Saturday, April 26, 2014

Whatever A Blue Jay Feels

Quotes about bluejays by Mark Twain

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There's more to a bluejay than any other creature.




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He has got more moods, and more different kinds of feelings than other creatures; and mind you, whatever a bluejay feels, he can put into language.




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And no mere commonplace language, either, but rattling, out-and-out book talk - and bristling with metaphor, too - just bristling!




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Now I've never heard a jay use bad grammar but very seldom.




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And when they do, they are as ashamed as a human.




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They shut right down and leave.




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A jay will lie, a jay will steal, a jay will deceive, a jay will betray.




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And four times out of five, a jay will go back on his solemnest promise.




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The sacredness of an obligation is a thing which you can't cram into no bluejay's head.




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Now, on top of all this, there's another thing; a jay can out-swear any gentleman in the mines.




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And there's yet another thing; in the one little particular of scolding - just good, clean, out-and-out scolding - a bluejay can lay over anything, human or divine.




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Yes, sir, a jay is everything that a man is.




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A jay can cry, a jay can laugh, a jay can feel shame, a jay can reason and plan and discuss.




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A jay likes gossip and scandal.


 

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A jay has got a sense of humor, a jay knows when he is an ass just as well as you do - maybe better. It ain't any use to tell me a bluejay hasn't got a sense of humor, because I know better.

Thanks for indulging me with my collection of blue jay photos with accompanying Mark Twain quotes. I think I got them all out of my system. At least until their next flurry of activity.

58 comments:

Cloudia said...

Oh I love this! ♥Aloha

Indrani said...

A friendly group there. Wonderful photo opportunity and you made good use of it.

Karen said...

These are fabulous images!

ADRIAN said...

Stunning photographs and I enjoyed the quotations.

from Madrid said...

It's a real pleasure to see the photos of these birds. Thank you very much for showing them.

Tomás.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

quite a wonderful pic, them together, but then they argue!

Theresa said...

well, nothing like being in Blue Jay Way!
We get jays that are just as interesting only they look a bit different. Stellar Jays.
I miss seeing the handsome Eastern type jays, so thank you for the lovely photos and commentary.

joeh said...

My mom always called the Jays "New Yorkers" harsh and aggressive but fun to have around.

yaya said...

When Squeak was younger and more of a hunter she would leave little "gifts" every so often on the door step. I'd be mad if it was a Cardinal or Robin...but if it was a Blue Jay I just figured they got in an argument and Squeak won..hmmmm. Love the pics! You can really see all those qualities Twain did in his quotes! Very fun!

DJan said...

What a great collection of jay photos and sayings. I enjoyed it very much, Hilary. I am still smiling. :-)

Anonymous said...

I was happy for all the blue this morning as the blue sky is missing around these parts.

Anonymous said...

Wonderful series of photos showing the moods of the bluejays.

TexWisGirl said...

loved twain's narrative to go along with your marvelous shots! such great interaction you caught.

and you DO have a pack of them there!

Red said...

So Mark Twain must have been a birder! He certainly knew blue jays.I'm wondering if he wrote this in one of his novels or a short piece of some kind. Great stuff from Twain and super photos.

Tammie Lee said...

such a joy to see these!
wonderful to read the quotes and consider with the glimpses you've captured. sweet weekend to you.

Rob-bear said...

Those Jays are such fun, Hilary. We get them out west, but not as many as back east. Of course, we get the Grey Jays here, which I suspect you get, too.

Blessings and Bear hugs!

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

this study on BlueJays is excellent. They have got to be the most ornery birds ever. We don't have this species here....ours are mountain jays but....same song different verse.

stephen Hayes said...

You've really made these blue jays come alive for me. Incredible pictures worthy of National Geographics.

Rosaria Williams said...

Oh my! You have been watching those birds...

Out on the prairie said...

You saw an entire family it seems. Great captures

photowannabe said...

Those quotes are so right on. Mark Twain can really tell it like it is.
We have had a couple of Jays having the same "discussions" in our backyard. Noisy, fascinating and so full of character.
Love, love, love the photos, especially the one of the two chest to chest in full bravado mode.

Dawning Inspiration said...

What beautiful birds! Love yours shots and captures!!

messymimi said...

You and Mr. Twain have captured the jay perfectly!

Lisa Gordon said...

Hilary, these are gorgeous photographs!
Have a wonderful weekend.

Tabor said...

These are truely stunning! You have done a perfect job of capturing their personality.

Unknown said...

Without question, these beautiful birds signal the beginning of spring and summer for me. Beautiful photographs, Hilary!

Jenn Jilks said...

These are amazing photos! I love the commentary. They are wicked things, though. Big bullies at our feeder!
(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

Oh, this was priceless. The photos are fabulous, and the quotes made me smile.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Amazing pictures.Blue Jays are beautiful and your pictures prove that.

Maggie May said...

I've never seen such stunning birds and you have captured them so professionally. They look so intelligent as well as beautiful.
You are lucky to have captured them while they were behaving so naturally.
Maggie x

Nuts in May

Anvilcloud said...

Love them and seldom see them at length or as congregated as this. Really well done.

ellen abbott said...

I didn't read the quotes but I really enjoyed the pictures. I love bluejays. We only have a few here and they are very skittish. hard to get a photograph.

Mage said...

Simply lovely rich stuff all together. Yes, I love jays, but I delight in mocking birds too. :)

Camera. G bought another just like mine for 80 bucks on eBay. It had an electrical contact problem, and it had obviously been really well used. He fixed the electrical problem, and I am back in business. :)

Bob Bushell said...

I love your Blue Jays, their movements, the colour and above that, they are excellent photos. Thank you Hilary.

Liz Mays said...

The detail in your photos is really amazing. This is a lovely post and the way you characterized them was perfect.

Daryl said...

that was delightful

Rita said...

I so totally enjoyed this!! It was delicious!! :)

A jay will also peck a human in the head to drive it away from a nesting spot. My aunt will attest to the fact that head wounds bleed like the dickens and frighten unsuspecting wives. ;)

Slamdunk said...

Wonderful shots Hilary--looks like you caught quite the show there.

I have not seen any jays around our feeders yet, the squirrels and mourning doves are regulars right now though.

lime said...

wow! you've got some amazing shots there. i have to say the one with his wings spread and squawking right into the face of another...that's the one that impresses me most. so much feeling in that one!

since we put up our feeder mr lime gets upset when the jays come as they drive away the little birds. the family is tired of me defending the jays by saying, "they are part of the ecosystem!"

Andy said...

Beautiful storyboard photos and amusing narrative.

Anni said...

Your jay photos are 'to die for' beautiful. And the added bonus of Twain quotes is perfection.

I enjoyed this.
Hope someday you'll consider adding your bird photo links to my Bird D'Pot meme that opens each Saturday and runs all week 'til a new linking tool begins.

Gail Dixon said...

So many assembled in one place! Your use of Twain's words along with the BEAUTIFUL photos is sheer perfection. Love this!

Suldog said...

From "Roughing It", as I recall? Great stuff!

Sharon Wagner said...

Boy, they are the bluest bird that isn't really blue at all. As smart as they are beautiful.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Wonderful! You've certainly brightened my day! I'll never look at a jay the same way again.

Anonymous said...

How very gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

Their color is probably the prettiest blue in nature. They really do have attitudes that no other birds have. TOTAL JERKS sometimes.... LOL

A Cuban In London said...

What an inspiring and beautiful post! :-) I loved the photos.

Greetings from London.

Crabby McSlacker said...

Great job capturing those jays, so pretty! So easy to overlook the beauty of the more common birds in daily life; takes a skillful eye like yours to highlight that beauty and remind us to take a moment and really look!

Anonymous said...

Thank you for this! Amazing how his words seemed to be written just for your gorgeous photos. You truly captured them!

Betty Manousos said...

such stunning bird photos!
great play of light and shadow.

i love the commentary. loved your delightful post my friend!
xoxo

Anita said...

You and Mark Twain did such a fabulous job at showcasing the Blue Jay, that I had to click over to an ornithology link to hear their calls.

Leah J. Utas said...

Excellent.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

You and Mark Twain do know your Blue Jays, that is for certain. I've heard them swear up a blue streak!

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

...better to flip those two sentences around, lest you think I've actually met Mark Twain!

Jenn Jilks said...

They are amazing shots!

Bossy Betty said...

These were wonderful! I especially love the one of Skitty!!!!

L. D. said...

I posted a bluejay. One single jay, we may have only one pair. I am so jealous of all your birds and they certainly gave you a lot of action shots.