In the 30 years I’ve lived in this house I’ve never seen a scrub jay in my yard. Until yesterday.
I’ve said it before, I’m not a traditional birder. I don’t chase rarities and I don’t keep lists but I know what bird species I’ve photographed and which ones I’ve seen in my yard. So only minutes after dawn yesterday morning it got my attention when I heard the distinctive call of a scrub jay outside the window next to my computer in my bedroom. So I peeked through my drapes and sure enough, there was a scrub jay about 20′ away on my neighbor’s roof.
Damned rights, I grabbed my camera to see if I could document it in the shadowy low light soon after dawn.
1/1000, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender
This is one of only a couple of sharp shots I managed to get through my dirty window. I was surprised that ‘he’ had what turned out to be a sunflower seed in his bill. I believe he may have retrieved the seed from my neighbors gutter which is only a couple of feet to the left of the bird.
Scrub jays are known for ‘scatterhoarding”, meaning they store food items individually rather than in large caches and they have excellent memories of where they’ve stashed each individual item. So perhaps this jay retrieved his own previously hidden seed or maybe he was stealing seeds from a chickadee cache. I dunno.
With all these shadows and my dirty window I knew there was no chance for decent photos from my bedroom so I rushed to my north-facing patio door on the long shot that he’d show up in my back yard.
1/500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender
Miraculously he did exactly that and now I knew the original source of the sunflower seed. He was picking seeds out of the sunflowers I’d planted in my garden last spring for the express purpose of attracting birds. He was actually hanging upside down from one of the seed heads, chickadee-style. Here he had just fallen away from the seed head he’d been hanging from.
I took dozens of shots of him in my back yard but most of them were soft to very soft. Hand holding my brutishly heavy lens in low light while standing at my open patio door is a recipe for camera shake, slow shutter speeds and soft images so most of my photos barely qualify as documentary images.
1/640, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender
So I was delighted to get this one while he was standing on my back fence and trying to decide which sunflower seed head to go after next. By now I was kneeling down and resting my lens on the back of one of my dining room chairs so the photo is sharp.
I actually like this shot. Weathered wood doesn’t come more rustic than my ancient cedar back fence and the leaves remaining on the lilac bush add some nice fall color. I even like the background.
I may not be a traditional birder but I fully understand the excitement of birders when they can add a new species to their yard list. Scrub jays are pretty common in those areas of the vast Salt Lake Valley that border on the mountains but here in the middle of the valley they’re quite unusual.
Made my day, that’s for sure.
Ron
It’s always exciting to see a bird that you have never seen in your yard before. About three days ago I looked out at my feeder and there was a pileated woodpecker. First one ever that I have seen here in town at my feeder.
Beautiful bird. They are a lighter shade of blue then our California Scrub Jay. Start leaving shelled Peanuts. You will see the Jay on a regular basis.
Thanks, Jean. Others have suggested peanuts too.
WOW! That last shot is simply perfect. From the colorful leaves to the perfect perch to the gorgeous bird. It’s truly fabulous, professor!
I’m kind of fond of it myself. Thanks, Arwen.
Great shots Ron made me homesuck fir Florida our winter home. Havent gone yet hope to by Jan.
Thanks, Marjorie.
Congratulations for:
1) Being attentive and responding to the call of the Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay.
2) Your quick response with the camera.
3) Getting such fine photos.
4) Having such a photogenic fence, (as Everett F Sanborn pointed out).
If it was me I would have to grab a book to ID the bird, set up my scope and iPhone on the tripod, then cuss because the damn bird was gone.
You’re lucky to have any sunflower seeds left on your plants. The squirrels devoured mine months ago. Do you not have squirrels in your neighborhood?
Thanks on all counts, Lyle. Nope, I’ve never seen a squirrel of any kind in my yard. Only the occasional pocket gopher.
Your Woodhouse is every bit as beautiful as our California scrub jay, though “duller and grayer,” according to the bird guides. Even so, what they may lack in color is undoubtedly made up for in personality, as I’m sure they’re just as entertaining as the jays out here. Love these photos, the motion blur and color of the wings in the second shot especially grabs my attention. Glad you caught the action!
Thank you, Chris. I was amazed when the jay actually showed up in my back yard as I hoped it would.
You didn’t mention the cold in your description of shooting through your open patio door. I’ll bet it was a challenge too. The final photo on the fence is very nice. And your description of your excitement makes it very clear.
Nancy, it was cold outside but I was (barely) in my house with the door open so in all the excitement I didn’t even think of the cold.
Nice to have a jay in your yard. We do have them regularly in our area. I had fun watching one stash whole sunflower seed in the neighbors shingles and chase the house sparrows and chickadees away. I am not sure where he had obtained the whole sunflower seeds, my bird seed is shell less.
April, maybe one of your neighbors planted sunflowers… ?
I’m a bit jealous. 😉 I still miss the scrub jay couple that used to nest in my neighbor’s bamboo. Their antics were very entertaining.
So glad you have a ringside seat for this one! And thank you for planting sunflowers. I especially like the sunflower shot; it’s unique and I love the view of the tail.
Thanks, Marty. My plan for next year is to double or triple the space in my garden reserved for sunflowers. For obvious reasons.
Ron,
We’ve been staying with my father-in-law near Millcreek Canyon in SLC this week. We have never seen so many Woodhouse’s scrub jays before. I like to sit on a bench in his back yard, and my “little” 100-400mm lens gets heavy after a while, so I sympathize with you.
At home in Southern California, we have California scrub jays in our yard every day, and they know me.
It is fun to see your shots. Because this is Thanksgiving time, I need to give you a big thank you. I have been following your blog for nearly two years, mostly silently. You have taught me so much about bird photography through your blog: technique, waiting, camera adjustments, and most importantly how to cull photos. Thank you for your contributions to my hobby!
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a new and improved year next year.
What a nice and thoughtful comment, Bob. Many thanks.
I actually had the Millcreek area in mind when I mentioned in my text that scrub jays were common where the SL Valley meets the mountains.
We’re on the edge of redwoods and meadow. For the first ten or so years, all we had were Stellar’s Jays, plus an occasional Gray Jay. Then a Scrub Jay would show up very occasionally. Now, we have more Scrub Jays visiting our yard than Stellar’s. In the pyramid of bullies, the Scrub Jays are at the top. They’ll even stand their ground against Sharpies.
I’d love to see a showdown between a jay and a sharpie, Catherine. Hoping neither bird got hurt of course…
We have a very small, probably male sharpie this year as a yard bird. Two Scrub Jays were at the sunflower feeder, when the sharpie arrived and made a pass at them. I expected to see the jays scatter, but I swear they looked at each other and said, “Let’s show him who’s boss.” They chased the sharpie all around the backyard, until the sharpie took off over the meadow.
Bird TV is the best.
Isn’t it a wonderful feeling to see a ‘new’ bird at home. We have seen a few over recent months and as I said to Marina I am pretty sure that ours have been here for the same reason as hers. Fire has devastated their habitat and their food and survivors HAVE to travel. I am very glad to see them, but very sad about the reason.
And, there are MORE fires burning in Oz today. I grieve – and I fume. Our climate change denying guvermint has a lot to answer for in my eyes.
Oh no — already? You guys can’t get a break.
EC, I thought of you just after 4 am this morning when I read on CNN that temps of 113° F are predicted for some areas in two of your states today. So scary with the almost inevitable fires in those temps.
It is not only obscenely hot but windy. Danger Will Robinson, Danger.
I have an abundance of these common birds in my yard ❗️ They come in hot and loud… scattering some peaceful eating at my feeder.
Happy to hear they showed up for you 😁
I like your “hot and loud” description of their arrival, Diana. Perfect.
We have lots of scrub jays here in CA and every once in a while we remember to stop and really look at them to appreciate how lovely they are.
I always enjoy your posts. Thanks from a consistent reader but rare repliier 😊
Good to know you’re ‘out there’, Catherine. Thanks for the kind words about my posts.
Great series Ron!
Charlotte
Thanks, Charlotte.
Fun! Pretty bird! Jays DO have a distinctive voice……😀 We don’t have the Scrub Jays in the area. Hand holding THAT lens would be impossible for me! 😳 We’re enjoying the flock of Blue Jays that have hung around this winter so far.
Judy, apparently we have a few Blue Jays in the area this winter just like we did a couple of years ago. I haven’t seen any this year though.
What lovely, soft colors this jay has ; I don’t think I’ve had such a good clear
look at one before this—your last shot “makes my morning” already–thanks !
Glad to hear it, Kris. Thanks.
Do really like your last photo, 😍 especially the way sunlight is directed at him with the shadow on the fence. It is always a very good moment when someone new arrives in the yard. His blues are softer than our common blue jay here is WI.
Thank you, Kathy.
I have 2 scrub jays in my yard this year and it’s a first for me also . But I attributed it to the fact that I live 8 miles from the pinegulchnfire that burned over 130,000 acres of pinyons and pines. So I figured they are here looking for food. And I have bunches of sunflowers and natural bird habitat plus I put nuts and seeds out since it’s been a tough year with the drought and fires here on western slope
Marina, I feel for you. We have had some very rare ‘yard birds’ visit us too. I am almost certain that the fires which burned so ferociously a year ago are the reason. Their home territory is starting to recover, but food will be much less abundant.
Marina, from the news reports I read your fires must have been truly dreadful.
Despite everything that many (including you?) would consider “wrong” with that middle shot, I love everything about it. It’s quirky and dynamic and unexpected – just the kind of shot I like. Thanks for brightening my morning with a Scrub Jay, I live back East now and miss them.
Yup, including me Stephanie. That shot is soft so I’m pleasantly surprised that so many people like it as much as they do.
Neat post Ron. I am with you regarding my status as a so called birder. Many of my birding friends are that far more than they are trying to get photos. In fact most of them do not even carry cameras. Most are armed with high performance binoculars, telescopes, and field guides.
When I started being interested in wildlife and bird photography about ten years or so ago one of the first birds I saw out there was the Western Scrub Jay. Then when it was changed to Woodehouse’s Scrub Jay I thought it was attributed to John Woodhouse Audubon. Just recently discovered that its discovery was attributed to a Samuel Woodhouse.
Ps: like that weathered fence ………..
Everett, I have absolutely no interest in keeping lists. I tried it once many years ago and didn’t like it at all.