in fear, being pursued by an
angry jay, which was flying low
and directly towards me. It pulled
up at the last minute, whizzing
over my head. Elsie slunk off in a
state of shock. Despite the near-
miss and subsequent cat-trauma,
I never got a finer view of a jay.
I won't ever forget the livid blue
and the stunning pinkish hue
that flashed past my face - a
true brush with a garden Bird of
Paradise.

Bonus fact The jay's bright blue
feathers are often used in the
making of fishing lures.

108