Sorry I don't have any photo's...yet...but will soon, hopefully.

This week I discovered what I "think" is a cross between a Western Scrub Jay and a Mockingbird in my garden.
I have a huge cl. Cecile Brunner rose which both species regularly nest in. They seem to have worked out an agreement to share the rose bush as a place to build their nests. I see regular new fledglings of both species.

Now I'm seeing three young birds that are the size of a mockingbird, same coloring, but with BLUE "chests" for lack of a better word. It's a VERY prominent blue but with the slim body-build of a mockingbird and the usual black, gray and white mockingbird colors.

I haven't found anything on the net about these species cross-breeding.
Thoughts ???

Not a clue, Mike......

How do they differ from Blue Jays?

Smaller body and head.
However, these are young birds so it's hard to know just how big they'll eventually get.

As is typical, I haven't seen any of them since I started this thread !

hey, Shorty...have we welcomed you yet?...lol..if not, well....WELCOME!

Thanks for the welcome. I haven't had a chance to finish my profile yet. I live in Southern California. I'm a second generation native and a true city girl. I had to move back home with my mother due to her failing physical health. Her yard had become a disaster. I flew to work every week for over 20 years and never had an interest in gardening. Now that I no longer travel I've developed an interest in gardening.

I look forward to learning a lot from this site. I'm also a DG member.

We lived in Venice 40 years ago.....haven't been there in a while, obviously...lol..but somehow think it must have the same 'essence'. I'm native also, but finally just had to get out of SoCal...moved to Crescent City 8 months ago and love it here....moved as far away as I could get and still be "California"....lol..

Again, welcome...there are a lot of good people here and yes, you'll learn a lot here....