Tickled pink

I've seen and heard lots of jays in the valley over the last week or so - and yesterday, spotted one in the garden. It made my day; perhaps that should be I was chuffed. Or is it choughed?
At this time of year we often hear them, but I've not seen one in the garden before. But now it sounds like we're in the middle of a jay invasion, or at the BBC Radio 4's Saving Species reckons we are.

Jay
Photo: Luc Viatour/www.Lucnix.be

It was picking up on the fact that the BTO has seen a marked upturn in the reporting rate for jays this year. Birders are seeing more of them and, in some cases, they're seeing them in flocks of more than 20.
Why? It could be that jays are on the move within the UK because of problems with food availability. The acorn crop here is middling, but maybe it's been a bad year elsewhere.
Or maybe jays from the Continent are coming here this year and that it's in mainland Europe that they are going hungry. I suppose we'll find out in time.