Bryan Gates wrote -

>Again this year, Steller's Jays are appearing in the residential areas of
>southern Vancouver Island, but by no means in the numbers that we experienced
>in 92-93. Some of you will recall my earlier posting on this, but it is
>worth repeating; on one occasion that year at least 200 jays were counted
>by a reputable observer as they flew into a small copse of trees at Ten Mile
>Point in Saanich, where nesting by this species is very rare. Later, they
>were observed as they made efforts to cross Haro Strait to San Juan Island.
>They were unsuccessful initially, but may have succeeded later.

And then Dennis Paulsen wrote -

>One of the most characteristic things about jay dispersal (migration?) is
>their unwillingness to cross large bodies of water. I've seen them at the
>southern end of the trees on Ocean Shores on a number of occasions in
>September. They actually fly out over the open country (by the marina)
>for a hundred meters or so, then turn around and fly back to the trees.

Which begs the question: where did these jays come from? Are they all
Vancouver Island birds? If not, what migration route did they follow? If
one believes:

1) jays are hydrophopic;
2) some or most of these birds must originate on the mainland;

then the most likely route is across the narrowest stretch of water
separating Vancouver Island from the BC mainland. This happens to be the
north end of the archipelago separating Georgia and Johnstone Straits. Port
Neville is only a mile or so from Vancouver island here. Logical spot for a
banding site, I reckon. Hopefully some returns from Andy Stewart's banding
efforts may shed some light on this matter. Better yet, put some
micro-transmitters on them like they did with Western Sandpipers last
spring and follow them by satellite (another topic all together).

- Jack




Jack Bowling
Prince George, BC
jcbowling at mindlink.bc.ca