Date: 9/15/26 10:34 am From: Kimball Garrett via groups.io <cyanolyca818...> Subject: [LACoBirds] More Pinyon Jays -- Juniper Hills
Birders,
The September 2026 Pinyon Jay madness continues. At 1010-1015 hr this morning a flock of six Pinyon Jays was around planted pines in the vicinity of 122nd Street East and Ave X-8 (one block south of Ft. Tejon Rd.), calling frequently. I then watched the flock fly WNW at about 1015 hr, roughly following Ft. Tejon Rd. toward the west. A lone bird remained, perched obligingly atop a utility pole, then flew south low over our yard. Although the birds have moved on, I would recommend driving slowly, stopping at intervals, and listening for the jays anywhere in the juniper habitat in the Juniper Hills, Littlerock, and Valyermo areas -- and especially where there are (ornamental) cone-bearing pine trees. Most Pinyon Jay flocks in our local mountains and foothills have been around Jeffrey and Ponderosa pines as well as various planted pines (such as the abundant Eldarica pines in the Juniper Hills area). They don't seem to feed around junipers or pinyon pines (though a trip up Ball lFlat Rd. near Jackson Lake would be worth it if the pinyon pines there have mature cones).
