Common Grackle/Blackbird Update

I swear, whenever I get a ton of blackbirds I always think it'll never stop and the amount visiting the feeders will grow and grow, but I'm always wrong and they eventually stop coming. It's kind of funny. I only had all of those blackbirds that I took and posted two videos of for about a week or so, then I would just get a few every once in a while. I had one cute Red-winged Blackbird; he looked big and fluffed up, and he'd visit quite regularly after I got the big flock of grackles, but haven't seen him in a few days to a week. I still get European Starlings occasionally, sometimes one, sometimes five, but they are so, so bad at pooping anywhere and everywhere, it's ridiculous. They make Mourning Doves seem like sanitary birds (they poop everywhere a lot, too).

I did love seeing the Common Grackles again. Really a cool bird. I miss 'em...again.

House Finch Eye Disease

I've seen two or more birds (House Finches) today with the confirmed House Finch (Eye) Disease (it can affect multiple bird species, not just House Finches). Another female House Finch is closing one or both eyes at times, and looks larger than normal, like she's fluffed up, with big lump-like parts covered with feathers sticking out, like on her chest and her back. Not real sure what that is, if she has the disease, too, or not. It doesn't move too much, and while I was out putting more bird food in the feeders, she didn't move from a branch she was perched on nearby, even though I was making some noise. I was wondering if she could be deaf even. Anyway, kind of sad. I am gonna get out the 10% bleach, I guess, and do some cleaning.

We Must Not Forget the BP Oil Spill

So many birds and animals were affected by this preventable tragedy. Click here to view the photos from The Huffington Post.

A Few Days Later...

A few days after the surprise visit by a flock of Common Grackles, I got even more blackbirds. European Starlings, Red-winged Blackbirds and, of course, Common Grackles. There were so many droppings, though; one of my pet peeves.

The Day After

I didn't quite know what to expect after yesterday with all of the Common Grackles at the feeder. I was just so happy and excited to see so many, or even just one, back at my feeder. I really like when they fluff and puff up at one another. I was thinking that there could be about the same amount of grackles, or was worrying that there could be even more than yesterday!!! Whoa. But, no, there weren't as many today. Maybe four or five at the feeder at one time, but usually just one at the feeder every couple of hours, and no grackles most of the time, with my main visitors being the regulars. Yesterday was cool, though. I enjoyed it.

This is the second video I shot. Unfortunately, I stopped recording not knowing they'd all fly off at the same time together about 30 seconds to a minute after recording. ::sigh:: Would like to have captured that but oh well. I just think it looks cool.

As I wrote in the first video, these birds have not visited my feeder since the summer, and I'd only see one rarely at my feeder, not a huge flock of them. It can be overwhelming to have so many; a lot of poop to clean up, and none of my more regular bird visitors can get to this particular feeder, although I have multiple ones they could use. But, yeah, it's cool and scary, all at the same time. Right now, I'm just glad they're back.

Boy, just took this less than five minutes ago and upped on YT. I haven't had this many Common Grackles since the summer. It was awesome! I had one recently, then later all of his friends showed up, I guess. I love Common Grackles!

After I shot this, which by the way my memory card got full and stopped recording, about a minute after the video stops, they all flew off at once, I'd say more than a hundred that were perched in nearby trees. Loved it!

As you can see, I have a new massive platform feeder, Muhahahahahahaha.