On Friday I got to hike Mt. Watatic again with some kids from school. This is my favorite trail of late because it doesn’t take too long to hike up (about 40 minutes for our students) and has some challenging parts as well as a great view at the top. This time as we hiked we noticed a little bird visiting with us about half way up. He was plump and fluffy and cheerful, very unafraid to get close to us.
Once we arrived at the top we chatted with some other folks up there. One guy said that he had done this hike in hopes of seeing a certain bird – a Gray Jay. He said it is a rare bird to see. Upon describing him we realized it was our same friend from earlier. Thankfully, birdie did come to the top and Mr. Birder got to see him 🙂 AND, he flew right over to where our kids were having lunch and even hopped right onto their hands to get food. Charming little Gray Jay 🙂
from bcadventure.com I learned some neat facts about Mr. Jay:
Grey Jay – Perisoreus canadensis or Whiskey Jack, Camp Robber, Canada Jay
Description – The Grey Jay, also known as the Canada Jay or Whiskey Jack, is grey above and whitish below; the forehead and throat are white and the nape and stripe through the eye is a dull black. Younger birds are a sooty-grey. They have a “whee-ah, chuck-chuck” call and scold, scream and whistle.
Distribution – The Grey Jay (Canada Jay – Whiskey Jack) is resident from Alaska east across Canada in coniferous forests. Also know as the Camp Robber, this playful rascal is a frequent visitor to campsites and summer cottages, and can be easily fed by hand or bird feedding station once you become acquainted.
Biology – Being omnivorous, the Grey Jay feeds on meat, fruit, insects and various vegetable substances. They are attracted to campsites where they appropriate as much food as possible; with its saliva it glues meat, suet and/or hide into balls and hides it among pine needles. It lays 3-5 grey-green eggs in a solid bowl-like nest made of twigs and bark strips, lined with feathers and fur.
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