Hi Alicia,
Having just returned from a week away (during which time my pet sitter doled
out almost 40 lbs. of "cheaper" bird seed mix and a lot of sunflower seeds), I
don't have enough "cheap" bird seed mix on hand to feed these hundreds of
birds, so I threw out a lot of black oil sunflower seeds (I have a lot of that)
and they seemed to be eating it all. I couldn't tell if they were cracking it
open or not. I use several hanging feeders and throw a lot of seeds on the
ground each day.
I had stopped at Country Max in Fairport on Friday evening and gotten more
sunflower seeds and birdseed mix. Now I wish I had grabbed one of their large
bags of cracked corn for all these blackbirds.
I don't think you want them to eat your Nyjer seed - that is really expensive.
I have enough different feeding spots that my regular birds were still able to
eat at some of the places, luckily.
I, too, thought "This is like The Birds movie," as I watched the mobs of the
RWBBs and Grackles at my 3 major feeding areas (includes on-the-ground seeds)!
I hope the weather clears tomorrow so I can go buy corn - 100 lbs. at Agway's
feed store probably. Last year I had a few RW Blackbirds here all summer, so I
rather expect this crew may return for more eats. Since I am retired, I am not
going anywhere if it is still snowing, though.
I hope it stops by evening so I can go to the seminar at the O. Lab!
Always surprises with birding!
Donna
----- Original Message -----
From: Alicia Plotkin
Cc: Cayuga Bird Club listserv
Sent: Sunday, March 06, 2011 8:33 PM
Subject: Re:[cayugabirds-l] Red Winged Blackbirds/Grackles
Hi,
For the first time in the 20 yrs we have been here, our yard with its two
modest feeders has transformed into a set from "The Birds" - over a hundred
grackles, RW blackbirds, and a few starlings have taken over the feeders,
driving away the usual titmice, nuthatches, chickadees, goldfinches, cardinals,
sparrows, juncos & woodpeckers - even the RB & hairy woodpeckers spent the
afternoon hovering on the outskirts rather than challenge the masses of
blackbirds.
I know the other birds won't starve - they have been stashing as much as
they've eaten all winter - but I am too cheap to be willing to feed this army
of blackbirds! Will they be able to open black oil sunflower seed if I convert
both feeders to that for awhile? Or is the only solution to stop feeding for
awhile? They aren't interested in the small nyger feeder that's off to the
side but, then again, neither are most of the regular feeder birds!
Thanks for any suggestions -
Alicia
On 3/6/2011 5:32 PM, Donna Scott wrote:
Along with all my other feeder birds on this snowy day, there are ~ 2-300
Red Winged Blackbirds and a dozen or so Grackles here at my feeder areas (along
with 33 C. Red Polls and many Cardinals and Goldfinches, etc.). Most the RW
B.birds are male, but there are a few females with them.
Donna L. Scott
535 Lansing Station Road - by Cayuga Lake
Lansing, NY 14882
[email protected]
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