Jays in Kilmore

Tina and Keith’s Jays

Well done: the video footage shows two birds which are indeed Jays and part of an interesting phenomenon that has occurred this winter. Jays are normally fairly common further inland away from the coast eg around Loch Awe, but uncommon around the coast. There appears to have been an influx of these corvids from either inland Scotland or possibly Scandinavia and Russia during the autumn, therefore swelling the numbers here. Weather is often a factor, but in this case Western Europe experienced a very mild autumn, so the most likely explanation could be a shortage of food e.g. acorns. Anyway for whatever reason enjoy these beautiful birds and their raucous calls, for they will eventually return east in the spring.

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