Photo by Chris Bosak
A Blue Jay grabs a peanut from a feeder in Danbury, Conn., May 2016.

I’ve always heard that Blue Jays like peanuts. “Put them out whole,” they would say.

So I did and nothing would happen. In fact, not only would the Blue Jays not eat the peanuts, I wouldn’t even see any Blue Jays. (Therein was the real problem.)

But at my new place Blue Jays abound. Do they like peanuts? I asked again. Well, I gave it another shot and, yes, Blue Jays do like peanuts. So much, in fact, that I can hardly keep up with demand.

The Blue Jay were very wary at first. I had to watch them take the bait from inside the house looking out a window. Now I can put a handful of peanuts on the feeder, take three steps to the lounge chair and plop myself down. Within minutes, or even seconds, the Blue Jays surround the area. One brave one dives in for a peanut and the others follow. There goes that handful. On and on it goes for as long as I’m willing to grab more handfuls. It’s been great fun.