Thursday, August 18, 2011

Uptown blue jays


I'm glad to report that the feeders have been filled.  With a  GOOD  kind of birdseed, as requested.  All seem pleased.

These uptown birds.  Don't they know I'm a downtown girl.  Living in my backyard world.

I always liked that song.  I so now can relate to Billy.  I saw him in concert once.  In Iowa City, Iowa.  College days.  Fun times!  Never saw the day comin' that I would be feeding and blogging about birds!

Gah!
: : :

I have been enjoying the Blue Jay family that has been hanging around.  I think there's a mom, pop and one teenager.  They are rather loud and boisterous, which usually frightens the other birds away.

































I find them quite striking and fun to watch.  They add so much color in the backyard.  And by late summer, my yard could use some color.

: : :

The other day, the teenager seemed distressed and was calling out over and over again while resting on top of my feeders.  He must have stayed there a good five minutes calling and looking about.


I assumed he was looking for his parents.  But no one showed up.  Eventually, he stopped calling and just sat there quietly.  Rather unusual since they never seem to just sit around.



Yesterday, after all that rain, the sun came out.  My bird baths were quite full.  As you can see, my baths aren't the standard bird baths.  The one above is just a large plastic planter container which I so creatively turned into a bird bath.

Some of you have really beautiful bird baths, so don't tell them that I'm cheap on that count too.  The seed is expensive enough!  

But back to my story.

The teenager stopped in and rested on my fake bird bath.

Maybe more accurately, leaned over on it like a midnight drunk.


 And there he sat, spreading his wings out in such glorious blueness!


I think he was hot.  He was panting and seemed to be cooling down.  But it wasn't even that hot of a day after the rain.  Maybe in the mid 80's.  It all seemed strange and I thought perhaps he may be sick.  He was there like that for a long time.

And then something startled him.  He gathered himself up and flew off!  Just like that!  He was perfectly fine.

: : :

Today, he and his parents were around enjoying that GOOD expensive bird food.  It included some peanuts.  That seems to be a big favorite of theirs.  They'd fly in, grab a peanut and off they'd go and eat it in a nearby tree.



It must have been exhausting.  I caught the teenager napping in the afternoon.

And really.

I don't blame him.  That's exactly what I want to do after an expensive meal.  Of birdseed!

Until next time friends,
Stay safe.