Bluejay Down

While feeding the cats their breakfast at Ma Pocock's today, I heard a loud thump. That sort of thump could only mean one thing - a bird flew into a house window. A large bird by the sound of it.

I held the curious cats back as I went outside to investigate.

A bluejay had hit the kitchen window.


The bird, still alive, was clearly dazed. It didn't move with beak
open as I approached slowly.


With nothing obviously broken, I held out hope for the
bird's recovery. The beak slowly closed. A good sign.

Notice the loose white feathers below the black neck ring.
There were a about twenty small feathers on the deck around
the bluejay.

Following standard procedure, I cut open a box and placed an
old, clean towel on the bottom with the intent to place the bird
inside it with a loose top as a sheltered recovery space. The
bird moved its head to look at the box - a good sign.

I put on a new glove and gently began to gather up the bird.
This was enough to rouse the bird into flight. A very good
sign only ten minutes after impact.

The bluejay landed on the nearby deck rail.

It stayed in this exact position, eye lids slowly closing, then
opening. Within 30 minutes the bird was looking slowly to one
side then the other, movements getting quicker.

I checked up on the bird an hour later from a distance and
watched as it hopped a few feet along the rail. Then it
flew up, onto a nearby tree branch.

The crisis passed, the bluejay was back.