Pale

It is rare that we don't have blue jays visiting the feeders every day, so I sometimes forget how pretty they are.  Oh sure, they are loud and raucous, just like most members of the Corvid family (think crows and ravens and magpies), but they are also very clever and quite comical to watch.  This particular jay is recognizable because of how faint his/her "chin strap" is.  In fact, the bird is rather pale overall in comparison to most of the other blue jays.  I think of it a "she" although there is no way to tell in the field; and I think she is very pretty indeed in her understated way.  She is rather low in the hierarchy of her group, always backing off to allow others to go first.  No, it's not because she's polite - it's because there is a distinctive pecking order within the flock.  

My poor Hubs is still sick, definitely a rebound of Covid.  Fortunately he is not as sick as the first round but he's definitely tired of being sick.  

During my short time in my hide today, I saw the lovely Sapsucker visit the suet feeder - it's nice to know that he has settled in here for the time being. And why not since we have everything he needs to successfully overwinter - lots of sap-trees, suet and fresh water.  I watched him drilling his precise little holes in one of out pine trees a few days ago - sapsucker holes are easy to id because they are very small and made in long straight lines around the trunk.  Not harmful to the tree, but a good source of both sap and insects for the bird.  

Had a nice chat with my niece this morning.  She, my nephew and all three kids have had a full round of illnesses over the holidays including strep for 2 of them and a stomach bug for all.  I can't imagine trying to juggle all of that!  She is still also working through what it means to have cancer - to have to check the "yes" box to that question.  I don't have any terribly insightful answers or advice, but I can listen and certainly empathize.  

I am enjoying a spoonful of dark sea-salt tahini at the moment.  Thanks to wrperry for turning me onto this culinary delight!

xo
Debbi