This week I took my nephew to a bird hide at a local nature reserve. I'd been told that feeders had been put up near the hide, making for some excellent views of some woodland birds - including one of my favourite birds, the Jay. 

The Jay (Garrulus glandarius) is a colourful member of the corvid family but, unlike Crows, Rooks and Jackdaws, they are very shy and tend to stick close to trees and other cover. Sometimes, the only evidence you have that Jays are present is their screaming call and the flash of white on their rump as they disappear into the woods.

I have noticed that Jays have slowly been extending their range around Melrose and are even seen in the community woodland in Darnick.

Goldfinch-4635 Thomas and I arrived at the hide just after 10am and were lucky to find it empty. We soon positioned ourselves at the window and were instantly treated to great views of a wide variety of birds. Goldfinches, Blue Tits and Great Tits were present in big numbers and happily fed from the feeders right in front of the window.

It wasn't long before other birds started to appear. A pair of Nuthatches came in frequently for peanuts as did a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. We had a brief visit from a Brambling, mixed in with a small flock of Chaffinches and could hear Fieldfare in the trees above the hide, taking advantage of some left over crab apples.

A Grey Squirrel kept us entertained as it moved in to grab the peanuts and seed below the feeders. I know they're not everyone's favourite animal but they can be very entertaining and make great photographic subjects.

It wasn't long before we heard the tell-tale screech from the trees, letting us know that a Jay was in the area. I had been told that they would Jay-4673 hang around at the back to make sure it was safe before coming to the feeders, filling their crop with peanuts and then flying off to cache them elsewhere. As expected, one decided to make the brave move to the ground just below the feeders and in front of the hide. To see one so close was amazing - the brilliant blue patches on their wings is really stunning. It is quite hard to believe they are related to Crows!

The Jay did as I had been told it would and filled up its crop before disappearing to the other side of the loch. It returned a few times and always the same procedure - screech, wait at the back, come in and fill up with peanuts and then disappear. 

After a couple of hours the light was starting to change and it was bitterly cold so we decided to call it a day - we both had plenty of photographs to sort at home and our fingers were like little blocks of ice!

Local nature reserves, community woodlands and green spaces are so important in our society today. They can be amazing places to engage with nature and to practice different skills with the camera. If you have one near you then I highly recommend you visit. Take a flask and find somewhere quiet to sit. You never know what you might see.

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