Woodhouse's scrub jays are common, permanent residents of the Mountain West, from Nevada to Mexico. Here along the Colorado Front Range, they are primarily found on the shrublands of the lower foothills and, until yesterday, I had not observed one on our Littleton farm.
While reading at the edge of our driveway, I was startled by the jay as he wandered out from the shrub-lined "lawn," picking at the asphalt in search of food. After a minute or so, he flew off to our grove of pinyon pines and then headed south.
Like most jays, scrub jays are noisy, aggressive and omnivorous birds; unlike some species, they are usually found alone or in pairs. They lack the distinctive crest of blue jays (a common permanent resident on the farm) and Steller's jays (an occasional winter visitor here). Perhaps, like red-breasted nuthatches and lesser goldfinches, they'll become new, year-round residents on our property.
While reading at the edge of our driveway, I was startled by the jay as he wandered out from the shrub-lined "lawn," picking at the asphalt in search of food. After a minute or so, he flew off to our grove of pinyon pines and then headed south.
Like most jays, scrub jays are noisy, aggressive and omnivorous birds; unlike some species, they are usually found alone or in pairs. They lack the distinctive crest of blue jays (a common permanent resident on the farm) and Steller's jays (an occasional winter visitor here). Perhaps, like red-breasted nuthatches and lesser goldfinches, they'll become new, year-round residents on our property.
