[Birdtalk] Gray Jays

[Linda S Butler]

A couple weeks ago someone was trying to find Gray Jays.
While camping (8/26-28) about 3 miles north of Spirit Lake in the Uintas
(Dagget Co.) I saw at least three Gray Jays at our camp site and at least
four of them at Spirit Lake itself. They'd come and go in pairs or
threes. They are very bold, curious (but not particularly noisy like Blue
Jays) birds and their voracious appetites and ability to sneak in and
snatch a tasty morsel (or two or three...) from the table has earned them
their nickname "Camp Robber." They were seen in the morning, about 7-10
a.m. and in the early afternoon at the lake. We never saw them in the
evenings.
Spirit Lake is in the Uintas, about a 3 1/2 hour drive from the Wasatch
Front. You have to drive through Evanston, WY (like driving to Flaming
Gorge) and then head south two miles past Burtfork. There's a sign for
Spirit Lake. It's a good dirt road, paved in places, you can easily take
a car on it. It's beautiful up there now and was a great respite from the
valley heat.
Linda