[Douglbirds] Finches & Jays

[Bird Man]

As of early last week I have seen virtually no Lesser Gold Finches at my
thistle feeders.  This summer was great for the number of Lesser Gold
Finches  at the thistle feeders.  Since moving to Franktown 1988 we have not
seen this many Lesser Gold Finches.

On another note, the quantity of Scrub Jays and Steller Jays has been great.
I think I have every Jay in about 1 sq. mile in my yard.  I had a 50# bag of
Valencia Peanuts in the shell that started hatching grain moths.  I decided
to get the bag out of my garage and put the entire 50# bag in bushel baskets
in the front yard.  It took about 30 seconds for the Jays to start coming.
That was a week ago, and now I think they have called in there extended
families.

The Jays quickly ran out of there stash places for seed so are trying to
store them in the most unusual places.  Places such as the end of our
Ponderosa Pine branches next to the pine cones.  The peanuts don't stay
there long as when the wind picks up it blows them down.  They soon come
back to the pine branch to find there stash is gone, squawking like crazy
(probably screaming "who stole my filet mignon!").  Eventually they find it
on the ground under the branch and repeat this on another branch.

Pat Brodbent
Franktown