Our Nature's Home magazine photo of the week is chosen by Emma Lacy. Emma looks after Fellows' News and Impact - our newsletters for  our brilliant Life Fellows and Regular Givers.

It’s that time of the year again, Big Garden Birdwatch is upon us! Shortly, we’ll be gathering at our windows, looking onto our garden bird feeders, and counting the wildlife we’re helping to give a home to. I myself was astonished last weekend when a party of four jays came to feast on my ground feeder. A starter of mealworms, a main of fat balls and a dessert of birdseed saw them through a chilly weekend. It was a stunning sight and I can only hope that they make a repeat visit this weekend in time for the official count.

These wonderful corvids have a stunning cyan flash on their wing and a white rump that always turns my head. They are usually shy birds found in woodlands eating acorns, but they will occasionally flit into our gardens in search of peanuts and mealworms instead. I’ve personally noticed them making more of a presence in family and friends gardens too. So, in speculation, perhaps we’ll see them appear on more survey results this year. But if not, at least they’ve had a shining moment in my garden.


Image courtesy of Nature’s Home reader, Jim Walker

My choice for this week’s photo is a nod to those four hungry fellows who had a transient dinner party at my place.  

Thanks Jim for this amusing portrait of a rather peckish jay!

Check back next week for another Nature's Home reader photo and if you’ve taken any shots recently, feel free to send them to natureshome@rspb.org.uk.