I love the clear, crisp autumn days, with their fresh earthy smells, because even though tomorrow the sun will rise in silence without the summer chorus of birds, I will still hear the distant chatter of the jays. I can count on the jays to greet the rising sun.

While other birds have been silent, blue jays continue their antics as usual. Autumn is their time. They stand out now, conspicuous as they are loud and boisterous; their blue plumage contrasts against the crimson, gold, and yellow kaleidoscope of fall colors.

Yet, even the reliable blue jay must make some adjustments with the changing season. The very same individual blue jays that departed last spring will now return to your feeders to take advantage of their bounty again this year. Other blue jays will join large flocks and fly south. Some will stay local and remain nearby through the entire year. It is a complicated order of things when it comes to blue jays and fall migration.

Ironically, we can't tell the difference. Birders just don't know which blue jays are which. We can't recognize those that have returned for another winter from those that have decided to stay year-long without banding them ourselves. We have come to believe that all of the blue jays are present year-round.

So it is often thought that blue jays are non-migratory, but just witness their huge flocks moving over the countryside, and all doubt will forever fade. Flocks of tens of thousands have been reported in the Midwest during some years.

While we don't know much about blue jay migration or their seasonal shifts, we do know that their movements fluctuate yearly and are probably motivated by availability of food sources. Which blue jays decide to go here or there is also not fully known. Some believe that younger blue jays, inexperienced at winter survival, depart to improve their chances of finding food; however, to my knowledge, the research proves this is not always true.

I did know of one blue jay that never migrated anywhere. This particular jay had a steady source of food without ever making a seasonal shift. He lived at nearby Hammonasset State Park and made his home inside the nature center.

This jay, like some others in the care of humans, demonstrated remarkable traits. Blue jays, crows, and ravens belong to the family of birds known as the corvids. They are an intelligent group, capable of solving difficult problems, remembering details over time, and even playing clever tricks on human observers. For years, ornithologists have known the intelligence of these birds, but recently, thanks to researchers like Bernd Heinrich, we now have a better understanding of just how brilliant these birds are.

It has been determined that crows, and especially ravens, have memories that rival those of human beings. In fact, there is one study of ravens that proves their memories superior to the PhD students that studied them! Blue jays may not be on that level, but their artful antics and migratory patterns will leave you guessing about what they might do next.

Perhaps this is why they are so fascinating to watch. Whether the jays in your neighborhood leave, stay or return, rest assured there will be at least a few of them to take advantage of your feeder offerings. At this time, when other birds are silent, count on the blue jay to startle the ether with raucous alarm in the smoky gold autumn mist.

Robert Tougias is a Colchester-based birder. His book “Birder on Berry Lane” is available online. You can email him questions at roberts90gtias@yahoo.com.