Our Blue Jay Situation

We have loved having active nests around the house. It made us so happy to know that baby birds were growing in the nests and while there was one we couldn't see because it was close to the roof (above our slider door, inside the old mount for the antenna back in the day) knowing it had baby Blue Jays was thrilling until....this past week....dun dun dun....

We know Blue Jays have a reputation of being nasty but we hadn't experienced it. Up until last Thursday we lived as one big happy family. Over the week I had watched the babies start sticking their heads over the side of the next. We loved looking up to see them with their mouths open waiting for mom to feed them.

We didn't realize that as the babies got bigger their parents would get nastier. We were living in a bubble.

Thursday I went out to water the plants and ended up going back inside with my ears ringing. The wonderful adult Blue Jays started doing very close drive-bys. Out of nowhere they would come whipping by either side of my head the whole time I was out there. It must have happened 8 times in 3 minutes. I went to the house with my head tucked very low.
 
By Saturday they didn't want us on the deck at all. We didn't know at the time but this means that the babies are getting ready to fly and the parents are making sure they have the chance.

My  husband went out to the deck to sweep and basically enjoy his long weekend when he was hit in the head by an adult Blue Jay that angrily squawked and slammed into him.  Every time we went to the deck Saturday they just yelled and did these ridiculous fly bys. basically warning us.

Sunday we knew the deal, go outside without causing any trouble. Go right to the BBQ an back. We were not allowed to enjoy the deck and if we considered staying they would just squawk and fly around us.  My  husband was hit in the back two times. They fully rushed at him when he went to BBQ...so this brings us to yesterday, Monday.

He decided he would not be kept from BBQ'ing but he had to protect his head and eyes.  He did this by grabbing the Go-Kart helmet and googles. They were  not happy to see him but at least he was protected.

I went to the screened in gazebo and heard a baby fall to the deck. It stayed in the corner and finally started hoping. I had my phone with me so quietly sat and grabbed some photos. Mom and Dad were very close but I thought...just stay put....that was fine until the baby started running toward me.

Adorable yes....but I knew if that baby came into the gazebo mom would come too and that meant a new screen before the Summer even got started. I almost crawled to the house.

It eventually fell off the deck trying to fly and made its way to the creek where it sat for a long time before making it's way to the our neighbors yard. They have dog so I prayed it would be fine but the parents was now very agitated because they had birds in the nest and now this one wandering around.

We were ready for the nest to come out and honestly were ready for that to happen because we will never allow the Jay's to put up another nest on our house and wanted this nest down! Here is the Hub watching from the safety of the screened Gazebo.

Baby #2 fell from the nest about 3 hours later while I was checking email. I heard it land and walked over to the door. It walked over to me and was adorable.

Mama was there too saw me and flew toward the door. I know she is behind glass but she made me nervous so I moved away from the door.

This baby was a better flier than the first one.

We watched it fall off the deck as well.

My husband went out 30 minutes later to see if he could see it where it had fallen and was hit in the back by the parents.

2 hours later the babies are gone except for one. There has been no noise so I decided to see if I could see if the baby had safely made it to the ground. I lean over the deck and shock of all shocks I am slammed fully in the back of the head with the entire body of the bird. It hurt! I screamed "OUCH". Honestly I was completely taken off guard. There was no indication it just came from nowhere, no squawk, no flapping or fly-bys just clubbed in the back of the head with an immediate headache. I thought...great...concussion by Blue Jay.

I went to take a shower because I felt like I  had bird germs in my hair and decided to stay in for the rest of the day.

The third baby came out of the nest about 7:30 and made it to the ground in front of my house. Hopefully all babies survived last night. I wish them nothing but the best but this will be their last time on my deck! No more Blue Jay nests attached to my house. BESIDES they were super lazy and moved into a nest that was abandoned over five years ago. They didn't build it, they didn't pay rent and I would much rather look at the beauty of the Blue Jay from afar.