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Wildlife welfare comes before any photograph.

Sightings from eBird
Weather by Open-Meteo
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Songbird

Steller's jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

A bold, crested blue-and-charcoal jay common in conifer forests, parks and yards across Whatcom and Skagit counties.

Seasonality

Peaks in October, November. Resident all year; most conspicuous in fall when it's busy caching food.

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Behavior

Noisy and curious, it often comes in to investigate people on forest trails.
Caches seeds and nuts in fall, flying back and forth along regular routes.
Can mimic the scream of a red-tailed hawk.

Photography tips

The deep blue loses detail in harsh light; photograph in open shade or overcast light.
Jays rarely sit still, so use a fast shutter and burst mode.

Field ethics

Don't feed jays on trails; it habituates them and draws them to other birds' nests.

Where to look

Whatcom Falls ParkWhatcom County · Peaks in October, November
Stimpson Family Nature ReserveWhatcom County · Peaks in October, November
Barrell Springs WetlandsSkagit County · Peaks in October, November