Bouncing Blue Jays

On a walk in the woods this morning I stopped to watch four Blue Jays interacting high in a tree.  For five minutes, staying just a few feet from each other, they bounced up and down on the springy branches calling single musical notes with an occasional frog-like rattly sound.  A few times two of them leaped into the air and interacted with their feet for a few seconds, then settled back to the branches to continue the bouncy routine with the others.

I couldn't keep the birds straight so I don't know if one individual was always one of the two flyers.  I'm guessing this was some sort of male-female thing.  But maybe they were just trying to stay warm.  Or simply having fun?

- Ric