Something Old, Something New, Something Immature and Blue
Yesterday I put an old Nikon lens (80-200mm/2.8) that I traded up to, one lens at-a-time some 15-20 years ago -- on my new Nikon D7100 camera. It's a so-called "fast" lens
Fast lenses can be advantageous over slower ones in certain shooting conditions and types of photography. They really come into their own where there is either low light (for example if you need to shoot indoors but cant use a flash) or where you need to use a fast shutter speed (for example in sports or even wildlife photography).
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Click on the photo -- it's clean!
Great photo Mac. Love the look he has.
Beautiful A Mac. Looks like the photo you took of the Blue Jay has a blue fur coat on his/her back. Really clear picture. How far away were you from the bird?
Have you ever seen a female Blue Jay?
Having an abundance of Blue Jays helping themselves to our backyard feeders, I wondered how to tell the Male from the Female. Over the years I had always thought I had only seen the Male and never a Female.
This winter, I decided to do some research on the subject and to my surprise, I have seen female Blue Jays all my life and just never realized it.
To begin with Blue Jays are bright blue in color and very vocalthey would be hard to miss if visiting one of your feeders. Come to find out the male and female are identical and do not vary in color like other backyard birds.
In order to tell the difference between the sexes you will need to closely observe the birds distinct habits starting in February when groups of Blue Jays will begin to form consisting of numerous males and a single female. All the males will show off their fine attributes hoping to get the females attention and the opportunity to become her mate. The female will always be the first in the group to do anything including leaving the perch.
Males will bob their heads and plump their plumage in front of the female. Over the course of the next couple of weeks, the female will start to weed out the males and ending up with one final choice by then end of the second week. The mating pair will have officially formed when only two birds remain. At this point the male will still work to impress his mate offering her feedings and grooming up until the mating act.
The nest making will also begin within the first week of mating, however the male will lose interest after the first few days leaving the rest of the work to the female. Once the eggs have been laid, the female will incubate the eggs with the male bringing her food and guard her.
I am not sure how you would tell them apart during the remainder of the year, but at least I may have the opportunity in February to single out at least one female and truthfully be able to say I have seen a female Blue Jay.
I was about 4 to 6 feet away from the Blue Jay -- I'll do a photo article on how I set up my feeders and camera. I have a unique back yard or a guy living in a major city and I've made the most of it for bird photography.
Really nice, AMac. As we discussed long ago, there are Stellar Jays here, rather than the type you have. They act (and resemble in form) a lot like crows, very aggressive, and seem very smart - also very communicative in body language. Are your Jays similar in personality, or are they more reserved? Your pic makes him/her look more reserved.
Blue Jays are in fact, members of the Crow Family (Corvidae).
I've been watching this particular Blue Jay as his crest grows in. Every couple of days there's a bit more plumage (It should only happen to me).
lol...
I've always thought mine look like a crow (just a different body color), but I've always thought yours didn't. They seem smaller with a different design to their back or something seems different to me. The Stellar Jays here have that "Make my day" look, imo...yours always look like nice little birdies.
Not only a great pic, but I just learned something. I have seen such Jays and never knew that they were young adults. Now I know.
And did I tell you that it was a great pic?
..And then the Hawks work in teams to catch the Jays that just stole all the peanuts.
I know that's nature, but it sure is hard to not see a little karma in action, too.
lol... what goes around, comes around.
Raven, I tried to reply but it wouldn't accept them. That must mean it wants me to be done now.
(just kidding) Now watch, it'll accept this one after rejecting three real replies.
I note that you seem to have a fixation on Blue Jays, A.Mac. Now, that would have nothing to do with your support of the Phillies, would it? LOL
If that is what a pre-adult Jay looks like I wonder what happens when they get very old . Do they return to the baldness of their youth ?
What a lovely, informative post! Thank you so much-- I learned a lot I didn't know about blue jays!
Maybe some day, I'll be able to have the time to observe blue jays carefully in the spring!
A. Mac, your articles are always such a pleasure to read! Thank you so much for this one! Bless him, he is so beautiful, even with sparse head feathers!
And that is a fabulous picture!
It's true, Buzz -- I will never forget that night in 1993.
Dunno'; I was born with a head full of curls and lost most of them along the way.
Possibly you should ask someone else that question.
Thanks, Dowser.
Beautiful, Mac! Thank you.
And I'll never stop reminding you about it.
Great capture Mac. I love Blue Jays. I think I have a pic of a pair somewhere in my library Love to learn stuff. thanks.
I had a feeling I could stump ya Mac !