Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Who needs TV when you've got Bluejays!

Last Saturday morning, I decided to whip up a batch of pancakes for breakfast. Before we sat down to eat, I filled the peanut wreath and hung it from a tree branch a few yards outside the dining room window. I think the bluejays actually watch for me to refill and hang that peanut wreath in the tree because they're flying in already before I even get back in the house. Once our pancakes are buttered and syruped, we're ready to sit back and enjoy the show right outside the big dining room window. Hope you enjoy this series of photos too!

The bluejays are greedy and hungry, but only 1 bluejay at a time is allowed to pick a peanut from the wreath. The rest of them must wait their turn.

It's not always an easy task to get just the right peanut out of that coiled wreath.

Selecting a peanut becomes even more difficult when there's only 1 left and it's securely lodged at the bottom of the wreath! This bluejay eyes the peanut and plans his strategy for securing that final peanut.

Now he's perched on top of the wreath, but obviously there's no way he can reach the peanut from there.......

well, maybe he can if he just streeeeeetches over the edge a little bit........

hmmmmm, no luck with that. So he decides to try it the way he's seen the nuthatches get a peanut........

Crap! that's not going to work either! Having a bluejay audience laughing behind you makes this especially difficult!

Bluejays are just not well-suited for clinging upside down to feeders! But they are persistent when it comes to peanuts......

Oops! So close....... Wonder what that other bluejay is thinking?

One of the bluejays eventually snatched that last peanut out of the wreath and the show was over. I especially like to fill the peanut wreath on weekends when I have time to sit back and enjoy the show. Early mornings seem to be the best time to attract the bluejays in large numbers. Once they spread the word that peanuts are being served, they all flock in to enjoy this special treat. This entertaining bluejay display is definitely worth the the price I have to pay for peanuts in the shell.

9 comments:

Gaelyn said...

That show is Certainly better than TV.

Mollie said...

What a great series of photos and commentary! Never saw a peanut wreath before. Keeps those blue jays out of trouble!!! Very cool.

Anonymous said...

This is almost as good as watching chipmunks fill their faces before winter.

MOM

Jayne said...

THAT is so comical Ruthie! I can imagine it is quite the entertaining show. I've never seen that many at my feeder at one time.

Mama Pea said...

GREAT pictures, Ruthie! (Hope your pancakes didn't get cold.) :o)

Unknown said...

How do you keep the squirrels out of the feeder? I'd love to try peanuts, but the squirrels are a tough bunch to deal with.

troutbirder said...

What fun that Jay was having the photographer too! I did a first ever stop at the bird food place near Lanesboro recently and got a bag of nuts. What a revelation... the nuthatches, woodpeckers etc. are all going crazy over it.

Anonymous said...

Hi Ruth,
Could yhou give me a call at the shop? I am working on Thursday, 2-8. Or you can call Marie on Wednesday between 2:30 and 5 pm. A customer broke her are and is looking for someone to knit a size 2T sweater before Christmas. I don't know if you are interested, but you were a person I thought I'd ask. No pressure. Hope to talk to you soon.
Anita

RuthieJ said...

You got that right Gaelyn!

Hi Mollie,
I got this peanut wreath at Wild Birds Unlimited. It was very inexpensive at the time and has been one of my best birdfeeder investments!

Hi Mom,
I have lots more bluejays than chipmunks and they're lots easier & more fun to watch.

Thanks Jayne. They only show up in these great numbers while there are peanuts in the wreath. I have no idea where they all hang out the rest of the time because I normally only see a few in the yard.

Thanks Mama Pea (pancakes definitely got cold that morning!)

Hi Marianne,
My squirrels tend to concentrate their feeding efforts at other birdfeeders in the backyard and the bluejays have these peanuts eaten in less than half an hour, so the squirrels never even get a chance (unless they're lucky enough to find a peanut the bluejay "hides" in the lawn)

Thanks Bonnie. Glad you enjoyed it.

Hi Ray,
Glad you made it down to Avian Acres. That's one of my favorite places to visit. I've known Bob Thomas for years (bought my first bluebird houses from him!)

Hi Anita,
You're talking about Christmas 2010, right? 2T might just be possible.....