Eastern Blue Jay, mouth open, peanut in the air mid-mouth. Photo by Lenny Lensworth Frieling. Reminds me to re-read the Mark Twain three page piece on blue jays…

Wildlife photography is often about patience, timing, and a little bit of magic. In today’s Outdoor Picture of the Day, award-winning photographer Lenny Lensworth Frieling captures a remarkable moment that feels almost suspended in time—a Boulder blue jay with its mouth open as a peanut hangs mid-air just inches away.

The photograph is a split-second masterpiece. The bird’s sharp blue feathers glow against the natural backdrop, its eyes locked on the prize. The peanut floats in the air between the jay and its next meal, creating a scene that almost looks choreographed. Yet moments like this happen in a flash, making the capture all the more impressive.

Lenny’s photo perfectly illustrates why Boulder, Colorado is such an extraordinary place for birdwatching and wildlife photography. With its mix of foothills, forests, open space, and neighborhoods that blend into nature, the area provides a thriving environment for birds of all kinds. Blue jays—known for their intelligence, bold personalities, and playful antics—are some of the most entertaining birds to observe.

Anyone who has spent time watching them knows that blue jays are far from shy. They are curious, vocal, and famously clever. These birds quickly learn where food can be found and often become regular visitors when peanuts or seeds appear. Watching them swoop in, grab a snack, and fly off with confidence is a daily reminder of how lively Boulder’s wildlife scene can be.

What makes this photo special is the perfect timing. The jay’s mouth is open at exactly the right moment as the peanut travels through the air, creating a sense of motion that makes viewers feel as though they are standing right there watching it happen. Wildlife photography rarely offers second chances, which makes a perfectly captured moment like this even more impressive.

The image also brings to mind a classic piece of humor from Mark Twain, who once wrote a memorable three-page reflection on blue jays. Twain described the bird as outspoken, clever, and full of personality—traits anyone who has watched one for more than a few minutes can recognize immediately. Looking at this photo, it’s easy to imagine Twain smiling at the bird’s bold determination to snag that peanut.

Boulder’s open spaces and neighborhoods often provide small daily encounters like this. A bird perched on a fence, a hawk soaring above the Flatirons, or a blue jay making a dramatic mid-air catch can turn an ordinary moment into something memorable.

Thanks to photographers like Lenny Lensworth Frieling, these fleeting moments become lasting images that remind us just how alive and vibrant the natural world around Boulder truly is.

And sometimes, all it takes is one peanut in the air and a perfectly timed photograph to remind us why watching wildlife never gets old.

Photo: Blue jay, mouth open, peanut in the air mid-catch. Photo by award-winning photographer Lenny Lensworth Frieling.

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