Wisconsin Ornithology: Blue Jay Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Wis Kid: As there has been no owner action in the last 30 days, I am regrettably forced to archive this listing.

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Hidden : 5/25/2012
Difficulty:
2 out of 5
Terrain:
3 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Wisconsin Ornithology

This series highlights several of my favorite birds, all of which can be found in Wisconsin. I have found all of the birds included in the series (with one exception). Each cache is somehow related to the highlighted bird. In many cases you will find hints to finding the cache in the information provided about each bird. Each cache is hidden in roughly the environment the bird can be found. None of the caches are hidden in a nesting box or a fake nest (with one exception of a very non-standard nest), so if you find a nest or nesting box—please leave it alone it has nothing to do with the cache.



Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

Along with the Red Headed Woodpecker, the Blue Jay was one of the first two birds that I learned to identify as a child of four or five. I suppose my initial interest in the Blue Jay was due to my first name being Jay. However, I quickly became fascinated by the wide variety of calls that the Blue Jay makes and by its’ ability to mimic a wide variety of sounds. Its’ “rusty pump” call particularly fascinated me. It also frequently mimics the sounds of the Red Tailed Hawk and Red Shouldered Hawk--two of its’ most significant enemies (both hawks frequently kill the relatively slow flying Blue Jay while the Blue Jay is flying over open ground). The Blue Jay’s warning call is widely recognized by other birds who frequently take cover when they hear it. Captive Blue Jays have been known to mimic human speech and the meow of cats. In addition to its’ wide repertory of sounds, the Blue Jay is also an highly effective communicator through body language--especially making use of its’ top notch or crest. In general, the more excited or agitated the Jay is, the more erect its’ crest. Likewise, the crest almost disappears when the bird is very relaxed.

While the Blue Jay is an omnivore eating a wide variety of insects, a rare egg of a smaller bird, an occasional dead or dying small animal, berries, seeds, and nuts; the Blue Jay’s favorite food is the oak acorn. Blue Jays will make small caches of acorns for future use. Mark Twain famously wrote a short story about a Blue Jay trying to fill up a knothole with a cache of acorns, unaware that the knothole was in a board which opened into the large open room of a cabin.

Blue Jays are found throughout the eastern United States and the eastern portion of southern Canada. The Jay’s favorite habitat is the border area of oak forests, but they readily adapt to a wide variety environments. They also adapt well to living with humans in the area--especially humans with bird feeders!

The Geocache Notification Form has been submitted to the Wisconsin DNR. Geocaches placed on Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource managed lands require permission by means of a notification form. Please print out a paper copy of the notification form, fill in all required information, then submit it to the land manager. The DNR Notification form and land manager information can be obtained at: http://www.wi-geocaching.com/hiding

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