Exposed On RedGage: Pics Of NAKED Chicks
MrBill posts pics
of naked chicks
on RedGage!!!
My Naked Chicks
[a photo exposè ]
~ or ~
Naked as a Jaybird
First off ... APRIL FOOLS !!! (-;
... maybe you have heard of Snowbirds , those retired folks that winter in warmer climes such as Arizona, Southern California, and Florida, and then return to their more northernly and cooler homestates for the summer months. The term - Snowbird - comes from the migratory habits of real birds that tend to seek warmer places to winter and cooler locales for nesting and the summer season.
Here in Tahoe, I play host to some real snowbirds ... I would like to introduce you to my seasonal roommates - the Jaybirds! This is the third year that the Jays - Mister and Momma - have set up housekeeping for the spring and summer at my front door. Their first spring in Tahoe they built a nest (a very messy construction project from my point of view) on the protected area of the exposed beam under the eave of the roof just a couple feet from the top of my front door.It was nice to have some unexpected company for the season, inspite of the mess they made getting settled in for summer in Tahoe. I swept up the discarded twigs, clumps of grass, weeds and pine needles Mr.&Mrs. Jay scattered on the porch, and tried not to bother them as they got their nest ready.
That first year, I think a late colder than usual spring kept the eggs from hatching. The Jays returned the next spring. I had only cleaned up a few of the hanging branches and such of their nest, Keeping the nest mostly as they had left it the year before. They settled in with much less fuss and muss that second spring, needing to only do just a little remodeling and add a fresh coat of paint ..er.. mud on the walls to feel at home again. Last spring's weather was more favourable for raising a bird family and four eggs hatched. One little jaybird took an unfortunate swan dive out of the nest (there were rumours he was egged-on by one or more his siblings...) but the other three hatchlings made it to, and graduated from, flight school. Momma and Mister Jay were so proud!
The Jays returned again this spring around the last week of March. I had again saved their nest for them and they quickly settled in and got to doing what Bluejays like to do best ... make little Bluejays! The photo above was taken of Momma Jay sitting on the eggs keeping them warm.
Yesterday, I thought I saw what looked like some shell fragments on the porch. This morning, I noticed that Momma Jay was setting high up on the side of the nest, instead of being in her usual hunkered way down in the nest position she had been in the previous four weeks. Sneeking peeks through window I saw that Mrs.Jay was maintaining her new position when she was at the nest. Watching closer, she was also making frequent trips away from the nest to the outer edges of the lot, leading me to believe the eggs had finally hatched for this year. Seeing her leave this afternoon, I opened the front door a few inches and caught a glimpse of a couple little heads and beaks pointing skyward above the top of the nest ... YEAH! we've got baby Jays!!!
I pushed the door to quitely, and ran to get my camera. Peeking out again, I checked for Momma Jay. She was still grocery shopping for the always hungry youngsters. I tried to step out the door quietly, but the little heads and breaks ducked down in the nest. Dang! Standing on the threshhold of the doorway, I set the focus and zoom on my camera and then held it up over my head and tried to point it in the general direction of the nest. I snapped three quick shots slightly changing the aim. That was enough. Momma came flapping into the entryway, none too happy with me, and with my scoulding I jumped back in the house.
Of the three shots, two are very fuzzy and out of focus, they look a lot like the Sassquatch photos in the Globe and National Inquirer ...hmm... maybe I can sell those pics ... the one was better. Not great composition, and the focus is a little soft. Below, is the photograph that you have been waiting for. The photo that you clicked on this article hoping to see ... the picture of NAKED CHICKS!
...ok... maybe they're not chicks
(what do you call baby bluejays? )
whatever, they are undeniably ...
!!! Naked as a Jaybird !!!
