[CT Birds] Woodcock & Bluejay

[Carrier Graphics]

Today, had a Woodcock flush out from under a tree from my back yard here 
in Harwinton with the ground snow covered.

But - also of interest i hope:
	Yesterday, 3 Bluejays fed from my in the shell peanut feeder with 
about 30 peanuts in it. I followed one bird to where it was hiding them 
under the mulch in my flower beds thinking; "he'll never find them all, 
and what a waste of expensive Peanuts!" . He used 3 different flower 
beds and hid them under the pine needle mulch. The other two Jays used 
other areas to hide their peanuts. This bird hid 3 nuts in one bed, 4 in 
another and 2 in the last.
	Well this morning with a covering of 1-1/4" of snow over 
everything, I saw a jay go to each of the 3 beds and recover 7 of the 9 
nuts that were buried there yesterday! This Jay took only about 30 
seconds to find each one, fly into a protected hemlock to eat them, and 
fly back for another.
	I no longer question the frugality of birds and squirrels hiding 
nuts and things about and not finding them at a later time. The squirrel 
also has a keen sense of smell to help, but not the Jay. The Jay it 
seems must use it’s memory exclusively!
	If from now on I am ever accused of being a bird brain, I will feel 
it a complement as this Jay has just demonstrated;  For I could not even 
remember ONE specific place this Jay hid the nuts, cept from looking at 
my notes of yesterday! Anyone else have a personal observations of bird 
memory to tell? Would love to hear it...

Paul Carrier