Seems to me I've read they often stick together for awhile; it's how the youngsters learn to hide food for the winter...and they can shop in their parent's larder for awhile, too. Or perhaps that's another jay... I'll have to look that one up.
Also, I still see hummers every morning and most evenings, too. It's gotten quite cold here...this morning was another hard frost, and the bird baths had a layer of ice on top. I implore all of you to continue keeping fresh nectar available for the next couple of weeks. Soon they'll all be gone, but you could save the life of a straggler! Don't bother filling your feeder full...just make a cup's worth (1 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar (they like it richer this time of year)) and only add a couple ounces to each feeder.
Another thing I just discovered; birds like raw fat trimmed from steaks and roasts cut into thin strips (think worms). Sort of an 'ah ha!' moment...suet being fat, for heaven's sake! LOL Anyway, I trimmed up nearly a cup from a roast, left the meat that clung to the fat, too. Wow...the Magpies act like it's a food fest; gobbling up as much as they can swallow before another shows up and then grabbing several more to carry off and eat elsewhere. That, with slightly moistened kibble and the big birds are eating rich!
3 comments:
What do Blue Jays have against New Mexico? Please, tell them they do not need a visa or passport to visit.
Besides, I get so tired of correcting folks when they call Steller's Jays "Blue Jays." Sigh.
Cool idea about making your own worms. Try to get a photo of the Magpie feast. I'd like to see that.
LOL Yer funny...and it's good to see you, Bill!
Good idea, I'll try for some shots of the Magpie Feast...they're pretty dependable and at least 4-5 show up every morning and torment my dog. I think he knows I'm giving them kibble (and sometimes he finds it around the birdbaths where they soak it if it's too hard). He hates 'em...odd for such a mellow fellow, too. When they fly off the flat-bed feeder with their 'fat-worms'...they glide down low to the ground so that Zeus can almost catch them...and then land just out of his reach. Oh my; such teases they are! I hear they sometimes even pull a dog's tail-hairs!
I meant to say, too, that the hummers all appear to be Broad-tailed females and youngsters.
I have been seeing tons of jays as of late. They seem to be capitalizing on the wonderful acorn harvest this year.
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