I know we are besotted by the birds here in the Netherlands and my all time favourite is the Swan, but then it could be the Jay or even the Tits or the Robin or ???. Yes we are besotted.
Today I am having a Jay experience I could never have imagined. We had considered that there was one Jay overwintering here now that the acorns have finished. But then we realised there were two – and they come together to take, store maybe, and eat our peanuts.
JJ spent some time in the weekend throwing and wrapping a slinger which included peanuts and fat balls over a high branch out from our bedroom window – in the attic. He didn’t say what he was up to – he just didn’t want me to say something gentle like – Don’t fall out of the window – after all it is only 3 floors up – you idiot or &^%$#$^ something like that. So he just did it.
Now when I see the lower branches bouncing about from my lounge window I get up and check – because if it is the rooks or jackdaws I see them off the premises. They can find their own food – and eat well when we feed the birds on the canals as well.
I saw the branches dancing about and went to the window prepared to open it and shout at the rooks and found that I have 5 Jays. They are moving down the tree in a circle – like a dance, while they are checking the safety of the situation. The stripey sections on the top of their heads is a raised tuft – possibly because they are nervous, being very shy woodland birds and here they are in a huge tree with a very special restaurant just for them in a little alley surrounded by tall houses.
And they are nervous and it is very hard not having a video to record a dance like this one – but it goes something like this.
You first, dance in a circle and land on that branch there – now you, raise the tuft, turn about and head for the branch over there, 2nd on the right – no not that one, it will not hold you well, and they will see you coming. The secret is to dance there gracefully, without alerting anyone, so we can feast tonight and tomorrow and the next day. Now everyone together down one branch. Wow we made it.
This is great nosh.
Tags: Bird Rock Cafe, Birds, daily living, dance, Jay, Restaurant
