glad to see some interest among out list about birds.
there are three species of bluebirds in the north american continent. they
are eastern, western, and mtn. bluebirds. the eastern species is found
mainly east of the rockies, the western found in the north and southwest,
and the mtn bluebird range from alaska to southwest. where you live kate
the western and mtn bluebirds overlap during the winter. so it is quite
possible, even this time of the year, that you saw a mtn. bluebird. male
mtn. blues are all blue, western blues have rusty breasts, and the females
of both species look alike.
blue jays, there are 6 species of jays in north america. gray,
stellar's, blue,scrub,graybreasted, and pinyon. the blue jay is not
normally found in calif. something about them not being able to get over
the sierras for whatever reason. the two most common jays in calif. are
stellar's (higher elevations) and scrub jay (found everywhere but the
sierras.) chances are you saw a scrub jay (crestless head, blue wings head
and tail, back has a brownish patch). scrub jays are very adaptable
creatures very much like crows. i haven't heard the stories about the jays
on santa cruz island being successful to the point where they grow to the
size of pheasants---------kinda dubious to the story, since size is often
attributed to genetics.
happy birding and take care gene
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kakki" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Kate Bennett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 12:35 AM
Subject: Re: birds njc
> Kate wrote:
>
> >the other day i saw a bluebird which i thought was unusual...its the jays
> that are so common around here...
>
> That IS unusual - they are usually only found in Northern California or
> maybe way up high in the mountains. Have you heard about the blue jays on
> Santa Cruz Island? Because they have no predators there they have become
> giants, two to three times larger than those on the mainland. It's a
> crackup to see them - they almost look like blue pheasants!
>
> My best friend is a complete bird nut - always with binoculars wherever
she
> goes. One time while she was visiting LA she said "look a flock of
> parrots!" I thought "yeah right" but sure enough they were. There are
> thousands of them and other tropical birds on the loose in LA - domestic
> escapees and runaways who have found each other and flocked together!
>
> Kakki
