These birds have shades of blue and black

Our trip into the Sierra Madres took us to the Tufted Jay Reserve.  The lady with us, a birder from Utah, doubted that we would even see the jay for which it was named, but Saturday morning, just an hour or so before we left, a small flock moved into the trees close to our cabins.

 

 These were my first Tufted Jays so I was elated.  Ray had seen one in 2009.  I hate it when he has a bird I don't have.  (Though this time it was the other way, as he missed the Flame-coloured Tanager.)

Another jay, and another blue, black and white bird, The Black-throated Magpie-jay.  We've seen it at least twice before, but this was our best sighting.  Several of them flew into the courtyard of our hotel in Copala, posed, and flew away.

My last blue- and black-coloured bird is not so spectacular, but that is mostly because he did not care to come out and pose. I was a bit too far away when he popped out briefly.  It is a Blue Mockingbird, a bird that does not care to be seen, unlike its cousin the Northern Mockingbird that poses nicely whenever we see it.  I don't have a good ear for bird voices, but both Ray and I easily came to recognize this fellow during our three days.  He was almost always the noisiest thing around.  And almost never visible.