Jun
14
2011
The Grackles Are Scaring The Other Birds Away
Author: siggyThe grackles are scaring the other birds away in my front yard. I had to stop putting out suet cakes. The grackles liked them too much. And the woodpeckers (red bellied and downy) stopped coming. And other birds attracted to the suet. Like the brown creeper and white breasted nuthatch. More than once I saw a grackle take a bite of suet and go back to grab another and they still had not swallowed the first bite which was still hanging from their beak. I did not know how to discourage them. I know they are God’s creatures.
I wish they would go away. Nevertheless they knew a good thing when they saw it. They also would feed on the bird seed I scattered on the ground. I did not mind them sharing the suet cakes with the woodpeckers but they chased them away. I was going through at least one cake a day. They are almost a dollar at WalMart. Even with no suet cakes being put out they are still coming although not as many. I just don’t know what to do. I miss the suet feeding birds I used to see regularly from my front window.
Tags: bird feeding, bird seed, bird-watching, birds, brown creeper, downy woodpecker, front window, God, God's creatures, grackles, red bellied woodpecker, suet cakes, white-breasted nuthatch, woodpeckers, yard
June 27th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
Grackles. I would rather spend time with family than time with grackles. Our bird store guy told us that we could move the grackles on by putting safflower seed in the feeder. He said the cardinals and small song birds would still come, but that the grackles would go. We followed his advice, and in short order, the grackles did indeed move on……..North, I guess, to your house!! All of the song birds seem to be very polite at the feeder. We have even seen birds “help” a blind buddy find his way to the food…….but the grackles are bullies and piggy. They always want it ALL, RIGHT NOW, LOOK OUT. I don’t miss them. Oh, and a starling moved into the owl house. Sigh.
June 27th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
I will try safflower seed. The grackles really like the suet cakes and have chased the woodpeckers away.