Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Video Post - Bluejays at my Window

For those of you who like bluejays, here are a couple of videos that I took last Sunday morning. If you've never tried a window feeder for feeding your backyard birds, now's the time to start dropping some hints for that perfect Christmas gift! It's really fun to see the birds up close!

Sorry about that ticking noise--there are 2 clocks very close by and I don't even notice them anymore, but they sure sound loud on the video.

29 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

That was fun...I think I should get a window feeder...love the close up..thanks for sharing

KGMom said...

Actually, what I hear is "God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen"!
Anyway, those are some piggy blue-jays. I think they have your number.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Dawn,
Thanks for stopping by my blog; bluejay enthusiasts are always welcome!

Hi Donna,
You heard right--I had some Christmas CDs playing too. And those bluejays do have my number--on the weekends I sometimes fill the tray 2 or 3 times to make up for not being able to see them pigging out on peanuts during the week. Since I don't have cable television, the money most people spend for their cable subscription is what I usually spend for treating the birds in my backyard!

Mama Pea said...

So how does your big kitty react to the action at the window feeder? Can we have a video of that??

Kim said...

Okay, I sooooo want a window feeder now!! My cats would scare the birds away though.

I love your videos. I had to laugh at the one who grabbed a peanut and then put it down to chose the larger one. I can't get over all of the blue jay activity you had. It was one after the other. How many blue jays are there? Are they the same 2 or 3 or do you have a gang?

Dana and Daisy said...

It's like MTV for kitties!

Do birds besides Blue Jays take the dare and feed that close?

Anonymous said...

I love to see the jays weighing the peanuts, take the heaviest one. The view of one jay hollering at the next one made me chuckle. For some reason or another we don't have many jays this winter. We had several pairs this summer.

MOM

Heather said...

Wow, that's a lot of jay traffic. Very fun to watch.

Ruth said...

Our squirrels have mastered our window feeders literally by climbing the bricks of the house. You must go through a lot of peanuts. What are all the birds in the bush in the background of the second video?

Debbie said...

Ruthie, those jays are such piggies aren't they, but I love watching them. They have so much personality.

Jayne said...

I had SIX jays at my feeders on the ground yesterday. I had not seen any in forever, and then there were six! :c) Love the videos!

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mama Pea,
When I first put the window feeder up and Penny hears the clunk of a bluejay landing on it, she'll jump to the window seat and make those funny meow noises, but there usually aren't peanuts in the tray except on the weekend, so kitty doesn't pay much attention anymore (she's getting old and lazy anyway!)

Hi Kim,
I only have the window feeders out in the wintertime--since I'm spending more time indoors. I think the birds figure out pretty quickly that the kitties on the other side of the window can't get them because my cat lays on a mat right in front of the feeders and the birds still come.
I tried counting the other day and there are at least 8 bluejays. I hardly see them in the summer, but they hang around closer to all my feeders in the winter.

Hi Dana,
Sometimes a downy woodpecker will come over to the tray for peanuts. If I put a mixed seed out, lots of other birds will come too.

Hi Mom,
I think your bluejays must have all come to my house because I have way more in winter than in summer.

Thanks Heather.....I'm pretty sure they only love me for the peanuts though!

Hi Ruth,
I've heard of clever and hungry squirrels figuring out how to get to window feeders. This is a second story window and if I had a lot of squirrels, they could probably get to the window tray directly from the tree growing nearby.
I use a 16 oz. plastic container as a scoop and usually put out only one scoop a day--I'm still working on a 50-lb bag of peanuts from last winter, so they last quite a long time.

Hi Debbie,
I agree - they're great birdies for watching!

RuthieJ said...

Hi Jayne,
You snuck in while I was typing!
Isn't it fun to see that many bluejays at one time? That blue color is nice to see in a drab winter landscape.

RuthieJ said...

Oh Ruth, I forgot to tell you: the birds in the background are probably mostly house sparrows and juncos (with some house finches thrown in) You can probably just barely make out the giant tube feeder I have hanging there and it's filled with a less expensive blend for sparrows. They spend lots of time flying from the highbush cranberry shrubs to the tube feeder.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I enjoyed your blue jays Ruthie. I am amazed that they come so close to your house. They must be very hungry.

troutbirder said...

Gotta love those jays! Went through the same snow removal scenario (about 7 inches here) except I have to do the bird feeder paths as well!

Shelley said...

I love this close up view! What's funny is they way they take the peanuts - they act so guilty looking around before they "steal" them!

Richard said...

Nice...I watched the background birds more then the Blue Jays...lol. You have a very active yard.

Marsha said...

I love my window feeder and would also recommend it to everyone. The chickadees, bluejays and goldfinches love it and the sparrows are to shy to come that close to the house.

Great videos!

NCmountainwoman said...

I don't even like Blue Jays in my yard, but I LOVED the video.

Cindie Ulreich said...

OH...I love the blue jays!! I don't get them here.

I've never had a window feeder...do they stick well? Those little sucker things don't look too sturdy and I could see the weight of the birds as they landed and took off.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Lisa,
They are still pretty wary when they come to the window and I have to sit real still to get any pictures of them.

Hi Troutbirder,
Aren't you glad we don't live down by Rushford? I'd still be clearing snow away!

Hi Shelley,
What you can't see are the other bluejays sitting nearby in the tree waiting for their chance to swoop down and grab a peanut. I think that's what makes each bluejay nervous as it selects a peanut from the tray.

Hi Marsha,
I'm glad to hear you enjoy your window feeders too. I don't get house sparrows at the window feeders either.

Hi Carolyn,
When I worked at Wild Birds Unlimited, there were lots of customers who didn't like bluejays either, but they're certainly fun to watch and liven up the backyard.

Hi Cindie,
The trick with window feeders is to have clean windows (I hate that part!) and then use a little oil from your face on the suction cup instead of water (which evaporates). Also you should try and put them up when the temp is at least 55 or warmer. I put mine up late in the fall and they stay stuck all winter--even in sub-zero temps I've never had one fall off.

Mary said...

Ruthie, I'm still smiling. When they take off, your feeder makes a diving board sound. I just love those Blue Jays.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary,
Are there any bluejays where you live? Do you think there's a chance some might find out about your backyard buffet someday? Or is your crazy mockingbird scaring them away?

Mary C said...

Really cool videos, Ruthie. The blue jays behave just like the western scrub jays -- choosing the heaviest peanuts first. I also enjoy my window feeders. You mentioned to someone about the HOSPs don't come to the window, and I realized the same applies here. Only the house finches, chickadees and titmice will come to the window feeders. The HOSPs only eat from the feeder a few feet away that hangs on a shepherd's hook. I've even had several mourning doves land on and in the window feeder which is supposed to be too small for them, but they do it anyway.

Windyridge said...

Ok now I want a window feeder!

Anna Marie said...

Hey Sissy, Love the videos. I agree with Mary on the diving board sound. That's immediately what I thought of when I was watching the movie :)

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary C,
If I look back through my files, I know there's a picture of a mourning dove sitting in that peanut tray too--I've also seen the goldfinches and a nuthatch once, but never a cardinal either!

Hi Windyridge,
I hope you get one soon--your kitty would like it too!

Well hello there Sissy with an office "Blogger ID!"

maria said...

Thanks for sharing with us the video of the blue jays.

Yes, I did see the red cardinal at the end.
Maria