Blue Jays are one of my favorites. They come with their flock or brood depending on the time of year. They are very vocal. They let one another know what is happening. If I come out to fill the feeders, the blue jays let all the birds know. When they come to the feeders they carry extra food back with them to eat later or to share with their young or mate. First they fill up the space in their throat that is made just for this task. You can see their throat expand as they fill the little compartment up with the food. Once it is full, they neatly line up all the seeds they fit in their beak. It is really something to watch.
The young are the same size as the adults by the time they make their first appearance at the feeder. You'll identify them easily by the way they maneuver around the feeders. They tend to be a bit clumsy. They also lack the clack line across their neck and they have a lighter shade around their eye that creates a wide eyed look. They also flap their wings in the manner seen above, as do other fledglings, to get their parents attention so that they will feed them.
