If you're a jay, one of our most beautiful birds, this is a busy time of year. Jays keep themselves to themselves for a large portion of the time, but now that nature has provided them with a glut of plant food, they have to make the most of it.
I've been seeing a lot of jays flying around with beakfuls of acorns lately. It's certainly been a bumper season for those. And have you seen many of these around?
They're sweet chestnuts, wrapped in a case studded with sharp spikes. Fortunately for jays and humans, the cases pop open and the nuts inside are there for the taking.
I pass some sweet chestnut trees on my way into work and I've noticed that there are loads and loads of nuts available. Most years they seem to be fairly small and weedy, but this autumn there are masses of fat, tasty-looking chestnuts just waiting to be taken (I wonder if they might even be too big for the squirrels and birds to manage?).
So the other day, I spent a very satisfying few minutes picking up as many as I could fit into my coat pocket. I felt like a proper hunter-gatherer! (but there were still plenty left for the wildlife)
Of course, jays won't eat many of the hundreds of nuts and acorns they collect. Well - not immediately, anyway... they'll be stored away for a rainy or snowy day. Other birds like coal and marsh tits do the same, but with smaller items like sunflower seeds.
Do you have a favourite recipe using chestnuts or other 'wild food' you've foraged? Sloe gin perhaps...?
Thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, only the photo of the spiky chestnut was taken by me!
Would you believe I haven't seen many acorns at all ! Loads of conkers though. I get Jays in my garden but they are after the monkey nuts.
Super captures KATIE.