Okay, so it's gone beyond a little wildlife stewardship and turned into true love. I have officially imprinted this young Blue Jay.And I've named her after my favorite character in the epic film Dirty Dancing. Baby. (Well, not really. But Baby it is.)
I know she's just using me for my seemingly endless supply of crickets (she goes through at least 50 a day!), but I pretend that she has developed some level of affection for me. When I go out onto the porch, she talks to me for a few minutes from her perch in the pines- and I know it's her! Seriously, I'm smitten.
When shes wants a cricket, she flies to the porch railing or my outstretched finger. Very Zip-a-dee-doo-dah. From there, we begin the ritual of me supplying live crickets and her gulping them down. After about five to seven, she settles down, hangs out on my hand for a couple of minutes, and then flies back to the pines.
I know it won't last (alas, these types of relationships fade quickly) and I can already sense that she's building confidence. Jays are independent birds and I'm sure she'll follow nature over nurture.
In the meantime, I'm happy to have her around.
Too, too cute ! I do believe Blue Jays are tough birds though...I have seen one take down a Cardinal, and believe me the cardinal never got back up ! Enjoy your baby !! Gina
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...I'm so jealous! How fun is that!
ReplyDeleteI wish i would see the waxwing that Kris & I brought back from Michigan again. It didn't even have all of it's feathers yet, when we were eating outside at Freddy's Freeze & found it in a dirt parking lot. Kris found crickets & I gave it grapes. I'm glad you get to see yours sometimes. I gave, gave & gave & what do I get? He doesn't call, he doesn't write.
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