Blue Jay Behavior: Like writer, artist and wildlife rehabilitator Julie Zickefoose, I am particularly fascinated and also often startled by the interface of birds and people. Her latest book, “Saving Jemima,” is the story of an orphaned blue jay and Julie’s decision to try to help save it. And it’s also a much bigger story with provocative chapter titles like “Who’s Saving Whom?” and “Lessons From A Jay.”

Julie and I spoke recently about her eight-month relationship with Jemima. That special bird opened up many subjects for her, including patterns of blue jay movement and behavior that Julie was able to begin to grasp once she learned to recognize individual jays, including Jemima, by the markings on their faces. We even talked about Julie’s recipe for a winter feeder bird food called Zick Dough. 

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