What Bird Did You See Today?

I have a bird feeder in my backyard. Gets a ton of traffic with typical songbirds (sparrow, cardinal, titmouse, wren, purple finch, chickadee) but we have had some bigger birds starting to show up including a woodpecker (once in a while) and now grackles.

Any way to deter the grackles? One showed up, but one turned to many and now I’m getting a group on the regular and they eat a ton. I’m afraid I’ll come home to a flock at some point.
 
clarkenstein said:
I have a bird feeder in my backyard. Gets a ton of traffic with typical songbirds (sparrow, cardinal, titmouse, wren, purple finch, chickadee) but we have had some bigger birds starting to show up including a woodpecker (once in a while) and now grackles.

Any way to deter the grackles? One showed up, but one turned to many and now I’m getting a group on the regular and they eat a ton. I’m afraid I’ll come home to a flock at some point.
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droll yankee must have something....

we have the flipper - which spins squirrels off - as much fun as the birds visiting.
also have one where the perch drops, and the grackles are slowed down, but there is always one that figures it out. the dipper?
 
Patrick said:
droll yankee must have something....

we have the flipper - which spins squirrels off - as much fun as the birds visiting.
also have one where the perch drops, and the grackles are slowed down, but there is always one that figures it out. the dipper?
Click to expand...

I have that one where a cage slides down when a squirrel gets on it. Unfortunately 2 or 3 grackles is not enough to move the cage. The design is great for squirrels. They’ll climb on it for up to ten minutes trying to figure it out and can’t break in.
 
Those gackles have a really cool iridescent purple color, but they are vicious. I was in the same boat. I didn’t refill the feeder for a few weeks and that sent them on their way.

Some turkey vultures on the towpath last weekend, there must have been 15 of them. Assuming dead deer in the area.

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I saw an Eastern Towhee in my backyard last week scratching around the leaf litter looking for food. Kinda had this hip hop dance thing going on.
 
clarkenstein said:
I have that one where a cage slides down when a squirrel gets on it. Unfortunately 2 or 3 grackles is not enough to move the cage. The design is great for squirrels. They’ll climb on it for up to ten minutes trying to figure it out and can’t break in.
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'Our' squirrels figured it our, they push the slide back up using their feet against the metal bottom of the feeder (I think it's a design flaw, the bottom sticks out from the sliding cage) and then proceed to spill the seeds on the ground underneath...before that I had to tape the top cap because they figured out a way to lift it and spill the content on the ground...it's annoying.
 
serviceguy said:
'Our' squirrels figured it our, they push the slide back up using their feet against the metal bottom of the feeder (I think it's a design flaw, the bottom sticks out from the sliding cage) and then proceed to spill the seeds on the ground underneath...before that I had to tape the top cap because they figured out a way to lift it and spill the content on the ground...it's annoying.
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I have stated this before
NO sunflower seeds period. Dont buy bulk its 80% filler. If you have a livestock feed store it's your best bet to get the freshest seed.

Saflower
Thistle
Whole shell peanuts in peanut cage. This is one thing that a squirrel will try at first but after a long failure it gives up for good.

That's it, other then hummer feeder and half sliced orange on a screw.

You can also put out a meal worm feeder if you see blue bird or have blue bird house, be warned though if you do not monitor that blue bird house your going to not have success. European sparrow will destroy eggs and kill bluebirds. Blue birds have it pretty difficult to survive because of these shit birds. We have several house and 2 are setup with traps to catch and kill the invasive sparrows. This is legal and fully encouraged by all bird groups.
 
mattybfat said:
I have stated this before
NO sunflower seeds period. Dont buy bulk its 80% filler. If you have a livestock feed store it's your best bet to get the freshest seed.

Saflower
Thistle
Whole shell peanuts in peanut cage. This is one thing that a squirrel will try at first but after a long failure it gives up for good.

That's it, other then hummer feeder and half sliced orange on a screw.

You can also put out a meal worm feeder if you see blue bird or have blue bird house, be warned though if you do not monitor that blue bird house your going to not have success. European sparrow will destroy eggs and kill bluebirds. Blue birds have it pretty difficult to survive because of these shit birds. We have several house and 2 are setup with traps to catch and kill the invasive sparrows. This is legal and fully encouraged by all bird groups.
Click to expand...

I don't have access to a livestock feed store, I will have to look one up in my area. We buy the seeds at Home Depot, they used to have safflower but last time we went they didn't have any so we had to settle for the 'squirrel friendly' one. Whatever filler they put in what we buy both squirrels and birds seem to like it as it appears to be in high demand, they all look like seeds to me, really no idea what I am doing with this stuff (and most of anything I do), I just find fascinating watching all the different birds and their behavior around the feeder and each others.

Bird houses, I haven't got around building one yet but I may give it a try eventually.
 
serviceguy said:
I don't have access to a livestock feed store, I will have to look one up in my area. We buy the seeds at Home Depot, they used to have safflower but last time we went they didn't have any so we had to settle for the 'squirrel friendly' one. Whatever filler they put in what we buy both squirrels and birds seem to like it as it appears to be in high demand, they all look like seeds to me, really no idea what I am doing with this stuff (and most of anything I do), I just find fascinating watching all the different birds and their behavior around the feeder and each others.

Bird houses, I haven't got around building one yet but I may give it a try eventually.
Click to expand...
Try MIke's Feed Farm on Hamburg Trpk in Riverdale at the Riverdale ave. light. Next to the old Slaters Mill Pub.
 
mattybfat said:
be warned though if you do not monitor that blue bird house your going to not have success
Click to expand...

We know a guy who is big into birds...not to be confused with "into Big Bird" but I digress...anyway he pretty much has to babysit his bluebird houses. When something takes it over, he closes it up and chases them away.
 
We have had success twice in last 3 years with blue fledglings, house sparrows are spared but not the euro's. Especially the males. We also have a annual run of swallows that nest in one box every year. Super awesome birds for your yard for bug control.
 
mattybfat said:
Yup it's a constant watch, basically Patty traps them and I have to do the deed ?

These are what we use
http://www.tmbstudios.com/proddetail.asp?prod=Van+Ert+Universal+Nestbox+Sparrow+Trap
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every year i clean out my purple martin house, and the scouts find it and move in, around now actually.
a few weeks later, the sparrows start - both are good for about 3 days, then out go the purple martins.

pulling it down this year, so no cleaning - will try in a new place next year.
the river is visible from the location, but it is too close to a few trees.
every hopeful.
 
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