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Hi All=2C
I have Blue jays at my feeders 365 days a year. I can't think of the l=
ast time there wasn't at least one around. Usually it's a flock of 10 -15 b=
ut sometimes it can balloon to dozens. The only time I see it drop to a cou=
ple is during breeding season when a territorial pair dominate the scene. =
After the young have fledged the flocks return.
=20
They are mainly seed eaters but will go for suet in winter or when se=
eds are not available. As well=2C I had to add three inches of depth to my =
swallow boxes when I noticed the jays going after the young swallows in my =
old shallower boxes. All the best.
Fritz McEvoy
Sunrise Valley=2C CB=
(near Dingwall)
=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Blue Jay feeding
From: nancypdowd@gmail.com
Date: Thu=2C 9 Jan 2014 18:52:01 -0400
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
I have had a similar experience with Blue Jays and cat food.=20
For two years I was putting out cat food on the front deck to supplement th=
e barn cats' diet in winter. There was a birdfeeder about 100' from the opp=
osite side of the house well patronized by Blue Jays and other birds. At so=
me point the third winter a lucky BJ must have discovered the cat food unde=
r the chair on the deck. From then on the BJs waited until I put out food i=
n the morning and left. It took me a while to figure out it was the BJs eat=
ing all the kibble rather than the cats. Sunflower seeds were lasting much =
longer in the feeder too. Once I started taking the cats' food to the insid=
e of the barn (with BJs following) they showed up again at the regular feed=
er. Obviously cat food was preferred.=20
I wonder if a similar chance carcass discovery by one of your resident BJs =
has led the group to adopt a new rewarding behaviour rather than learning i=
t from CFAs? Neat to see whether their meat preference will continue for th=
e winter.=20
Nancy
Sent from my iPhone
On Jan 9=2C 2014=2C at 2:44 PM=2C Randy Lauff <randy.lauff@gmail.com> wrote=
:
All=2C
I've started putting carcasses out again this winter=2C primarily to feed t=
he eagles and ravens=2C but crows and sometimes hawks and more come in as w=
ell. In the many years of me doing this=2C I can count on one hand how many=
times I've seen Blue Jays feed from the carcasses. This year=2C they're pr=
eferring the carcasses to the seeds at times. Very odd. I wonder if Blue Ja=
ys "from away" have come in and taught my BJs to eat the meat? On my last P=
roject Feederwatch (http://www.bsc-eoc.org/volunteer/pfw/index.jsp?lang=3DE=
N&targetpg=3Dindex) count=2C I had 40 BJs...in the summer I might have 1/4 =
that.=0A=
=0A=
Randy_________________________________
RF Lauff
Way in the boonies of
Antigonish County=2C NS.=0A=
=0A=
=
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<body class=3D'hmmessage'><div dir=3D'ltr'>Hi All=2C<BR> =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3BI have Blue jays at my =3Bfeeders 365 days a year.=
I can't think of the last time there wasn't at least one around. Usually i=
t's a flock of 10 -15 but =3Bsometimes it can balloon =3Bto dozens.=
The only time I see it drop to a couple is during breeding season when&nbs=
p=3B a territorial pair =3Bdominate the scene. After the young have fle=
dged the flocks return.<BR> =3B<BR> =3B =3B =3B =3B&nbs=
p=3B =3BThey are mainly seed eaters but will go for suet in winter or w=
hen seeds are not available. As well=2C =3BI had to add three inches of=
depth =3Bto my swallow boxes =3Bwhen I =3Bnoticed the jays goi=
ng after the young swallows in my old shallower boxes. All the best.<BR>&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Fritz McEvoy<BR> =3B&n=
bsp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb=
sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =
=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=
 =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B Sunrise Valley=2C CB (near=
Dingwall)<br> =3B<BR><div><hr id=3D"stopSpelling">Subject: Re: [Nature=
NS] Blue Jay feeding<br>From: nancypdowd@gmail.com<br>Date: Thu=2C 9 Jan 20=
14 18:52:01 -0400<br>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<br><br><div>I have had a s=
imilar experience with Blue Jays and cat food. =3B</div><div><br></div>=
<div>For two years I was putting out cat food on the front deck to suppleme=
nt the barn cats' diet in winter. There was a birdfeeder about 100' from th=
e opposite side of the house well patronized by Blue Jays and other birds. =
At some point the third winter a lucky BJ must have discovered the cat food=
under the chair on the deck. From then on the BJs waited until I put out f=
ood in the morning and left. It took me a while to figure out it was the BJ=
s eating all the kibble rather than the cats. Sunflower seeds were lasting =
much longer in the feeder too. Once I started taking the cats' food to the =
inside of the barn (with BJs following) they showed up again at the regular=
feeder. Obviously cat food was preferred. =3B</div><div><br></div><div=
>I wonder if a similar chance carcass discovery by one of your resident BJs=
has led the group to adopt a new