Jays

trebor28 · 27-10-2010 6:09pm #1

anyone got any decent pics of jays?

saw a pair of birds today, the only ones i think that come near are jays.
i only got a second or two to view them, they scarppered as soon as i came through a gap.
they looked most black, about the size of a magpie, white rump with a pinky brown brest/belly. they flew similar to a magpie too, seemed very shy too.
would jay be right?
from looking at pics online they seemed too dark to be jays, but maybe they just seemed darker cause they were flying away, if you understand me.

Feargal as Luimneach · 27-10-2010 7:04pm

Quite possibly Jays. Were they noisy? Jays are very vocal. They are extremely shy and it's often hard to get good views. They tend to jump around the tops of trees when people are around.

trebor28 · 27-10-2010 7:28pm

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Quite possibly Jays. Were they noisy? Jays are very vocal. They are extremely shy and it's often hard to get good views. They tend to jump around the tops of trees when people are around.

they were making that harsh sound similar to a magpie.
they didnt seem to be hopping around trees, just trying to get far enough away from me.

i think i saw the same pair earlier that year from a distance and all i saw was black bird with a white rump, the only similar bird i could find from a book then was a siberian thrush.
i couldnt make out the pinky brown breast then so was really confused.

Judgement Day · 27-10-2010 7:34pm

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/j/jay/index.aspx

trebor28 · 27-10-2010 7:52pm

Judgement Day wrote: »

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/j/jay/index.aspx

yeah i checked them out there, but they seem very "pink" there to what i saw.

p.s.

there was an oak tree only 20 or 30 yards away from where i saw them first. might be another indicator.

Feargal as Luimneach · 27-10-2010 8:05pm

trebor28 wrote: »

yeah i checked them out there, but they seem very "pink" there to what i saw.

p.s.

there was an oak tree only 20 or 30 yards away from where i saw them first. might be another indicator.

If the light was bad, the pinkish breast will appear much darker. Check out the call of the Jay on the site which Judgement day gave, it might give you a good indicator as well.

trebor28 · 27-10-2010 8:32pm

i might revisit this location, again tomorrow or the day after.
its very accessible, but very quiet.
if i take my bins and a camera, who knows what i might get.

MB Lacey · 28-10-2010 9:44am

hey trebor - attached is a photo I got of a Jay last winter. I wouldn't think 'dark' seeing a Jay though.

but I've just looked and I also have a more far away photo of a Jay, where I suppose it does look a little 'dark'
It won't let me upload the photo here (says it's too large) so here's the link to my blog post - Jay in tree is third last photo. I took that pic a couple of weeks ago in phoenix park.
Jays are goregous birds to see.
http://drimnaghbirdwatch.wordpress.com/2010/10/12/phoenix-park/

trebor28 · 28-10-2010 11:09am

well im still confused.
either it was a jay and because it was flying away from me all i saw was dark, from the tail and wings with a small bit of pinky/brown.
or it was some other bird that i dont know about and is extremely rare here.

would have to go with option one i suppose.

trebor28 · 28-10-2010 4:26pm

i headed out earlier to check for these birds again, bins in tow.
down to the same spot i saw the yesterday.

its a strange location cause there is a small little paddock with a stream on one side, its surrounded by trees, and at either end are small groups of trees.
i was walking along and there was lots of magpies, blackbirds, chaffinches etc around. then i heard them.
they were at the far side of a biggish oak tree.
i saw two birds flying away from the back of said tree, couldnt make them out.

so i headed in that direction.
problem was a was heading into the trees at one end which had, white-thorns, ash, birch, oak, etc in it so i was doing well just to keep the eyes in my head let alone see them.
then one doubled back on me in the direction i came. had assumed the other lad was ahead of me but didnt know where. so i doubled back to see if i could see him, but to no avail.

i walked around the whole area for the next few mins but no sign.

i counted about six oak trees in that small area.

if i had someone with me coming from the other side we might be able to figure out what they were.

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-10-2010 5:37pm

trebor28 wrote: »

i headed out earlier to check for these birds again, bins in tow.
down to the same spot i saw the yesterday.

its a strange location cause there is a small little paddock with a stream on one side, its surrounded by trees, and at either end are small groups of trees.
i was walking along and there was lots of magpies, blackbirds, chaffinches etc around. then i heard them.
they were at the far side of a biggish oak tree.
i saw two birds flying away from the back of said tree, couldnt make them out.

so i headed in that direction.
problem was a was heading into the trees at one end which had, white-thorns, ash, birch, oak, etc in it so i was doing well just to keep the eyes in my head let alone see them.
then one doubled back on me in the direction i came. had assumed the other lad was ahead of me but didnt know where. so i doubled back to see if i could see him, but to no avail.

i walked around the whole area for the next few mins but no sign.

i counted about six oak trees in that small area.

if i had someone with me coming from the other side we might be able to figure out what they were.

Persist, try and go as early as possible. Make sure and be as quiet as possible. Don't walk into the open, they will see you and fly off. Follow the hedges using them as cover.

trebor28 · 28-10-2010 5:44pm

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

Persist, try and go as early as possible. Make sure and be as quiet as possible. Don't walk into the open, they will see you and fly off. Follow the hedges using them as cover.

thanks for the advice but it'll be hard to see them in this location.

if i approach from one side they can just fly a few yard to the next ditch, then fly along that ditch to another ditch at right angles to that again.
all in a few seconds while im struggling to get through the first ditch.
and ill see is a quick flash of them passing past a gap in the trees.

its a great location but one probably better for a hide etc.

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-10-2010 5:54pm

If you persist trust me you will see them properly. You have seen these birds twice in this location. It's likely this area is their home terriorty. I would be 90% sure these birds are jays. You nearly have to stalk these lads.

littlebug · 28-10-2010 6:39pm

Trebor listen to the Jay sound file on the rspb website a few times before you go out. They really make quite a racket which I think is quite distinctive from that of the magpie. I pretty much stalked a pair (of Jays

) in the woods a while back following the general direction of the noise. The closer I got the quieter they got. I could see them hopping about at the tops of the trees and pointed the camera at full zoom in their direction though. This was the best shot I got. It's not great and it's heavily cropped but it's undoubtedly a Jay which I was very happy to get. I hear them everytime I'm at the same location but that was the only time I managed to get any kind of view of them at all.

EF29DDAAFFAE4451BFC415F66101340B-0000331913-0002000513-00500L-D85A8A7FFC794E78B5274C1CBDDBD2DE.jpg

trebor28 · 28-10-2010 10:16pm

actually how territorial are jays?

if i downloaded a jay call onto my phone and went to this location, and played it would they approach looking to see where the "jay" was?

Feargal as Luimneach · 28-10-2010 10:38pm

trebor28 wrote: »

actually how territorial are jays?

if i downloaded a jay call onto my phone and went to this location, and played it would they approach looking to see where the "jay" was?

Would help I'd say. Never used it with a jay though....

Jay777 · 29-10-2010 9:26pm

Irish jays are darker than those in Britain, so may in reality look darker than the pictures in your bird books. http://www.birdsireland.com/pages/site_pages/features/jay.html

trebor28 · 30-10-2010 1:51pm

Feargal as Luimneach wrote: »

If you persist trust me you will see them properly. You have seen these birds twice in this location. It's likely this area is their home terriorty. I would be 90% sure these birds are jays. You nearly have to stalk these lads.

nothing wrong with my stalking anyway.

got to with in 10 feet of a hen pheasant, frightened the **** out of me when it left.

still no conformation though.

LostCovey · 01-11-2010 7:46am

trebor28 wrote: »

actually how territorial are jays?

if i downloaded a jay call onto my phone and went to this location, and played it would they approach looking to see where the "jay" was?

They have to be Jays.

A few relevant things about Jays
- they won't come to recordings of the call, I have tried often enough
- the Irish Jay subspecies is a much duller, darker, and unfortunately shyer version of the UK one
- they love peanuts. Keep feeding small amounts in the same place.

LostCovey

Connacht · 01-11-2010 11:51am

Jay remains (feathers) I came across in Mayo back in spring.

mystique150 · 03-01-2011 2:41am

Jay footage in Waterford

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4thFZ4C85cQ

Tzetze · 07-01-2011 9:27pm

The fan of their tail has a very distinctive large white patch, which matches the OP's earlier description.

Here's a couple of pics I managed to get some time back.

muckish · 07-02-2011 12:53pm

Saw a jay in the back garden this morning. Never seen one in Donegal before so didn't realise we had them up here. Are they common/rare in Donegal? Will post a photo tomorrow when I can get the image off the camera. Luckily I had the camera close by but had to take the photo through the kitchen window. Might need a bit of photoshop to brighten it up!

bunny shooter · 10-02-2011 9:17pm

I know it's not directly related to shooting but ............

Seen one of these today. First one I've ever seen in this country. Anyone else seen any?

Vegeta · 10-02-2011 9:22pm

Yup on the 31st of Jan saw one while out and about. Rare to meet them though

sikastag · 10-02-2011 9:38pm

Have heard them while mooching about in forestry plenty of times. Can be a handy indication that deer or something is moving near ya (If your sitting still!). Only ever seen one. Cryptic little buggers. Did ya take the photo Bunny?

poulo6.5 · 10-02-2011 9:38pm

bunny shooter wrote: »

I know it's not directly related to shooting but ............

Seen one of these today. First one I've ever seen in this country. Anyone else seen any?

they look very similar to a bird i have bin seeing a lot over the past while. noisy feckers, they start what sounds like alarm calling if you approach in their direction. usually when out stalking

243Xpress · 10-02-2011 9:45pm

poulo6.5 wrote: »

they look very similar to a bird i have bin seeing a lot over the past while. noisy feckers, they start what sounds like alarm calling if you approach in their direction. usually when out stalking

Yeah i see them regularly while out stalking.They do Make some racket.Frighten the life out of you when you spook them.Only ever seen them around woodland.

bunny shooter · 10-02-2011 9:56pm

sikastag wrote: »

..........Did ya take the photo Bunny?

No, unfortunately, I didn't have the camera with me and I usually would

Got this picture from a "Google" search. Knew what it was alright and checked in my bird book to be sure.

243Xpress wrote: »

Yeah i see them regularly while out stalking.They do Make some racket.Frighten the life out of you when you spook them.Only ever seen them around woodland.

This one never made any noise, even when I spooked it. It flew very like a magpie. It's a member of the crow family of birds according to my little book. Was intent on rooting through the debris on a forest track and was not too bothered by my presence.

I was delighted to have seen it as it was a first here for me :cool:

Glanton · 10-02-2011 10:10pm

I read about them in some of the english airrifle magazines, they are regarded as big a pest as magpies in some counties there.

Mothman · 10-02-2011 10:54pm

Merged a thread started in shooting forum with our current Jay thread.

Jays are quite partial to acorns and I think to a lesser extent Beech Mast. With the general lack of deciduous woods in Ireland Jays are generally not particularly plentiful.

They certainly like eggs and young birds. I have observed a Jay systematically going through a Beech hedge and raiding the birds nests.

I've also had one on a peanut feeder.

Jays

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