The Pinyon Jay is charismatic member of the Corvid family and can be found throughout the Reno/Carson City area in the right habitat. I found the Jay below at Topaz Lake in a transitional habitat of Pinyon/Juniper and Sagebrush. They were right next to the road and let me get very close. They would land together in groups of 3-6 so I set the aperture higher than I normally do at f/11 and used a shutter speed of 1/800s with an ISO 800.

Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus) - Topaz Lake, DOU (NV)
EQ: Nikon D850, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0 with 1.4 TC (basic kit unless noted), Taken: 11-7-2023 at 9:17
Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/11, ISO800, +1 EV, Conditions: sunny

Topaz Lake, DOU (NV), Taken: 11-7-2023 at 9:16
Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/11, ISO720, +1 EV, Conditions: sunny

Topaz Lake, DOU (NV), Taken: 11-7-2023 at 9:17
Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/11, ISO800, +1 EV, Conditions: sunny

Pinyon Jay social organization is complex and flocks many have 500 individuals with some birds spending their entire life with the same flock that they hatched. The younger birds help the parents to raise the next brood. Flocks can be found year around in their range but when crops fail they leave their range in search of seeds.

Antelope Valley - West, WAS (NV), Taken: 1-21-2021 at 11:44
Settings: 700mm (35mm eqv), 1/800s, f/5.6, ISO64, +1/3 EV, Conditions: sunny

Silver Saddle Ranch, CAR (NV), Taken: 11-10-2016 at 10:52
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO400, +1/3 EV, Conditions: sunny

Silver Saddle Ranch, CAR (NV), Taken: 11-10-2016 at 10:49
EQ: Nikon D7200, Nikkor 500mm f/4.0
Settings: 750mm (35mm eqv), 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO400, +1/3 EV, Conditions: sunny

Silver Saddle Ranch, CAR (NV), Taken: 1-24-2020 at 9:18
Settings: 500mm (35mm eqv), 1/1250s, f/5.6, ISO110, +1/3 EV, Conditions: sunny

Your comments are welcomed and if you have any questions about these photos or any other leave me a message.

Pinyon Jay

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