A Gray Jay

A bird of many names, this Gray Jay also is known as the Whiskey Jack, a Canada Jay, and Camp Robber. The name 'Camp Robber', being derived from its habit of hanging around wood's camps and helping itself to any available food it might find there. Here in New Brunswick this jay is commonly referred to as a Gorby or Moosebird.

But I always call it  a Gray Jay.  This gray and white bird, one of the smallest jays, is a bird found in our coniferous forests all year round.

On Friday I had seen a couple of Gray Jays in a rural area nearby, but I didn't get their pictures..  I don't often see a Gray Jay, so this sighting was a real treat for me, and so I decided that I would find it on Saturday again and get its picture!  Yesterday morning I found some old blueberry muffins going stale and also took along 3 or four slices of cinnamon and raisin bread with me and my camera when I went out to the wooded rural area where I had seen the jay on Friday! At first I didn't see the jay , but after turning homeward I found one perched in a small tree ( spruce or fir? I'm not sure which. I even got out of my car to take its picture and the jay was not too skittish as I stood there beside my car, pointing my camera at it.

  So, as it wasn't too frightened I reached for my food stash and scattered it there in front of the jay along the roadside.  I then drove away, turned and parked on the road opposite of where I had scattered the food.  I didn't have to wait long and the bird reappeared approaching the food stash and taking a few bites from the bread.  This was a wonderful photo shoot! I  I might try again today as this is such a sweet bird to observe!

 

 And today we are celebrating our Canadian Thanksgiving so it 's a good day to share with the birds as their viewing and habits give us so much pleasure and we have so much to be thankful for! Surely I can trade some more bread for another picture.  Have a wonderful day everyone!