Dear List,

A friend and accomplished birder suggested that I send this email to you folks - I've never written to this list, so I hope it works and that I abide by your rules. If not, please advise.

My wife and I have observed a Scrub Jay feeding at our suet feeder four times in the last approx. two weeks. He visited the feeder twice today in the company of three Stellar Jays. This is not, I repeat, not a Stellar Jay. My friend the birder suggested that it might be a Scrub/Stellar hybrid, but the photo he mailed me doesn't match this bird. It is about the size of a flicker and his flight style is similar. He looks exactly like the Scrub Jay in my bird books. We will attempt to get a dig. photo of him. I have observed him from less than 6 feet away and he does appear to be the real McCoy. This is the loudest bird I've ever been around. We live on the corner of 6th Ave. NW and NW 60th St., at the base of Phinney Ridge. He has also been eating out of our seed feeder - seems to like sunflower seeds.

Hope this is useful to you.

J. Hatch