Those Silly Blue Jays
Posted on October 4, 2015 by bob in Yard 'N Garden
Blue jays are most definitely interesting birds. I laughed heartily at the “peanut article” in the July issue. It made me recall my blue jay experience several years ago.
With a spacious back yard, I grew pine trees, fruit trees, veggies, and a muscadine vine. A clothesline was located at the rear of the yard (had to leave room for baseball games).
On a bright and sunny Alabama day with laundry basket tucked under my arm, I headed to the clothesline and just as I came up to it, spied a tiny baby bird on the ground. Fearing the dog or cats would hurt this baby, I valiantly leaned down to pick it up and put it into a nearby tree. As I did, two jays, screaming the most raucous sounds, came out of nowhere and dived-bombed me. I ran back into the house with the jays in hot pursuit.
Each time I stepped out, I was dive-bombed. Finally, I came out swinging — with a corn broom. That sent them into the trees where they remained vigilant, watching their baby.
I had to make sure I had that broom in hand each time I went into the yard, because even if I covered my hair, somehow they knew me and came after me over and over.
This scene went on all summer — even after the baby bird had grown and left. Finally the jays moved on, and I had my yard back — or so I thought. The next summer this scenario started all over and went on all summer again: blue jays dive bombing and me waving a corn broom.
Moral: Don’t mess with blue jays — especially when they are teaching their young ‘uns to fly!
Prime reader Marsha Johnson, EdD, a retired educator, recently submitted this essay, which is printed with her permission. For approximately 40 years Dr. Johnson served as a public and private school teacher, college adjunct instructor and as an administrator with the State Department of Education.
