The Gray Jay - A Legendary Thief of Hearts

The mischievous gray jay

The formidable Rocky Mountains are an imposing hideout for one of Colorado's most notorious outlaws, the gray jay. Upon entering its dark territory of spruce and fir, beware because this legendary camp robber isn't afraid to steal your food, your patience or your heart.

Blessed with boundless curiosity, the gray jay will investigate even the slightest disturbance in a subalpine forest. It scrutinizes the camper intensely and follows the hiker closely, waiting to see what happens next. If you offer one of them a bite of food, they will boldly pluck the treat right out of your hand. You'll also acquire a friend for life.

Early fur traders appreciated the gray jay's companionship during lonely treks into the outback but they resented the bird's relentless thievery. The jays were experts at stealing the bait from their snares, often committing the crime before the trapper had turned his back.

The gray jay will consume anything that's edible and certain goods that are not. It eats everything from insects, berries and small mammals to soap, candles and tobacco. But who could blame them, the gray jay is a year-round resident in one of the harshest environments on earth. Surviving winter at tree line requires a bountiful supply of prepared reserves.

Most of the stuff swiped during the summer is cached for later use during lean times. The gray jay has special salivary glands that transform a mouthful of food into a gooey, sticky ball of future nourishment. Up to 1,000 of these tasty morsels are hidden throughout the area each day. The bird adheres them to bark, branches and pine needles. An extraordinary memory is called upon to later recover the valuable merchandise.

Some people find their obnoxious behavior to become tiresome and consider the bird a nuisance. Not me, compared to the extreme shyness of other mountain dwellers, I believe the sociable gray jay's mischievous antics are a delightful change of pace. Up here good guys finish last.

A notorious outlaw

They live in spruce and fir forests

They're blessed with boundless curiosity

The gray jay lives at tree line year-round

A legendary camp robber

A friend for life

Gray jays will consume anything edible

Up here good guys finish last

Comments

  1. judi August 26, 2013 at 6:33 AM

    Love this post Dan -I think we may have some gray jays on the bike path - I'll have to keep my eye out for them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerSeptember 5, 2013 at 12:27 PM

      Thanks Judi, as you know, I love birds. It was a fun day hiking up the mountain and interacting with the charming Gray Jays.

      Delete
  2. Jim BraswellAugust 28, 2013 at 9:05 PM

    During my recent camping at the foot of Mount Evans, had a whole clan of these noisy birds around the campsite. Fun birds, though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dan MillerSeptember 5, 2013 at 12:34 PM

      Oh, they love it when campers come into their territory. Some people consider them a nuisance but I like their personality. They have to be tough to live up there all year round. I hope you're able to make it back to Colorado soon.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Lair O' the Bear and Dunafon Castle

Image
The restored Dunafon Castle Lair O' the Bear Park is nestled in a steep canyon about six miles east of Evergreen, Colorado. John and Matilda Johnson emigrated from Sweden with their two young boys and purchased the narrow meadow in 1902. They named it Mountain Nook Ranch, built a four-bedroom house and raised Red Durham cattle. Their two sons, Finis and Francis, attended school in nearby Starbuck, now known as Idledale. It was originally named for John Starbuck who won the town property in a poker game. John Johnson was a master gardener and his popular, fresh produce was sold in Evergreen and Denver. They planted over 200 cherry and apple trees in the area. If you look closely many can still be found throughout the park today. The unruly Bear Creek sculpted the beautiful scenery and provided the needed irrigation for productive crops but it also wreaked plenty of havoc. There was a constant fear of extreme flooding. The Lariat Trail (Highway 74 today) crossed Bear Creek s...
Read more

Ibis - A Symbol for Danger and Optimism

Image
White Ibis The white ibis is a wading bird that is very common throughout Florida. Their traditional habitat has always been the Everglades but they've recently adapted to a more urban environment. During our visit there this past summer, we frequently saw ibises on freshly mowed lawns rooting for large bugs as well as stalking aquatic prey along the shoreline of ponds, lakes and marshes. These splendid, white birds have evolved a long, downward-curved bill. This distinctive feature has helped them develop into efficient hunters. Their legs are long enough to wade in shallow water but they are also perfectly at home on dry land where they can use their pink beak to probe for insects. The white ibis is a symbol for danger and optimism because Native American folklore held that the bird was the last to seek shelter before a hurricane and the first to emerge afterwards.
Read more

An Approaching Storm - Colored Pencil Drawing

Image
"An Approaching Storm" Colored Pencil In the midst of an already grievous winter, an approaching storm gradually extinguishes the landscape’s last sliver of light. The inclement weather rushes in aggressively as it envelopes the magnificent range of rugged peaks. Extending across the page, a strip of turquoise sky is still visible above the embattled scenery. It won’t be long, though, before a cloak of cool-gray smothers the valley in a shroud of deep snow. The high mountains assume a defiant posture as their sharp edges tear through the soft atmosphere, creating patches of bare rock. The kaleidoscope of broken terrain sparkles in blue-violet before the impending storm’s onset. The forested foothills are distinguished by three different, overlapping tiers of conifers. As the woodland ramparts recede into the distance, the wintery colors gradually become several shades bluer. The wide, white meadow sweeps across the foreground, its smooth surface decorated with elongated shado...
Read more