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Index of Subjects Hi Paul, That is a very impressive number of Gray Jays you encountered! I've seen family groups of a half dozen or so at the most. The literature that I've read does suggest that very occasionally there are large movements/migrations of Gray Jays in some parts of their ranges but there is little specific to this species in Nova Scotia. However as usual, Robbie Tufts comes through stating in his book: "... it does on rare occasions gather into flocks that wander aimlessly about the countryside, showing up in places where it has not been seen in years." Gray Jays are essentially non-migratory and occupy the same territories throughout their lifetime so I expect these are foraging groups made up of young birds for the most part. Has anyone else observed such large numbers of Gray Jays in the Province either this year or in the past? All the best, Lance > -----Original Message----- > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca > [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Paul MacDonald > Sent: January 9, 2007 2:25 PM > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > Subject: RE: [NatureNS] size of corvid flocks > > Hi Lance and All > This past fall I encountered a loose flock of grey jays. As > it was in thick woods, it was hard to estimate the number but > 50 was probably in the ball park. They were probably > migrating as they were not there any more in the next few days. > Have a nice winter > Paul > > --- "Laviolette, Lance (EXP)" > <lance.laviolette@lmco.com> wrote: > > > Hi Brian and others, > > > > A few notes on fall and winter concentrations of Blue Jays and > > corvids. > > When I was living at Greenwich in the Valley and feeding birds, I > > would 'see' concentrations of one to two dozen Blue Jays. > > However, through a > > small banding study I did, I know that there were many more > Blue Jays > > coming to the feeders over the course of the winter than I > would have > > thought without the banding. It also showed that in spite of the > > abundant food source I had set out, at least some of the > Blue Jays I > > was feeding were also ranging kilometres away to the > Wolfville area to > > visit other feeders during that winter. > > > > Regarding Blue Jay migration at Brier Island, autumn flocks > can be in > > the order of many hundreds or more at times. This is > nothing compared > > to the numbers that occur at the winter roosts of American > Crows. The > > 'traditional' roost, whose numbers are included in the Wolfville > > Christmas count, can be in excess of 20,000. > > > > All the best, > > > > Lance > > > > > > From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca > > [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Brian Bartlett > > Sent: January 6, 2007 6:43 PM > > To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca > > Subject: [NatureNS] size > > ________________________________ > > > > of corvid flocks > > > > > > Here in West End Halifax I find it's common to see Blue > Jays alone or > > in pairs, and even more often to hear them, but less common to see > > them in larger groups -- such as half a dozen close > together I saw a > > few days ago, without binoculars so I couldn't tell if > there was a mix > > of adults and juveniles. While I've had so little luck with > backyard > > feeders that I've given up on them (having two outdoor cats is no > > help), I wonder if those with feeders are accustomed to > seeing larger > > groups of Blue Jays. I've read that all members of the > Corvid family > > gather at least in small groups, but I'm wondering how > large groups of > > Blue Jays get. Surely nothing like mobs of Crows -- but how much > > larger than 1/2 dozen? > > Thanks for any observations. > > Brian > > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection > around http://mail.yahoo.com >
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