The blue jay maintains a special place in the spiritual traditions of the indigenous peoples, and in the shamanic practises. His colouring reflects the balance between heaven and earth, and the air in-between, no other creature possesses it. His feathers are a deep, vibrant blue, with markings of black and white; his call is loud and strident. I once found a brilliant blue feather beneath the trees; however, when I picked it up, the colour faded, and became pale and transparent in my hand. When he speaks in the trees, his voice can be heard far across the lawns. His arrival is a signal for the other birds to depart, for he will inhabit their nests and steal their eggs; he is very greedy. Once, in March, as I was driving up from Chicago, I saw three of them flying across the highway in a perfectly straight line, and I wondered at their message, and what it might foretell, for it was a prediction, although I did not realise it. The blue jay is a magical bird, a reminder of our spiritual duty; I knew he was speaking to me, telling me important things.