The Blue Vulture Returns...6 images

[Gary Fairhead]

I witnessed this last year and its happened again to one of the Bluejays. I noticed a couple of weeks ago that one of the jays had a black face....first shot. A few days later the same jay had less head feathers so I think this is the same one albeit now he has lost all head feathers. There are some feathers ( small) growing back in so I expect in a couple of weeks it will all be behind him. The first shot was taken 2 weeks ago and the second about the same time. The remaining blue vulture shots were taken yesterday ( Sunday) in my yard.

Black Faced Jay gets my attention

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/BFBJclose.jpg

A normal looking jay .......quite a beautiful bird really......the next shot may be disturbing to the uninitiated ;)

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/bj2.jpg

:shock: The head looks way to small for the body all of a sudden :shock:

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/blueV.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/BlueV3.jpg

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/BlueV4.jpg

It does appear that feathers are growing back in..........and yes I used peanuts to get him in close for the shots.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/BlueV2.jpg

[Woolburr]

Moulting birds are so ugly...but once they are done:D ...A great series of captures!

[RonnF]

Blue Vulture is pretty apt, Gary. All it needs a different beak. Thanks for the "disturbing to the uninitiated" warning. Very crisp and colorful shots of a very homely Blue Jay.
The red berries look great in the images, though. Too bad a person couldn't get a normal, well feathered and colorful Blue Jay to pose in those surrounding.
I'll watch for the post... ;-)

Ron

[cfcRebel]

I don't mind taking photos of Blue Vulture at all, if he's willing to pose.:lol:

[Gary Fairhead]

Blue Vulture is pretty apt, Gary. All it needs a different beak. Thanks for the "disturbing to the uninitiated" warning. Very crisp and colorful shots of a very homely Blue Jay.
The red berries look great in the images, though. Too bad a person couldn't get a normal, well feathered and colorful Blue Jay to pose in those surrounding.
I'll watch for the post... ;-)

Ron

Thanks Ron.....I am hoping for some decent shots in this tree ( Mountain Ash), Its loaded with berries this year and the Jays and Robins ( Robins started already) will be gulping them down in short order. In the meantime here is a shot taken 1 week ago with the XT and 200 F2.8 1.4xTC combo at 1/160 second at F4.5/ISO 400. These Jays are such posers and they work for peanuts;)

Also thanks to Dan and Fee for looking and commenting:D

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a300/g2a/Ash-berries.jpg

[Anthony J Howe]

The second shot of the Blue jay is a perfect shot Gary with good position and pose of the bird, the crest looks good on the head and a perfect catch-light to the eye and composition is brilliant.
Shame to see the bluejay looking like vultures when they lose their head feathers, but they don't seemed bothers at all as I see in your shots he looks very happy with the peanut in the bill. Apart from the greens in the picture the berries give the images a nice touch.
From your story then I take it that the head colouring is darker before they lose the head feathers?

[Sindri Skulason]

Technically perfect shots. Beautiful surrounding. If the poor bird wasn't in the state it's in...every shot would have been breathtakingly beautiful. Hope its feathers will soon grow back. Excellent shots as always Gary. :-)

[seanm]

Great series there, all very well taken. There is such a contast in beauty between them!

[busbyea]

How can something So UGLY; be SO BEAUTIFUL?
Excellent series.

[Reyno]

What a difference in appearance, excellent captures Gary.

[Gary Fairhead]

From your story then I take it that the head colouring is darker before they lose the head feathers?
__________________


Thats what I think Tony. I told my wife a couple of weeks ago that this bird might lose all its head feathers, a week or so later it has noticeably less head feathers and then this guy shows up...pretty sure its the same bird but the look is so different that I could be wrong. Thanks for looking and commenting.

And thanks to Suri, seanm, Ted and Reyno for taking the time to comment!

[mojo_uk]

HI Gary, Great series yet again.:) The second shot of the Jay fully clothed is a belter of a shot. Does this happen to all Blue Jays every year or do they change plumage from juvenile to adult or is it some sort of parasitic infestation?

[dancinec]

Wonderful series of shots Gary. The blue jays are one we do not have here. I would think that the molting wouldn't occur all at once. The entire head sheds its feathers. Wow. Thanks for sharing.

[Stephen Stephen]

Great series Gary. I guess that I'm going to have to invest in some peanuts. :lol:

The mountain ash is also great for attracting berry loving birds. Well done.

[ZipDude66]

Nice informative series Gary and all nice captures.:) We have 2 of them here but I haven't got around to photograph them yet. Does anyone really know what cause this? I have read molting, mites and other stuff are the cause. I also read that it only happens to feeder birds that are crested but I have photograph a RWB with what appears to have the same issues.

Zip

[Gary Fairhead]

HI Gary, Great series yet again.:) The second shot of the Jay fully clothed is a belter of a shot. Does this happen to all Blue Jays every year or do they change plumage from juvenile to adult or is it some sort of parasitic infestation?

Thanks Mark and I think its a parasite of sort but not 100% on that. Last year was the first time i saw this in one Jay and this year one jay again. The other Jays he is with have not shown any signs. Cardinals are known to be afflicted similarly but I have not seen this in any of the Cardinals visiting my yard.

Stephen the peanuts are loved by the Cardinals and Nuthatches as well and unfortunately the squirrels and chipmunks will try and steal every one of them:rolleyes:

Thanks Dennis and I belive you are correct.......the moulting of body feathers appears to be gradual whereas this head feather loss is pretty dramatic.

Thats interesting info Zip. I did not realize it may be attributed to crested birds but then your own observations on a RWB tempers that somewhat....perhaps 2 different afflictions. Thanks for the comment BTW:D

[tupe]

Fascinating series, Gary. Makes me wonder what vultures might look like with a few more feathers.

[Mitcon]

Fantastic series Gary mate and well done as always. Thats the face only a mothercould lvoe for sure lol. They are really such a striking bird to look at, real stunners. Excellent.

[sando]

Lovely shots. :)