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Jumping Jays at Jackson Park



Carolinabirders:
Last week I saw an usual sight for me.  I was walking down the "Warbler
Trail which runs north of the main road in Jackson Park (Hendersonville,
NC).  Harvey (I apologize for not knowing his last name.) noticed a group of
six Blue Jays sitting in a tight group.  One would vocalize a series that is
not a cry or typical call nor an immitation of a hawk, and give a little
jump as it gave the 2 second call;  immediately another soloist would repeat
the call and the jump.  Various jays would do this as the spirit moved them.
They kept this up at least five minutes perhaps longer.  We speculated that
this was an impromptu meeting of the home owners association of Jays setting
up the basic zoning rules, or perhaps there was a fair maiden among the
group who was being courted by these amorous but surprisingly civil males.
Yesterday, in the swamp a little further up the trail we saw two male robins
go at each other with the vehemence of knights of old clawing and flapping
and almost hitting the ground.

Yesterday, Harvey decided that we were going to find a Blue-headed Vireo
(which had been sighted by another birder about a week ago, he said) along
the Bottomland trail on the north side of the main road above the Nature
Trail loop.  And I quietly thought to myself is that before we see the
Jackass Penguin or after the Pterydactyl?

But you know what?  Just below the administration building.  Harvey pointed
out to a tree beyond the stream and there was a beautiful Blue-headed Vireo!
Capping off the delight in seeing a yearbird for me, a Brown Creeper.

I guess we are moving from act one of nature's grand play known as Spring
Migration.  From the initial waterbird arrivals into the passerine arrivals
climaxing(at least for me)  with the arrival of the warblers.

John Lindfors
mailto: JLindfors@msn.com
Hendersonville, North Carolina