The Blue and the Gray

Throughout history skirmishes and wars have occurred between neighbors.  Sometimes it's been justified, other times it's been over trivial things.  An inferior infraction recently erupted into a battle between the Blue and Gray.  Although living in the same land, neighbor turned on neighbor over something as petty as peanuts.

It was winter, although not official, and most of the seasonal birds had migrated south.  Only a few stragglers remained, joined now by winter travelers looking for an easy meal .  Because the cold and snow make foraging  difficult for all species, a ground feeder is supplied along with hanging feeders.  This accommodates rabbit, squirrel, deer, and who ever else stops by for a meal.  Because of the variety of critters, a grand smorgasbord is provided.  It's filled with hamster pellets, peanuts, suet, seeds, even dried fruit, there is something for everyone.

There are no limits to who eats what.  The general rules are:  If it tastes good eat it, and anything in reach is fair game.  Similar to a game, the diners take turns; one eats, then leaves when another shows up, and so on.  That's how the feeding game is played, but what happens when somebody doesn't play fair?

The feeder was freshly filled, and the locals were stopping by to indulge.  A mob of sparrows claimed the hanging feeder, a dove and his mate scratched around beneath picking at seeds dropped or spilled by the smaller birds.  A pair of blue jays were swooping down to the ground feeder, where they'd grab a morsel, then fly up to a branch to enjoy it at their leisure before swooping back down for another.

About this time, a young gray squirrel showed up.  Right before he reached the ground feeder, one of the jays swooped down, snatched up the last peanut, then lit on a branch close by.  The squirrel was a bit disgruntled by the fact that all the peanuts were gone, flinging seeds and feed in all directions as he riffled through the feeder, no peanuts were found.  After a second search, he sat up on his haunches and looked around.  He spied the jay, mere feet above, on a branch trying to free the last peanut from its shell.

The jay paid no attention as it hammered the goober against the branch to break it open.  After a few whacks, it would grasp it with a clawed foot and use its beak to pry bits of shell free, these  haphazardly flung into the air.  Over and over, pound, pry, fling as the squirrel silently sat and watched.  He didn't move, not even when bits of broken shell fell and lodged on his fine fur coat.

Finally, the jay's toilsome task paid off, the shell split in half.  Flinging the broken shell from its beak, it lifted the half that still cradled the prize, ready to feast on the fruits of its labor.  Just as its beak snapped down the tasty morsel fell.  The jay latched on to a mouthful of nothing.  The meaty meal it missed landed right in front of the waiting squirrel who wasted no time.  Before you could say, “Don't do it,” he pounced and popped the peanut into his mouth.

As realization came to the jay that this mischievous mammal had outwitted it, the squirrel twisted around and raced from the area with his plunder safely tucked within a puffy cheek.  The jay launched from its perch, tucked its wings, and plummeted into a dive an eagle would envy.  Inches above the frozen earth, it unfurled emblazoned wings and rocketed after the quickly fleeing prey; a blue streak over the white ground.

The bandit was crossing snowy ground in leaps and bounds as the blue missile locked on target, catching him in the open away from any shelter.  Utilizing both feet and beak, the streaking projectile snatched hold of the pilferer, yanking out tufts of gray fur with a ferocity that almost somersaulted the critter in mid leap - almost, but not quite.  The spry squirrel regained his balance before his feet touched ground.  Just as agile, the jay ascended, circled, and dove for another assault.

With a zig and a zag, the squirrel  scampered across the ground trying to elude his aggressor.  Over and over, with lightning speed, the jay struck.  Gripping tight to the goober, the squirrel sprang to the safety of a pine tree, vanishing within its dense foliage.  Inches from the point of entry, the jay veered off, then circled back for a couple of reconnaissance passes in the area he vanished.  When no sightings were made, the jay turned back and joined its mate waiting by the feeder.

The squirrel definitely out witted the blue jay, earning the prized peanut, but at what price?  It's certain he's wearing a partially bald fur coat.  It's likely he's missing skin and sporting bruises as well.  He worked his... backside off, and all he gained was one puny peanut, was the prize worth the price?

Speaking of hard work, what about his tormentor, how much was the Blue Avenger out?  Was all that burned up energy worth the tiny morsel it fought for?  Wouldn't it have been wiser to conserve for the harsh winter ahead?  Besides, in chasing the squirrel the jay dropped the rest of the peanut, and its mate ate that.

We can excuse them since they have no ability to reason or understand more was lost than gained; they just don't know any better.  When we look in the mirror, however, can we see we also quarrel over peanuts with the ones we love?  Can we learn to let dropped peanuts lie and see instead all that we still hold?

Only time will tell if the bluejay taught him some humility.  Likewise, maybe it learned some respect for squirrels.  Perhaps there's a lesson  here for all of us, and we can learn not to squabble over  little things, but instead find better ways to deal with our differences.  Maybe, in the spirit of Christmas, we'll all come away with respect and toleration for one another.