The Stellar Steller’s

(Steller’s Jay)

I grew up watching Blue Jays bullying most every other bird that flew into our backyard. In the midwest, that about does it for Jays. But in later years when we began birding in California, Scrub Jays and this fella—a Steller’s Jay—owned the fields and forests near our homes.

Becky and I were on our first camping trip along the coast with no knowledge of Steller’s. Noisy, assertive, and garrulous as groups of them are, it didn’t take long for the jays to make an introduction. They appeared shortly after we opened a loaf of still-warm artichoke bread and began demanding their share.

For us, at the time, two firsts: artichoke bread and Steller’s Jays. Not sure which I liked the best.