The Blue Jay Gang

We have had a raucous gang of blue jays running wild across the Ridge this winter. They’ve been here all fall—some ten or twelve of them—zipping around from tree to tree like a bunch of rowdy adolescents. Their antics have been a lot of fun to watch.

Blue jays are year-round residents in most of the eastern U.S. Even when it snows, they just hunker down and fluff up a little for insulation. Their blue feathers make a gorgeous contrast against the snow.

Of course, we’ve not had snow in these parts so far this winter (knock on wood). But even against the bare branches of the leafless trees, the jays appeared like little blue splashes.

Jays are usually loud and boisterous, but so far, this gang has pretty much kept quiet, at least while I’ve been out and about. I haven’t seen them mob any other birds at Debbie’s birdfeeders, either. For being a rowdy bunch, they’re behaving with pretty good manners.