Entries to Win Afghan

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Saturday, February 21, 2015

The Reality for Wildlife

 
Things aren't always kind and beautiful for animals that live in the wild. This is one of the bluejays that comes to the feeder, but it seemed to be moving a bit strangely today.

injured blue jay

Here, it's contemplating jumping up to the feeder. But the jays rarely have to think about that motion. What's going on?

injured blue jay

Look at its right foot. See how oddly it's holding the toes?

injured blue jay

Except when it managed to fly up and land on top of the feeder, it only held on with the one foot, while the other one seems to dangle uselessly. You have to wonder if it pulled a muscle and may recover, or if it escaped from the literal jaws of death but was injured, or the foot froze to a branch in this extreme cold and it got hurt tearing itself away. There are so many things that could have happened.

injured blue jay

A small injury like this increases the likelihood that it will be caught by a predator, or not be able to get enough food. For today, however, it managed to get something to eat, and eventually flew away, hopefully to heal.

injured blue jay

Follow the link below for a very sad ending for some jays in a bad cold snap last year

See The Cute and the Sad
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4 comments:

John Sealander said...

I see things like this all the time. Nature is a great teacher, but sometimes it teaches you that life can be cruel...

Ann said...

Survival of the fittest is sad but true. Nature can be brutal for those that aren't strong enough

Lin said...

Aw, the poor little guy. Hopefully he can compensate and learn how to cope with that bad foot. I know those darn hawks just wait for a guy like that. :(

I have not had any murders in our yard lately, thank goodness.

The Oceanside Animals said...

hello sharkbytes its dennis the vizsla dog hay poor blue jay!!! i hav got nuthing aginst blue jays unlike say parakeets and i hope this wun rekuvers frum his fut injury!!! and boy i shoor am glad i do not hav to liv owt in the stayt of naytcher ennymore!!! ok bye