How do you get this close to a Jay?
How do you get this close to a Jay? They’re famously reclusive birds, often only seen after they’ve seen you, and showing you a flash of their retreating rump as they disappear into the foliage of distant trees.
Spectacular birds, aren’t they? They’ve got distinctive eyes with concentric rings of feathers around them, and a characteristic moustache, a malar stripe, which is a dense black. It’s the black of their cousins, the Carrion Crows, Rooks and Ravens.
Here it is in a springtime tree. What can I do to get better photographs and see it in proper detail?
As it approaches I can see its striped crest and beautiful dusky pink head.
The answer to getting close to Jays is a combination of having a poor acorn season the previous year, meaning they are hungry and more adventurous, and my very secret ingredient. Can you guess what it is?
More Jays
Talkative acorn-eater The crow family clearly has more than mourning clothes in its genetic wardrobe. This pink Jay with electric blue wing… read more
Jays at the pool It's always a thrill to see Jays. They are, however, difficult to see. The most likely reason for that is… read more
NA3? Over our dead bodies When I'm in Devon I live right in the centre of town but close to some wonderful green spaces. Large… read more
KillJays Jays are incredible birds. Members of the crow family, they have beautiful pink plumage, a crest, striking blue and black… read more
The First Ladybird Book of British Birds – #8 The Jay On Day 8 of turning the pages of this Ladybird book I find out that there's one rule for the… read more
Monkey nuts Walking through The Regent's Park I notice a woman with her hands deep in a bag. She brings out a… read more
Jay – forty years ago in my nature notebooks Forty years ago, before I was a teenager, I started keeping detailed nature notebooks. They were full of scientific facts.… read more Jay – forty years ago in my nature notebooks Here's my nature notebook entry from 1976 about Jays: 'You can not get near them,' I said. It's still true.… read more
Jay – forty years ago in my nature notebooks Jays always seem like exotic birds to me. They're pink! They have a crest! They have blue and black feathers!… read more