Tag Archives: Steller’s Jay

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Craig Tooley spotted this Spotted Towhee feeding her hungry chick. The chick is on the right, with its beak open wide.

Here's a photo of a Spotted Towhee taken some years ago by Bill Frizzell. They are beautiful birds that love to search for seeds, berries and insects on the ground. We often see them at our place, underneath the bird feeder. The Steller's Jays often knock seed out of the feeder, thus helping out the Spotted Towhees.

To hear their various calls, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Spotted_Towhee/sounds

The third call on their list, the California recording, is what I often hear.

Thanks to Craig and Bill for allowing me to share their photos with you here. To see much more of Craig's nature photography, here is the link to his website: www.ruffimage.com

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Two big Jays call the Mendonoma Coast home. Robert Scarola had one of each species land on his fence recently. First is the distinctive Steller's Jay.

And below is a Western Scrub Jay. Both jays love black sunflower seeds so it is easy to attract them to your bird feeder. For the past three years we have had a Steller's Jay nest in a big bush of Laurel. By the time the babies emerge, they are nearly the size of the adults.

Thanks to Robert for allowing me to show you the two common Jays of the Coast.

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On Mondays I like to post a fun picture, one that might make you smile. Hal Fogel recently sent me a photo that made me smile. Two Townsend's Chipmunks appear to be in a race, with the Steller's Jay watching from the sidelines. Hal titled his photo "at the races!"

The fog drew back today and that yellow thing in the sky - the sun! - appeared for the first time in days. This would be a good week to visit the Mendonoma Coast.