The Big Yard: Notes from a Pajama Birdwatcher
May 13, 2025
On a gusty, Red Flag day, I lug books to the Lookout, every bird book I can find in my library, 39 titles in all, ranging from Ashley’s The Birdman’s Wife to Williams’ Refuge. I’m sure I missed a few.
I have more space. Maybe I’ll devote other shelves to my titles on mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and fish to cover the vertebrates and give a special section to all things exoskeletal and squishy. Like the wife’s favorites, Leech Therapy and How to Eat Fried Worms.
And let’s not forget the kingdoms of plants and protists and fungi. The Complete Tracker’s Guide to Mushrooms. Light reading for sure.
With shuddering winds and apocalyptic skies, it’s a day for reorganizing my library…although I counted 50 species of birds in the yard this morning. Almost halfway through the month and the yard tally stands at 88, most of which are everyday birds like the finches and doves and a dozen marauding Mexican jays that scatter birds with fake alarm calls and dominate the feeders.
The son-in-law calls the bright, iridescent, shrieking jays a “motorcycle gang,” saying he sees them with little beanie helmets and black leather Hell’s Angels jackets. An image I can’t unsee now. The birds part the skies and are a force of nature to be reckoned with. Although no acorn is safe, they are known to eat larger prey. Like bats. Snatching them right out of the air and devouring them.
Scientists at the Southwest Research Station (SWRS) in the nearby Chiricahua Mountains have studied the behaviors of Mexican jays since 1969. During breeding season, female Mexican jays have a primary male partner that guards her and her nest. But DNA studies show he often isn’t the father of the brood, that both males and females mate with multiple partners. Still, he feeds “his” nestlings.
What’s interesting is that he gets help from other members of the flock, which can number between 5 and 25 individuals. Other males, nonbreeding birds, and offspring from previous years all assist in raising the young.
To me, it seems this mixed paternity lends to the jay’s cooperative social system. If you can’t tell who your kids are, better to care for them all.
In the canyon, summer arrives with the sound of acorns pummeling my metal roof. Like marbles, bouncing all the way to the gutters.
Or is it the thwack of bats?
It’s going to be close, but we’re on track for hosting 100 birds this month! I’ll keep you posted…
Wonderful photographs, Ken!The Mexican Jay looks similar, to the grayer colored Canada Jay in the Adirondacks (N.Y.) .We have camped there quite a bit throughout the years and have met a few. They are sweet and inquisitive looking, until they demonstrate why they are aptly named the Camp Robber , for their boldness when it comes to your food, “ I think I’ll help myself to your stash, thank you very much”.
I see you have H is for Hawk, I picked that up at an annual library sale. Now that you shlepped books, you need more for those empty shelves. You’re right, I think you need to include all creatures, and maybe a framed photo of the Hermit Thrush .The way the sunlight highlights the feathers on the Warbling Vireo is quite spectacular. And the Rose-breasted Grosbeak , just lovely. We used to see them quite often here in VT, but I believe their population has declined somewhat. I hope you will hear raindrops on your roof after the acorns fall.
“…he sees them with little beanie helmets and black leather Hell’s Angels jackets”. Thanks for putting that image in my head too. Sometimes our Bluejays become quite cranky.
You can do it, 100!! looking forward to the count. Love the jays, they look so wise and gentle in the pics, not like the trickster bad boys in the hood you mention- but I know better.
Your roost is looking good! I hope you add some whimsey by Rosemary Moscow, The Birding Dictionary, fun! I'm currently reading "Birding to change the world", Trish O'Kane.