Returned from birding this morning ~ 11:45, and there were 4 Blue Jays on the
deck (uncommon in our yard) scrounging for seeds and suet bits. A female Hairy
Woodpecker came in to have a go at the suet feeder (they land on the deck rail
then leap up to the feeder, which is horizontal). A couple of Blue Jays were
on the rail under the feeder, and the Hairy did not appreciate them not moving
aside. So the wings came out, the neck stretched and she advanced on one of the
Jays. The Jay backpedaled and gave her some room. After the Hairy left, and
pair of Cardinals (male & female) came swooping from the side of the house and
proceeded to chase the Jays around the yard. This repeated several times until
the Jays got the message and lit out. I suspect Cardinals may have a nest near
by.
I had thought that our local Siskin population was waning. Boy was I wrong. At
one point there were 26 Siskins around our deck - on the feeders, in the nearby
tree branches, but most (15) on the ground beneath the feeders.
Scott D. Priebe
Springfield, VA
