an email notice when the next Photog Friday is live.
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ReplyDeleteInteresting and informative! We have Red-shouldered Hawks that live in our neighborhood and we also have at least one Blue Jay that mimics them. It might also explain why I have heard what sounds like an aboriginal Bull-roarer, but still think that it's a different kind of bird since whatever it was it had all the Blue Jays in an uproar. Anyone have any ideas about that mystery bird call in SW FL?
ReplyDelete