[CT Birds] Woodcock & Bluejay

[jtriana1 at sbcglobal.net]

I think it was either Gary or Carol Lemmon who told me this story
once.....They put out a variety of leftovers for birds in their backyard.
Once they put out alfredo pasta on a day with some snow.  They observed a
crow coming down to the pasta and sticking the noodles in the snow.  Since
they were the same color, they wondered how the crow would ever remember
where they were.  Then they observed the crow picking up leaves and twigs
and placing them next to where it buried the pasta.

I hope Gary or Carol is monitoring this thread and can confirm my
recollection.

Thanks,
JT


John Triana



-----Original Message-----
From: ctbirds-bounces at lists.ctbirding.org
[mailto:ctbirds-bounces at lists.ctbirding.org] On Behalf Of Carrier Graphics
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 3:11 PM
To: ctbirds at lists.ctbirding.org
Subject: [CT Birds] Woodcock & Bluejay

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

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