Sunday, July 19, 2009

Finally A Blue Jay

If you look closely at these two pictures you can see a bird right in the center of each. The bird is a Blue Jay. Neither of these pictures are very close to the best blue jay pictures you'll ever see, but I don't care right now. This is still a huge accomplishment for me.

You see, I have been chasing blue jays since the beginning of spring, and up until now I've had absolutely nothing to show for it. These pictures may not be much but they're the very best I've been able to do up till now. Always before I've had a few blue blurs, and a few near misses, but no actual identifiable pictures.

I've seen plenty of them flying by me on the forest paths, but they always seem to elude me. The first time I saw one, it flew past me into the bushes. I saw it standing there on the branches, but the camera decided it was time to see only green. I guess blue was too much for it.

There were other times where one would fly quickly by me, almost within reach, and the rotten blue bird would just as quickly fly off into the distance. One of those times I watched as the bird landed on a tree just out of reach of the eyes of the camera. In the picture there was a small dark dot instead of this bright blue bird.

Another time there was a bird that flew in front of me on the trail. It kept landing in the trees just behind branches so I couldn't get a picture. As I would get close, it would fly a little farther away only to repeat what it did before. I'm sure it was teasing me. When I did finally get the pictures, they came out as eye jarring blurs! Aarrggg!!!

Now you get a hint at the feeling of accomplishment I have at getting these not so good pictures of a blue jay. This is actually the fourth one I saw on this very same path. These birds seem to be everywhere I go, but they are some of the most elusive creatures for me. I'm still feeling pretty frustrated, but right now that feeling is mixed with a great deal of satisfaction. Ahh progress! I love it.

17 comments:

  1. It is hard to see but I know it is there.

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  2. That's a difficult assignment and a frustrating hunt.. I mean, they're there and getting a perect shot is not easy... Grrrr!

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  3. I faintly see it in the first image but i see the flick that it's there .. :)

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  4. The blue jay is playing hide and seek with you, that's all!

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  5. What the same experience!! I have placed all those into recycle bin. Emptied. And good-bye.Aarrggg!!

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  6. what blue jay is to you is like the roadrunner to me, i always see it, but everytime i prepare my camera to shoot, it would disappear from my sight. until now, i don't have any picture of it :(

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  7. I know how it feels like to get the picture that we want. Can't be describe by words.
    Congratz Ratty for capturing Blue Jay :)

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  8. i see the bird pretty good in the first picture. that's awesome that you were able to finally get that little guy! i have a blue jay story. this was many years ago, but i remember it well as it was the strangest thing. i was out hanging my clothes on the line and a blue jay flew in and sat on top of the post watching me. i thought that maybe if i get some bread i could feed it. so i went back into the house, got a piece of bread, and proceeded to break it into little pieces. i sat on the ground and held my hand out with the bread in it and that blue jay came right over to me and started eating the bread out of my hand! it kind of freaked me out a little and i dropped the bread on the sidewalk. after he finished eating the bread he started pecking on my toe! that was it for me...lol, time to go back into the house. i had a chance to feed him one other time, and then was told that i should be careful as they can be a mean bird. just thought i would share that with you. have a great day ratty!

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  9. He may be a little difficult to see but he's exceptional.

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  10. Kruel - It's very hard to see. I'm just glad I didn't decide to post those blurry pictures I had of a blu jay.
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    Rojenu - One day I will get a good shot of one of these birds, but until then it's one of the most frustrating things ever.
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    Webbielady - Yeah, it's very hard to see, but I'm glad to say that it is there.
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    Icy BC - That blue jay is playing the game very well.
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    Rainfield - I've placed very many into the recycle bin too. Many more than I even talk about.
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    Betchai - At least we both get to see our birds before they disappear. Not getting the picture is frustrating, but we at least have the memories.
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    VanillaSeven - This has been a difficult one. It's only half a victory, but it is still a victory.
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    PJ - That was a great story. It reminds me of my incident with the raccoons. I guess neither one of us knew what we were getting ourselves into.
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    Poetic Shutterbug - Yeah, he was a nice looking bird. It was actually fun chasing him and getting even these pictures.

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  11. What has happened to all of the Blue Jays? I moved from GA to FL to NC and I haven't seen one since I left GA 14 years ago.

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  12. Mac - I think all of your blue jays have moved to Michigan so they can all make fun of me. :)

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  13. That is too weird. I almost got a picture of one yesterday that would have looked exactly like yours! They are so noisy, and yet so sneaky.

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  14. Sharkbytes - I'm usually too busy chasing them to notice the sounds they make. Maybe if I slowed down and listened for once. You should have tried for the picture. Maybe it would have been even better.

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  15. I was out on one of my geocaching adventures yesterday and while, I did not see a bluejay, I did pick up a pretty bluejay feather - standing up in the middle of the saying "take me!"

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  16. Your blue jay frustration and joy is like a moose is for me.
    I am lucky in that my bluejays come right to my feeders so I can get pictures of them...but I have only seen 3 moose in my life up here...and as you know from my blog...when I got the one chance to get a photo of one, I didn't have my camera battery with me. UGGHHHHH!
    Good for you, to see your elusive bluejay and finally capture them on film.
    I know you will get another chance...you will see!

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  17. Mike - A feather is closer than I've been to a blue jay yet. That would be a good prize that my niece, who loves feathers, might want to kill me for.
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    The Retired One - I think you'll get another chance at a moose too. Something similar for me is seeing a male deer, or a deer with antlers.

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