Bird Tales from the Yard: the Blue Jay

The birds have been amazingly busy with nests this spring, but there has been competition between the birds, and wars over the nests. Early in the season, the blue jay attacked the robins' nest in a bush in front of the garage. A pair of catbirds later moved into that very spot, and their nest may have suffered the same fate.

This week, something happened to the blue jays' nest in the rhododendrons. I came out in the morning to find the nest looking ragged and a seemingly distraught blue jay looking all around, making loud calls. So I don't know, but maybe some other bird - or other predator - attacked the blue jay nest overnight or in the early morning hours.

This was the scene in our yard yesterday afternoon: the blue jay, now without a nest, looking on. It had just finished shouting at a robin (not shown) in a nearby tree. I wish the birds would leave each other's nests alone, as this acre is a veritable land of plenty, with enough for all. But apparently, the birds have their own ideas.

The song: Pat Benatar, Fight It Out.

P.S. The update, a few days later: the blue jays have moved their nest to a MUCH higher tree in the yard. They moved it twig by twig. So they are starting over!!! You may see a photo of the nest migration in the extra photos area of this blip.