I once reconned that I’d been to Yosemite National Park once a year until the age of 24. On each trip I was amazed at the unusual blue bird that hung around the campground. It had a scratchy voice. Not a kind bird or a singing bird, but exotic to me. Anything beyond a sparrow or black bird was exotic to me at that time. This bird is the stellers jay and little did I know the birds range is from canada to Nicaragua.

Today, I relish seeing the bird here at my home in Bothell, Washington. they bring back memories and I’m astounded to see it. For many years we saw maybe one every few years. This year they live around the house, screech in the mornings, and feed off our bird feeders. I love it.

Lately, in late afternoon the northern flicker has been coming by and feeding off the suet feeder. This is a bird about the size of the stellers jay with brown spotted coloring. It can have red behind the head and a black bib just below the neck. The northern flicker is a woodpecker. I’ve seen it more interested in the wood branch I put as a landing for birds than the actual suet. A beautiful bird as it flies away with a bright white spot revealed as its wings separate in flight.

today, the stellers Jay and the northern flicker shared the feeders at the same time; one at the suet and the other eating seeds.