Two is for Mirth

Observer: Eloise Bacher
Date: 7 October, 2008
Time: 1225-1240
Location: Bridge between Goudy and Smith.
Weather: Sunny, a slight breeze, some clouds.

I’ve see this Scrub Jay before, I think s/he was the one that screamed at me a few weeks ago in this spot, from the small twisted tree by Smith. Now he’s on top of the rock next to the bridge and the Mill Stream, alarming again. I can see bands on his left leg; one of them is red. I get out my camera, but s/he’s too quick for me and flies across the path and into a tree. S/he starts out low on the tree, but continues hopping up, in and out of sight, until I can’t hear or see hir anymore. It seems like s/he’s disappeared completely, but then I see hir at the top of a tree a little ways down the path. Then s/he flies away again, back into hir original tree. I circle around the tree to see if I can find hir, and two crows fly through the tree, heavily flapping their wings. The jay is on the ground on the other side of the stream, pecking at the dirt.

Birds and Food Gathering

Observer: Eloise Bacher

Date: 20 September, 2008

Time: 1452-1509

Location: Mill Stream/Botanical Garden

Weather: Cloudy, no breeze.

I'm sitting on one of the large cut pieces of tree right near the bridge that leads to East Side. It's pretty secluded here; I haven't seen anyone come through yet. It also feels a little more natural, like this part of the Mill Stream would be this way even if campus wasn't here. There are a couple female Mallards wandering around a ways away, poking their beaks into the dirt and munching on something. Across the stream I can see a squirrel digging in the dirt as well, and a Scrub Jay that has something in hir beak. Looks like the animals are settling in for fall/winter. Does this mean actual fall weather is going to start soon? The Scrub Jay looks at me sideways and flys off with hir food. The ducks have wandered further away, and the squirrel continues digging frantically, but in a different place.

*Photo courtesy of http://buildyourownbirdhouseplans.com/images/Scrub%20Jay%20with%20prize%20by%20WIlliam%20G.%20Mancebo.jpg