weisserwatercolours

From the Cornel Lab of Ornithology:

“. . . A large, dark jay of evergreen forests in the mountainous West. Steller’s Jays are common in forest wildernesses but are also fixtures of campgrounds, parklands, and backyards, where they are quick to spy bird feeders as well as unattended picnic items. . . ”

‘Steller’s Jay’, watercolour on Saunders Waterford Hot Press 90 lb., 4″ x 6″, Sold.

When we moved from Quebec to British Columbia and went camping, it was startling to hear this loud, rasping, strident taunting from high in the trees.  Startling, because it was so like a Blue Jay, yet not–like a Blue Jay with the flu.  And then this amazingly blue-black jay bounded down to the ground, looking up at us as though wondering why we were occupying its picnic table.

After returning from swimming, we found three of them pulling at the packaging of wrapped food and helping themselves to whatever they managed to expose.  These are Blue Jays on steroids.

“. . . Steller’s Jays are habitual nest-robbers, like many other jay species. They’ve occasionally been seen attacking and killing small adult birds including a Pygmy Nuthatch and a Dark-eyed Junco. . . ” [Cornel Ornithology Lab]

But wow–how beautiful, how handsome, yes?