I set out on my morning walk, energized by the bright sun, blue skies and low humidity. About a half mile down the road, I spied something on the road further ahead of me. It was almost triangular in shape, larger at its base and rising to a sort of peak. What was it?
It didn’t look like a branch or bundle of leaves… Was it an animal? Was it a bird? I peered ahead. What could it be?
A car drove down the road, narrowly missing the object. As the car passed, the whatever-it-was lifted up a bit and shifted around. Oh, it’s definitely alive. That looked a bit like flapping. I think it’s a bird!
I picked up my pace. As I neared the object, I could see that it was most definitely a bird. In fact, it was a blue jay.
Another car came around the corner and I waved it to the other side of the road, away from the bird. After it passed, I knelt down and assessed. The bird looked a bit disheveled, but wasn’t obviously injured. The tail feathers were quite short, which made me think it might be a juvenile. I looked up and around. Where had it come from? I didn’t see a nest, although there were plenty of trees overhanging the road.
The main thing was to get it to a safer spot. I placed my hands closer to it, and it immediately hopped up and down agitatedly. That seemed like a good sign, health-wise, but it clearly didn’t want me to touch it. Still, I needed to get it out of the road. I reached down again, nudging it gently toward the edge of the pavement but met with little success.
“Come on, buddy,” I said. “I’m just trying to help you.”
I was pretty sure I was going to need to pick it up. I looked askance at its beak, which appeared quite large. Potentially painfully large. I considered my options and opted to procrastinate by taking a photo while I was at it. (See how big that beak is!?)
“You’re not going to peck me if I pick you up, are you?” I asked.
Then, figuring it really couldn’t do that much damage, I reached down, crouching and slowly cupped my hands around the bird, simultaneously moving toward the edge of the pavement.
Suddenly, SQUAWK!!!!! SQUAWK!!!! SQUAWK!!!!
A crescendo of piercing squawks of protest filled the air. How could something that loud come from this small bird?! Thoreau apparently described the jay’s ear-splitting call as a “steel cold scream”, and in this instance, I couldn’t disagree! I was so surprised that my hands flew open and the bird tumbled out of them, somersaulting onto the grass. It looked at me indignantly, but appeared none the worse for wear.
“Well, I’m sorry,” I said, defensively, “but I wasn’t expecting that!”
With the bird safely out of the road, I decided to leave it where it was and continue my walk.
“If you’re still here when I get back,” I told it, “I’ll be taking you home with me.”
Whether that was threat enough or not, I don’t know, but upon my return, about a half hour later, the jay was nowhere in sight. My ears were still ringing though!
It was quite an early morning adventure!
Nix the comfort zone 
What a story! You did the pacing very well, and I was eager to hear that you didn’t have to attempt a rescue on your return trip. At least you didn’t get pecked by that beak, and hopefully the bird did recover itself. I have heard bluejays, and they are exceedingly noisy.
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Wow! What an adventure! I hope its parents came and got it (rather than a predator).
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I had assumed it was able to make its way to safety, but now you have me wondering!
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Love your procrastination technique!
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It’s a time-proven method 🙂
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Hope he/she is okay. It was exciting to read this. It opens like a mystery which drew me right in.
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I hope so, too! Thanks for reading and commenting!
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My favorite line – “Well, I’m sorry,” I said, defensively, “but I wasn’t expecting that!” Mostly it’s my favorite adverb, assuming must -ly words are adverbs! That was one nasty beak. Our cardinals make a similar squawking sound!
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Thank goodness it opted not to put that beak to pecking use on my hand and squawked instead. Also, I’m not sure if I have a favorite adverb, but now you have me thinking about it!
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Love the conversation! I once heard six or seven at great distances from one another in what seemed like a screechy committee meeting of some sort. They are beautiful, though…
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It’s easy to forget how beautiful they are since we see them all the time. They’re also gluttons at the feeder!
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Oh wow, what a great slice! Love the description of the beak! And the conversation with the bird…. I may need to bookmark this post!
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Thanks! It was quite an unexpected encounter!
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The pacing and suspense and narration of this slice are so vivid and wonderful — I felt that I was really experiencing it there as you! You have a powerful way of bringing your reader right along there with you. I hope the bird is okay!! I loved your interaction with the unexpected squawking!
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I hope so, too! Thanks for stopping by, reading and commenting after your long, long day!
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I have a friend who nursed a baby jay in a bathroom for about a month. Then she turned it over to a wild bird rehabilitation facility. I’m glad he was healthy enough to be gone.
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I’ve had to call the rehab facility before. They do great work, but I’m so glad they weren’t needed this time.
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So fun to read! Great conversation. You were brave to risk that beak!
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I was definitely nervous about that beak! I’m glad it spared me.
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He’s beautiful! Loud, but beautiful! I’ve never seen a baby bluejay! He certainly does have a large beak! I’m not sure I would have been as brave as you!
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I wasn’t feeling brave, but I couldn’t leave it in the road! Since then I’ve rescued a wooly bear and a frog 🙂
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When I taught nursery school, the kids loved to save wooly bears!
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Molly, I love this conversation you had with the juvenile blue jay. Your suspense and voice had me right there with the bird and you. Blue jays are so beautiful but so loud they scare all the other birds away, which must be their intention. I think I remember reading bluejays warn other birds. I’m glad you had this special encounter, and the jay was well enough to fly away.
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Jays are pretty fascinating birds. They actually played a big role in reforesting the land after the glaciers, due to their habit of hiding acorns.
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Molly, your early morning story was beautifully written. There was what-would-happen to the bird suspense and a cautious amount of care from you. I am surprised the bird let you take a photo of it. I often worry about animals left on the road. Thanks for sharing your early morning adventure that was not what I expected. Well done!
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Thanks, Carol. It certainly wasn’t the walk that I expected that morning!
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Molly, what a great story! Great description of Thoreau for those squawks: “steel cold scream” I always like your details and humor. I’m glad you didn’t have to take it home. I enjoyed reading your post (a week after you shared it!)
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