365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Winter Guests
Day 60: Call them "camp robbers," "whiskey jacks" or Grey Jays (Perisoreus canadensis), these very friendly birds are recognized by almost every hiker in the Pacific Northwest. They have become so acclimatized to humans that it's not uncommon for them to land on an outstretched hand or a person's head, hoping to share trail food. That said, they're usually seen at altitudes above 2000'; however, living in proximity to the Mountain as I do, I have had a family unit of three come consistently to my feeders over the last three winters. On the other hand, Scrub Jays have moved up in altitude range and occasionally appear here during the summer months. Jays are highly adaptable as a general rule (a trait common to most corvids), and the presence of Steller's (my "anchor species"), Grey and Scrub demonstrates that all three can live compatibly within the margins of their specific ranges.
Labels:
camp robber,
Grey Jay,
Perisoreus canadensis,
whiskey jack,
yard
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