Camp, First Day - Blue Jay Fledgling

As Sis, Mother, Hubbie and I chatted and relaxed in lawn chairs at camp Thursday evening, this Blue Jay fledgling awkwardly fluttered onto the picnic table. After a few minutes, it flapped it's wings wildly and took flight...right into the side of the camper. Unharmed, it jerkily flew onto the picnic table bench, where it stayed. I took several up-close shots of it, but it never attempted to fly again. As dusk turned to dark, the little bird tucked its head under its wing and went to sleep.

I worried that an owl, a cat, or some other predator animal would swoop upon it in the middle of the night, but in the morning, it was still there, awake and squawking its head off. At last, an adult pair of Blue Jays, the baby bird's parents no doubt, came for it, squawking in answer, and coaxing their offspring into flight. The youngster finally took off, and we never saw it again.

I breathed a sigh of relief.