why did I stumble across a blue jay as a pet? or should I say, it stumbled apon me?

Blue Jays are such fun. I raised a baby bluejay, but eventually let him go but always kept food and water on my deck for him. He would hide cheerios down my t shirt and then get them out. He liked to break them up on the palm of my hand. He would hit my hand so hard it would make me bleed.Also when I would leave in the car he would chase me and fly close to the car windows, which would really scare me that he might hit the car and get hurt. He finally quit coming around.Since then I have a dove I rescued but isn't as much fun as the blue jay was. Don't know where you live but in the south we have mocking birds. They are real easy to make friends with. They love to hang around you and eat and are lots of fun.

That was a very rare story, often birds keep their distance from humans. You must have loved him so very much.

He may have found a new home or may have passed away which is terribly sad.

If you want to have a close relationship with a bird, the best thing to do is raise one from a hatchling.

You can buy 'hatching eggs' online and you can incubate them using an incubator (they are expensive but can be made at home for free)

You would need to learn about that bird type and how to look after it when its hatched, imitating parental behaviour such as teaching it to forage and such but be warned that some birds can die without parental attention.

Generally, Chinese painted quails are very good for this as we have seen someone raise a quail from an egg to an adult and the quail has looked to the human as its mother, affectionately following the person from place to place and being very loving.

Be aware that some wild birds eggs are protected and possession is quite illegal so be careful who you buy from.

good luck. :)