I love birds and have provided a happy yard for them here in my Georgia Gardens. But these guys are not welcomed by me.
Grackles are beautiful birds but they show up in flocks and take over the feeders. They run off all the song birds and even the squirrels don't have a chance nibbling fallen seed under the feeders.
We usually have a few here and there but never a large flock until this year. I suspect when we cut down the 90 foot oak tree, it opened the view of the feeder to the grackles. I ran them off with loud claps but they would return within a few minutes once seeing the song birds back at the feeders. I had to resort to drastic measures. I removed the bird feeders in hopes they would go elsewhere. I will install the feeders in time and there is plenty of goodies around for the birds to eat for now. I do miss my feeders as they are always so busy with activity.
The squirrels miss the fallen treats from the feeders so they are capitalizing on the sunflowers in the area. I get the biggest kick out of watching them pull down the long stems of the sunflowers and trying to remove the entire sun flower bloom. I have yet to see one in action removing the bloom but have seen them nibbling on the bloom and running into the woods with a big bloom in their mouth.This video shows one running with his treat. I cannot help but laugh as the blooms are as big as their heads but they are not letting go of their treasure. Too cute but not so cute when they move on from the sunflowers to my beloved garden flowers. Grackles GO AWAY, I do not want GRACKLES, In the Garden.
Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team, In the Garden
Good Morning everyone! Another long day in the yard yesterday but I was good and made sure not to over do with takings breaks every hour on the hour, thanks to a timer to remind me!
ReplyDeleteI was so tired that I totally forgot to write a blog last night. LOL, I remembered this morning when I woke up. Yes, I have way too much going on around here. But seeing light at the end of the tunnel as most everything is in the ground. Yippee...
Today, I tend to household chores and maybe pain the bathroom....
Everyone have a good day!
PAINT the bathroom not give it pain...
ReplyDeleteThat video is cute with the squirrel running off with its treat. I have to laugh at it but I tell you I positively hate the squirrels and chipmunks of course. We have a band of squirrels and they are so bad I had to take my bird feeders down. You may be onto to something with the grackles seeing your feeders. I occasionally get them here but never in groups of more than a dozen. They move on pretty quickly. Hopefully yours will too once they see no food! Too bad that doesn't work for the durned squirrels. Last day of school for me so final grades and exams. Woohoo!
ReplyDeleteAre they closely related to crows? I don't want them either in my garden.
ReplyDeleteEven if the grackles ran the squirrel off he still found a way to win.
ReplyDeleteWe get huge flocks of grackles on the farm in winter but not in summer.
You can have your cats and dogs, I am a bird person and even I hate them nasty things!!
ReplyDeleteGood Afternoon All,
ReplyDeleteSkeeter that video is funny. The squirrels are funny. I like to watch them. I had a problem with the crackles/blackbirds when my feeder was in plain view. After I moved it the problem went away. I do like to watch the birds.
Glad you are getting your goodies in the ground. Hope the heat doesn't hurt them.
Good afternoon everyone! Yippee Tina! I have been busy doing household chores, laundry to include ironing 14 shirts for the Saint. I hate that job in the summer, Ick.
ReplyDeleteI had to run out and water one Rose of Sharon. I think this one has an air pocket by the roots so I will see what I can do to fix that problem soon. I cannot be running out there every day watering it.
The Saint is home and now we are headed out to the porch to cut tiles. Cloudy so hopefully we can get some cut before a pop-up storm puts a halt to this task. We have been trying to cut them for several days now but something keeps getting in the way... Oh well, such is life at times....
Everyone have a great evening...
Me neither Skeeter, they eat all the birdseed, little pigs. ;)
ReplyDeleteI can understand why the grackles are so annoying for you, Skeeter. We have them occasionally, but never so many that they bother the other birds. The squirrels also seem to keep their distance during the summer. I think taking down the birdfeeders for now was a good idea. But I don't know how you can move your sunflowers:)
ReplyDeleteI have quite a few grackles but I don't mind them. They seem to coexist with a large variety of songbirds. Their feathers have an irredescent blue sheen to them that I think is pretty. I prefer grackles to our brown headed cowbirds.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have many Grackles, but have lots and lots of Crows. They make the strangest noises.
ReplyDeleteHot dang, we have all the tiles for the floor cut! Hopefully we will have them attached to the floor tomorrow....
ReplyDeleteI have had grackles at the feeders before but only a few that got along with everyone else. This year, a large flock showed up and they ran everything else off including the Blue Jays. And not much runs them off. There is plenty for the birds to eat in nature so I will keep the feeders down a bit longer...
Everyone have a great night's sleep and a wonderful Holiday weekend....
omg, don't even get me started. I detest these birds more than anything. They are only here during the summer and it's the only thing about winter I like ~ no grackles!
ReplyDeleteAs soon as they return in the spring, I have to take all my feeders down too. This year they've started eating grape jelly from the oriole feeder (which they've never done before) so they are ruining even that for me.
Grackles are rascals!
ReplyDeleteKathleen, sorry to hear this. My parents have issues with them as well. We are talking hundreds at times. That is why I know to nip them in the bud before they get too happy in my gardens....
ReplyDeleteJoey, More so then squirrels!
I hadn't heard of grackles before but they do look mean. the birds I don't welcome here are the Indian myena birds. They are very aggressive and also chase the other birds away.
ReplyDelete