Ouch, ouch, ouch.....

[Mikey]

Nearly every morning I take a handful of salt-free roasted peanuts in the shell and scatter them about in various planters and locations in our front patio area.  I then sit back, usually reading a book, and soon I hear the squawking of scrub blue jays as they come down and steal my peanuts....  A few are quite bold and I likely could feed them from my hand if I wanted to take the time to earn their trust.  Recently some juvenile jays have been visiting and they are still pretty wary.  One wary juvenile was hopping about wanting to get a peanut but it didn't have the courage to get that close to me.  So it was checking out some other nearby areas and soon was hopping about in a small desert garden.  The jay then jumped up onto a golden barrel cactus and immediately did a very quick 3-step before managing to jump off.....    I need to get a little video camera like Jerry's Flip because describing it just isn't as funny as actually seeing it.  Jays are smart and quick learners.  I bet it doesn't make that mistake again...

These photos are from 2007 of one of my peanut thieves




Small desert garden out front


Close-up of the Golden Barrel cactus that my Jay did the quick 3-step dance.... 

[Kittyzee]

Those are great pics Mikey!  I really like the looks of your cactus garden too.     I love jays, but I've never seen one of those.  I have a blue jay that has been attracted to my feeders in the last couple of weeks...I think he has just found the black oil sunflower seeds..   I'll have to put out my suet again and see if I can keep him coming.  I love them because they are noisy and goofy.   

[Esther]

Yes, those Jays are different than ours. Ours are larger and a lot of white on them with the blue and black. Around here they have a not so nice reputation as they rob nests and eat the eggs and they are real pushy at the feeder. They intimidate the smaller birds to stay away when they are there.

Ken's wife brings home peanuts from Logans and Ken puts them out where the Jays take them and hide them. Ken discovered a crack in a tree in his yard jammed full of peanuts.

[Mikey]

http://buildyourownbirdhouseplans.com/blog/2007/11/03/warm-autumn-days-make-great-bird-watching/
The link above has photos of the two types of Jay birds we have here in the West.  The Scrub Jay basically inhabits the lowlands and the Steller Jay with the crested head inhabits the mountains.

[PondmaninAL]

Mikey, my wife and I use to put unsalted dry roasted peanuts, in the shell, out for the squirrels when we lived in the mobile home park. We not only had squirrels but also Blue Jays, Cardinals, Woodpeckers, and other little birds come down to eat. We use to have to crush a few for the little birds. It was hilarious watching the woodpecker come down to get one. Oh, the squirrels, a few would actually come up and take the peanut from us.

[Esther]

I once saw a thing on TV about crows and how smart they are. Someone hung a peanut in the shell from a string on their outside laundry bar. The crow landed on the bar, reached down to reach the peanut and couldn't. He fiddled around a bit and realized the string was the answer. He then pulled the string up with his beak. Layed it over the bar, where he stepped on the string to hold it and then proceded to continue to pull up the string until the peanut was within reach.
They showed another one where someone had put an egg on a picnic table. The crow learned that if he pushed the egg, it would eventually roll off the table and smash where he had a wonderful meal. They put another egg out later and that time he obviously gave it a solid whack with his beak and it immediately rolled off the table.

The third one was in a city. The crow dropped nuts from a tree into the road at a signal light. The cars would smash the nut and when the light turned red and the cars stopped, he flew down and quickly consumed the nutmeats. Honest!! I saw it for myself on TV.

[emm]

Funny story Mike.    My sister also feeds the scrub jays.  She lines the peanuts out along the balcony railing and the jays hop down and carefully pick up and put down each peanut before deciding which one to take.  I think they are weighing them and selecting the heaviest.   Some will stuff one, two or even occasionally 3 peanuts down their throat before flying off with another one in their beak.  She has also taught the jays not to squawk when they come to her yard so as not to wake her husband who does shift work.  She'll put out peanuts as long as they are quiet, if the birds are noisy she collects the peanuts back up again.  Sounds unlikely but it works.  This has been going on for years now so I wonder if the parents have taught the babies to be quiet in her yard.  I have heard them making lots of noise in the neighbouring yards only to have them fall silent when they come to my sister's kitchen window to "ask" for peanuts.



emm

[emm]

Esther, no doubt that crows are very smart birds!  Ravens too.  A few years ago I read a book called "Mind of the raven" which was very interesting.

emm

[miguynmkoi]

I am prohibited from feeding nuts or seeds to birds until I get the squirrel population under control!  Sure is a pretty bird that jay.  Must be very interesting to share your table with a feathered friend.

Your cactus garden looks fabulous!  I need to take notes....still planning mine.

[ram]

My Grandpa has raccoons that come and eat his bird seed. He says it doesn't bother him but they sure make a mess! He has three or four bird-feeders he fills up every day.