petardier ([personal profile] petardier) wrote2015-06-25 12:00 am

Circle of Life?

I saw an unsettling Circle of Life moment today. As I pulled into the driveway, I saw a small shower of debris come down from the branch of a tree that overhangs the foot of our driveway. Soon after, a small shape fell followed by a diving bird. The bird, a jay, landed and began stabbing at the small shape with its beak in a most predatory fashion. Now immobile, the small shape looked very much like a nestling. I got out of the car and took a look; it was a nestling and apparently dead. At this point, I backed off as I wasn't really sure what was happening.

When I returned with my wife 5 minutes later to show her what was going on, the nestling was gone.

A bit of internet research has led me to conclude I was probably seeing something along these lines:
http://www.pedaldrivenprogramming.com/2008/04/bluejays-are-carnivores/

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