Birds of Blue

If I've ever said on this blog (and I think I have) that I defended bluejays for their beauty against complaints of their scavenging habits, I take it all back. I was of the opinion, based on what I'd read, that they only robbed eggs from other birds' nests in extreme conditions.

Moments ago, I observed, not 30 feet from where I'm sitting, two bluejays fighting in my very backyard over a dead nestling of a species I couldn't identify—grayish, not many feathers, big head, yellow beak, possibly a robin.  One of the jays landed on the grass with the poor thing in its beak. The other arrived immediately after, stole the prey in a flapping kerfuffle, and flew off with it. The first jay followed in close pursuit.

I'd like to think they found it already dead and only took it as carrion, but I suspect they stole it from somebody's nest.

 I know, of course, that one has to take the brutality with the beauty, if one is to sit in the backyard extolling the wonders of nature, but oh, oh, oh, that bit of brutality was more than I could love, given my intention on this particular day to watch a bluebird couple feeding their four scrappy new fledgelings, and to blog about it.

I'll not be able to rid my memory of the image of that nestling flopping around in the beaks of those jays.  After witnessing the incident, I can't help but lump bluejays into the same "basket of deplorables" along with brown-headed cowbirds and bleached blonde bully tweeters. Did I just get too political for a nature blog? I don't think so. As Muti used to say, "I can if I want to."  ~dkm