Tammie Hache/The Echo
Whiskey Jack Going After Peanut Butter

Once again this week, I noticed an odd behaviour in some Blue Jays:  they sometimes eat paint!  The past 3 winters in a row, I have noticed Blue Jays pecking at the white paint on my neighbour's fence.  I have always been curious about why they do this so I did some research and here's what I found. 
Paint manufacturers have used calcium carbonate, or limestone, as an extender pigment in paint for hundreds of years, making paint a source of calcium.  Research has shown that songbirds need calcium during the breeding season for egg laying and nestling growth but don’t store calcium in their bodies for use in egg formation.  For some reason, Blue Jays appear to require more calcium than other songbirds and apparently Blue Jays, unlike other birds, continue to consume calcium throughout the summer and into fall.  
If you find that Blue Jays are doing any damage to your house or fence paint, try putting out crushed eggshells.  They supply the grit and calcium that the Blue Jays are looking for every winter.  If you decide to offer this, have patience .... it could take a little while before the birds switch over.
It's certainly been a scenic week around here, with the light dustings of snow and frost we've received.  The birds look amazingly beautiful against these backdrops in nature.  You have to be quick with a camera to capture any of it.  As soon as the sun or the wind comes up, it all changes.
In the cold temperatures a few days ago, I was quite amazed to hear a Chickadee singing.  I peeked outside just in time to see the tiny little bird land on the frame of the gazebo on the back deck, all fluffed up in the cold to twice his normal size.  While I watched, he threw his back and sang for all he was worth.  It was wonderful!  It instantly made me think of spring which is the normal time of year that we hear such songs but what a treat for early February, from such a cute little songster.
The past couple of days, we've had a dusting of snow in the morning.  Pine Grosbeaks in particular look so beautiful against the snow.  The red of the males looks more brilliant than usual.  Pine Grosbeaks are very friendly birds that, once they get used to you being there, you can approach pretty closely for great photos.  While you're photographing them, they sometimes serenade you with the most lovely songs and quiet whistles.  Definitely high up on my list of favourite backyard birds.
Evening Grosbeaks are gorgeous too, with their bright flashes of yellow mixed with white and black.  Their song is totally different from their Pine cousins but it is wonderful in its own right.  Very loud, very cheerful ... there is no mistaking when Evening Grosbeaks are in the neighbourhood.  To have a flock of 50 or more at a time (like I used to have at camp) is something to behold.  I don't have quite that many this year but I do see about 25 at a time at my feeders most days.  They are almost always heard before they are seen, even with all windows closed!  Listening to a flock of Evening Grosbeaks first thing in the morning somehow seems to get my day off to a better start.
A tiny flock of Whiskey Jacks has been going around the neighbourhood off and on the past couple of weeks.  I know Carol feeds them wieners and they are VERY faithful visitors to her yard for it but they've discovered the peanut butter log hanging over my back deck and they will do acrobatics to get some!  They will fight the Chickadees and woodpeckers for it too but everybody gets a share.   Male and female Downy and Hairy woodpeckers have been coming around to the peanut butter log this week too.
Don't forget about the Great Backyard Bird Count coming up from February 12th to 15th, all throughout the Frosty Days Winter Carnival weekend.  Count all birds you see at your feeders for 15 minutes on only one day, or 8 hours straight on all four days ... it's your choice. 
Enter your information at this website: http://gbbc.birdsource.org/gbbcApps/input and you can get more information here:    http://www.birdsource.org/gbbc/howto.html   Most of all:  HAVE FUN!  And please let me know what you see.
Happy Sightings from your friendly, neighbourhood Bird Lady
tammie@theecho.ca    826-4561
Please stop in at The Echo to purchase some of my photo note cards ...
they are blank inside for any occasion.


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