A Peaceful Blue Jay

A Peaceful Blue Jay

It was early morning. The feeders, while usually covered with hungry birds, were empty except for one visitor – a Blue Jay. It was unusual to see a single jay without a mate. Jays mate for life and are particularly social creatures. But perhaps this bird was young and had not found its mate yet, though they mate early, usually when they are about one year old.

As I watched, I noticed there was something different about the bird. This jay wasn’t calling out or imitating other birds’ calls. It wasn’t jiggling around on the feeder as it generally does. Its crest was resting flat against its head instead of being up and spiky; the crest will extend upward when a jay is agitated or on alert for some reason. The bird seemed to be enjoying a rare moment of quiet. I stood at the window while it continued eating, half expecting a crop of other jays to join in. It didn’t happen. When the jay finished its meal, it took off, leaving the feeder swinging after its departure.

The funny thing was that although I was excited to see it, I could sense the bird’s peaceful state. And why not? We can tune into other people’s energy, know when they are happy or sad, angry or joyful, even when they aren’t doing anything specific. It’s etched on the face and radiates outward. We can feel a dog’s emotions, respond to our pet cat’s restlessness. Why shouldn’t we be receptive  to other creatures' energy as well?

Later in the morning, the feeders were crowded with finches and cardinals and yes, Blue Jays. Everything was aflutter then, not peaceful at all. I was glad that the Blue Jay had a calm start to its day and thankful that I was able to share it.

For a full description of Blue Jay life and behavior:

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/blue_jay/lifehistory

Mating behavior of the Blue Jay:

http://www.birdhouses101.com/blue-jay-mating.asp