My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
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Tuesday 6 July 2010

Young Jays..

The day started with a resolution. The ironing had to be done!! If it wasn't I was in serious danger of running out of clean clothes!! I don't like ironing! In fact I don't like housework of any kind..... ;)

However, I stationed myself by the window so I could birdwatch while undertaking this horrendous chore. I was well rewarded.

Lots of squabbling amongst some Greenfinch little ones. A couple of young Goldfinch then joined the crowd under the apple tree.

BUT... there was loud screeching and calling from high up in the Holly Tree (this must be about 40 feet high). At the top of said tree were three Jays (Garrulus glandarius). One a parent and two youngsters.

The parent left and...
a young one dozed..

one opened a sleepy eye..

and decided to have a wash and brush up

its sibling at the top wouldn't come into view for quite some time..


but then gazed around looking bleary-eyed

In the lower branch again, the first youngster was having a look around

After a while, it moved to a higher branch. By this time its sibling had gone to join Mum in one of the tall oaks nearby.. she'd been calling.

After a while, it had another preen; showing off its colourful plumage.




And then it helped itself to one of the many green holly berries. I was interested to note, that having collected the berry in its beak it then placed the berry on the branch and held it between its two feet whilst it pecked at it to eat.


And yet another youngster. This Great Spotted Woodpecker has been coming every day for over a week now and often comes several times a day. The peanuts are disappearing quite fast.



And after all that excitement and taking loads of pictures it was back to the chores. But they got finished in double time after that;)

12 comments:

oldcrow61 said...

Great pictures of the young jay. I had a blue jay here yesterday with two young ones.

Warren Baker said...

Well done with the Jays Tricia.

I like your style with the housework - what housework :-)

Chris said...

Excellent sequence Tricia. I've not seen any youngs this year yet but they will probably arrive soon ;-)

holdingmoments said...

Great sequence of the Jays, Tricia.
How nice to have them visiting the garden. And the Great Spotted Woodpecker.
Hmmmm, wanna swop some Sparrows for a Jay? lol

Wilma said...

Great pictures, Tricia. Are you sure you got any ironing done? ;-)

Bob Bushell said...

Great, the young Jay. You have the brilliant photos Tricia.

Ragged Robin said...

Great series of photos, Tricia. It must be wonderful to see young jays in the garden.

ShySongbird said...

Jays and GSWs in the garden! You are lucky. I haven't ever had either in my garden but maybe if I was to do some ironing occasionally I might spot some :)

karen said...

Fantastic pics Tricia xx I have never seen a young Jay before!!! Thankyou xxx

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on tackling the ironing Tricia. Those young Jay are a scruffy lot arn't they.

Midmarsh John said...

It's a great time of year for seeing the young birds visit the garden. Those are two I don't get here. Well I did see a young woodpecker once, fleetingly. Here it is Sparrows, Starlings and Jackdaws.

Janine said...

Great shots of the baby Jays! Glad to see you were able to "multi-task"

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