[CT Birds] Woodcock & Bluejay

[Peregrine Information Consultants]

Paul,

That's a great story! Well, my story may not be about memory per se, unless it's evidence that the bird "remembers" a successful strategy. One of 'my' resident Blue Jays will imitate a Red-Tailed Hawk as he/she approaches my yard, effectively scaring off all the smaller birds at the feeders. It works every time for the birds, and has fooled me more than once. I do keep an ear out for the jays, since their "Jay! jay!" alerts me to when a hawk is nearby, and sometimes I can get up from my desk in time to catch a little backyard drama (usually the neighborhood Cooper's Hawk, sometimes a Red Tail). 

And this next is not a bird story, but it always makes me smile: Last fall, my elderly mother scattered some stale oyster crackers for the birds and her resident chipmunks to enjoy. A gray squirrel took many of the little crackers, burying them neatly in the ground...wonder what sort of trees will grow?! Wonder if he ever got back to them before they disintegrated.

By the way - my elderly father has a significant dementia - his favorite activity is to look out the window. Big excitement when the chipmunks, juncos, and ST sparrows stop by. When we visit this weekend, we're taking a few simple birdfeeders (of the sort that my mother can take care of and fill easily) and a good supply of seed. On their fixed income, they can't even entertain the idea of spending money on feeding the birds. Wish I'd thought of this for them years ago...perhaps when we are making our holiday gift-giving lists we can give this sort of gift.

Sarah


Sarah Hager Johnston, BMus, MLS
860-676-2228

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