When I hung the bird feeder – keeping up Karla’s tradition of feeding the birds here – I envisioned polite little birds. Colorful birds flitting in the trees and gratefully pecking delicately at the birdseed. 
I did not expect my bird feeder to be attacked. However, several times in the past couple of months a huge Blue Jay (or Steller’s Jay in the bird book) has swooped down and chased off the smaller birds. Then he tries to land on the edge of the feeder. Since he is way too big for the feeder it tips sideways and he is hanging over the side with birdseed flying everywhere. I have tried to overlook this unacceptable behavior. He is a bird and Theodore the chipmunk appreciates him scattering the seeds on the ground.
But this is too much.
A pigeon and three blue jays attacking the feeder.
They chased off all the other birds. They flew at each other making very unpleasant bird noises. Then they took turns trying to land on the feeder. They knocked the top over and dumped the entire feeder full of birdseed on the ground. Enough! We must find a way to keep the pigeon and blue jays away from this feeder. Rick’s solution to this problem involved a shotgun. Do any of you experienced birders have a less violent suggestion?
Not sure this would be less violent, but I’ve heard that peregrine falcons are very effective against pigeons. Should work for jays also. At least it would be an organic solution! Slingshot? Atlatl? Loud rock music? A trojan cat hidden in the feeder?
mark
We actually have falcons, hawks and eagles around here. Obviously they are not doing their job! I like the trojan cat idea – at least we wouldn’t be subjected to the rock music. Brenda
Sounds like gang warfare, maybe an intermediary?