Is it just me or do Jay's seem to be everywhere at the minute?
I've had low flyovers...
- 3 in Denton recently - 1 near Denton Golf Club, - 1 almost over our Dane Bank garden - the 3rd near Haughton Dale / The Lowes Arms
A few good Tameside records there for submission to Ian or Steve, Rob
There are always plenty of this species in the woods around Brushes Valley, particularly at this time of year, as Roger says.
The other time they are much in evidence is during the breeding season, after fledging, and I counted a lot of noisy groups of youngsters earlier this year. It does seem, locally at least, to have been a good breeding season. There have also been several flocks of c10 birds high over south and west over the past month. All anecdotal, of course.
I agree with other posters on here that numbers are higher than normal at the moment. I used to write the corvid section in the Cheshire & Wirral Bird Report and never had reports of numbers that are being seen at the moment. There are so many multiple sightings and I have had several reports of 20+ birds seen at a variety of sites across Cheshire. Chatting to customers in the Focalpoint shop this is a phenomenon repeated in Staffs, Shrops, Lancs etc. As John said earlier, I too never think "oh, it's only a Jay", I love seeing this colourful bird. As I mentioned in another thread this autumn I have recorded my first ever garden Jay after 15 years of living in Northwich. It is definitely a bumper autumn for this gorgeous bird
-- Edited by Doc Brewster on Thursday 9th of October 2014 04:50:14 PM
That probably explains why I saw one a couple of weeks ago carrying a conker (still in it's case, not on a string!) that must have been four times the size of its head.
Roger
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I made a comment (on the Brushes thread, 31st Oct 2011) about "good breeding season or migratory influx ?" when I had a bumper Jay count on walk round ....... found this reply off Vic Chatterton had plenty of food for thought ..........
Interesting comment on Jays. It would also be interesting to know if anyone else has noticed a build up in numbers. Our bird rufitergum and the Irish race hibernicus are mostly sedentary but mainland European birds glandarius can be eruptive migrants in large numbers to this country at very infrequent intervals. The last time being in 1983 when I recall Jays everywhere in Autumn in the Hyde area. Telling them apart in the field is nigh on impossible but I do remember being told that several birds shot in the area were "continental birds". It is thought that the eruptions are caused by the failure of the acorn crop on the continent.
They seem to have had a good breeding season this year, that combined with number which have potentially come from abroad (assuming they have also done well) we are enjoying a good 'jay year', much like Waxwing 'eruptions'.
Most notably for me, a flock of 25 birds over the south york moors, high and heading roughly SW a few weeks ago.
Worth watching the bird obs blogs for large numbers reported on passage.
Early Autumn is a good time to see this normally quite shy bird. They are regularly see flying high cross country and occasionally it is possible to make out a bulge below the beak. This is because Jays visit Oak trees at this time of the year to gather acorns to cache for Winter. It's amazing how many they can carry. I once counted a Jay taking 25 loose peanuts at one time from a garden feeder!
Usually at Elton, you can go weeks - even months - without seeing one, but recently I've seen them nearly every time i've been there. Often several - with a flock of SEVEN birds a couple of weeks ago. I suspect they are preparing for winter - collect acorns and other foodstuffs any busily storing them.
-- Edited by Paul Wilson on Wednesday 8th of October 2014 07:24:03 PM
Is it just me or do Jay's seem to be everywhere at the minute? I know I haven't posted any as single species sightings, and that is mainly due to me driving a 7.5 tonner at the time so not the best of ideas. I usually get distracted with work phone calls (yes hands free) and concentrating on road conditions.
In the last 3 or 4 weeks since I started to realise, I reckon I've probably seen around 40 with ease. Mostly flyovers on the M60, M62, M61, M602, most of the major A Roads, and in various locations, Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Bury, Bolton, Swinton, Prestwich, to name but a few GM sightings, but also seen them en route to some of my further out deliveries such as Leeds and The Lakes, and at some of my recent birding trips aswell, and chances are I see them daily and more than 1 sighting.
I've had low flyovers... - near our depot in Reddish - 3 in Denton recently - 1 near Denton Golf Club, - 1 almost over our Dane Bank garden - the 3rd near Haughton Dale / The Lowes Arms - 1 flyover Hyde Rd towards the Apollo in Ardwick - 7 today alone, en route to Bowness... including over the M61 again near Westhoughton, then 1 near the Reebok, 1 near Sizergh Castle, 2 together faffing about in low branches along one of the country lanes virtually in Bowness, then a singles over the M6 near Lancaster.
Has anyone else noticed it, and is there a reason for it such as a good breeding year or is it purely coincidental that its a case of right time right place??? Cheers Rob
-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Thursday 9th of October 2014 04:37:38 PM
