Sunday, 24 May 2020

Re: [Maine-birds] Digest for maine-birds@googlegroups.com - 17 updates in 7 topics

Re: Grackles!

I'm with you, Mary Lou!

I stopped feeding the birds in specific, discreet areas (bird feeders) after many years and, ultimately, a serious rodent infestation of my house. I now toss seed out occasionally into the yard/fields and, within a short time, the birds find it. I always look forward to the masses of Common Grackle (COGR), Red-winged Blackbird (RWBL) and the occasional Rusty Blackbird (RUBL) that come and swirl around feasting.

And by the way, heads up: I had a black bear in my yard early, early this morning.

~Boots. (in Franklin)


On Sun, May 24, 2020 at 8:31 AM 'Alex Barker' via Maine birds <maine-birds@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Re: Grackles!
We love them— their iridescent plumage shining in the yard is a sign of spring. They never become a problem, mainly because they are so shy and skittish, the slightest movement from us or the cats or the squirrels chases them away.

Mary Lou in Sullivan

On May 23, 2020, at 4:32 PM, maine-birds@googlegroups.com wrote:


Magill Weber <magillweber@gmail.com>: May 23 04:19PM -0400

A few highlights from Scarborough Marsh and Pine Point this morning 5/23. At Pelreco Building, what looks to be a a non-hybrid pure TRICOLORED HERON. At Pine Point Co-op, Black Guillemot, Least, Common, and ROSEATE tern, as well as nice diversity of shorebirds on the sandbars prior to high tide including Ruddy Turnstone, Dunlin, Short-billed Dowitcher, Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Least Sandpiper, and Semipalmated Sandpiper.
Magill Weber
Susan Guare <susanguare@gmail.com>: May 23 12:19PM -0400

FOY. Over my house in Bangor.
Helen Rasmussen <helenras50@gmail.com>: May 23 04:39AM -0700

I squirt them with the hose. Same with the starlings. And the pigeons. And
the neighborhood cats.
 
On Thursday, May 21, 2020 at 6:31:02 PM UTC-4, Michelle wrote:
"Julie A. Krasne, DVM" <jkraz1984@gmail.com>: May 23 08:25AM -0400

I'm just curious...since Grackles are birds too, with young to feed this
time of year, why discourage them at all?
Just a thought.
 
Julie Krasne
 
On Thu, May 21, 2020, 6:31 PM Michelle Gregoire <m4gregoire@gmail.com>
wrote:
 
Ilze Balodis <ilzebalodis@gmail.com>: May 23 08:58AM -0400

Agreed!
 
Sent from my iPhone
 
Sean Hatch <seanarih@gmail.com>: May 23 06:10AM -0700

Because then that's all you'll have.
Joel and Sandy Wilcox-Fairbanks <joelandsandy@gmail.com>: May 23 09:26AM -0400

I've often thought that an enterprising person could do well selling some
kind of electronic, remote-operated device that could be attached to
feeders, with an arm or something that would swing out when triggered
(possibly with a loud noise) to scare off unwanted birds. Any inventors out
there?
 
As for the grackles, I'd probably allow them some food in the spring before
shooing them; but would just say no to starlings.
 
Joel Wilcox
Cherryfield (permanently, we've moved!)
 
On Sat, May 23, 2020 at 7:39 AM Helen Rasmussen <helenras50@gmail.com>
wrote:
 
David Gulick <dvdgu741@gmail.com>: May 23 09:31AM -0400

I know a man who worked diligently for years to chase away grackles because they used to drop their egg shells into his pool.
 
 
Sent from my iphone with auto incorrect activated :-)
 
Thomas Foley <thomaspfoley5@gmail.com>: May 23 06:38AM -0700

At the risk of this making me unpopular, I have a suggestion for those of you who put out free food and get upset about who comes to eat it. Save yourself the frustration, save wildlife from getting sprayed by garden hoses, and take down your feeders. If you don't like the reality of bird feeding, just don't do it. Grackles, starlings, squirrels, etc. do not deserve to be treated this way just because you don't think they're cute.
Sean Hatch <seanarih@gmail.com>: May 23 07:16AM -0700

Thanks Tom. I've eventually come to this realization. That's why I dont take such drastic measures. My grackles seem to show up in small numbers, then they swell. And by end of May they dont seem to bother my feeders. So I yell at them. I'll do me. You all, can do you.
Ilze Balodis <ilzebalodis@gmail.com>: May 23 10:23AM -0400

Yes! I am in complete agreement. Thanks for putting into words what I was thinking.
 
Sent from my iPhone
 
Steve Plumb <voiceofthefair@gmail.com>: May 23 11:48AM -0400

I recently saw some advice regarding grackles and suet at the Baltimore Bird Club website. https://baltimorebirdclub.org/by/suet.html <https://baltimorebirdclub.org/by/suet.html>
Terry Ross suggests...
Starlings are particularly fond of suet. To discourage them, use a cage that is covered on all sides but the bottom, so that the only birds that will eat the suet will be those that can hang upside down while feeding (this is not a problem for woodpeckers, but it gives starlings the fits).
 
Squirrels also love suet. You may be able to slow them down by protecting your feeders with baffles. If the squirrels still eat too much suet, take comfort from another old adage, "Render unto squirrels the things that are squirrels'." I know the squirrels believe it.
 
 
Hope this helps
Steve
 
AMF <ZnSe37@gmail.com>: May 23 12:03PM -0400

Interesting thread: I put my feeders up when the snow covers the ground
and take them down when the snow is gone.  There is plenty of seeds and
other feed when the ground is open on my farm.  The state recommends
taking the feeders down in the spring to keep the bears out of
neighborhoods as they look for food  We have beehives and threat of
bears is always a concerned.  The only feeder I put up in the summer is
the hummingbird feeders.  I consider putting an orange up for the
Baltimore orioles I have in the area.  I have not never done it. I can
understand that people put feeders out so that they can look at the
birds at the feeders out their windows.  It is a beautiful thing.  It is
also a beautiful thing looking at the birds in their natural
environment.  Have a great and safe weekend.  /Allan
 
On 5/23/2020 10:23 AM, Ilze Balodis wrote:
Doug Hitchcox <dhitchcox@mac.com>: May 23 11:07AM -0400

Hi everyone:
 
Last week's results:
WOW, you all turned out last week! 111 probable Ruffed Grouse records helped fill in 23 new blocks. 51 Carolina Wren reports added 4 new blocks to their already fairly full map. And 34 American Bittern records added 15 new blocks - most of these were "singing" birds so make sure you check back at least seven days later and see if you can bump those to probable (S7) records. Congrats to Gary in Winter Harbor, Bruce in South Portland, and Jonah in Orland for being chosen by excel's random number generator as winners this week!
 
Here are the challenges for this week:
 
1) Nuthatch round-up - My backyard White-breasted Nuthatches fledged this week so keep an eye out for confirmed records around the state of that species. And to include the entire state in this challenge, we are now in the safe dates for Red-breasted Nuthatches so all codes for that species will put you in the running.
 
2) Brown-headed Cowbird - I'm seeing a lot of people posting photos of nests (especially phoebe nests) with cowbird eggs in them. While we don't want to encourage volunteers to approach nests, if you respectfully view inside one and see it has been parasitized by a cowbird, that counts as a confirmed record (NE - nest with eggs) for both species. At only 47 confirm blocks, this species needs work: https://ebird.org/atlasme/map/bnhcow
 
3) Owls - Barred and Great Horned chicks are growing up, even some into their "branching" stage, so keep an eye out for these otherwise hard to detect species. Saw-whets are occupying cavities now too. Confirmed records of any owl species will put you in the running for this challenge.
 
Good birding and happy atlasing!
 
 
Doug Hitchcox
Maine Bird Atlas - Outreach Coordinator
Maine Audubon - Staff Naturalist
207-781-2330 x237
dhitchcox@maineaudubon.org
Sean S <therefromhere168@gmail.com>: May 22 09:45PM -0400

FOY Common Nighthawk flying over late this afternoon in Hiram Village.
 
On Wednesday 6-7 Eastern Towhees were heard singing and calling at Tear Cap
hill, also in Hiram.
 
Sean Smith
Weston Barker <westonbarker26@gmail.com>: May 22 04:31PM -0700

While birding at Wharton Point in Brunswick today I had a good number of shorebirds feeding on the flats as the tide was receding, including:
35 Short-billed Dowitcher
84 Black-bellied Plover
22 Semipalmated Plover
2 Semipalmated Sandpiper
5 Greater Yellowlegs
1 Lesser Yellowlegs
Other highlights included 1 Glossy Ibis, 2 Common Tern, and 1 Merlin
 
All are exact counts
 
 
-Weston Barker
Derek and Jeannette Lovitch <freeportwildbird@yahoo.com>: May 22 07:25PM -0400


Hi all,
My observations of note over the past seven days included the following fun:
- 18 species of warblers, Florida Lake Park, Freeport, 5/17, led by 30 Common Yellowthroats and 19 Yellow-rumped Warblers,
- 21 species of warblers (new personal Patch record!), Florida Lake Park, 5/18 (with Jeannette) led by 40 Common Yellowthroats and 29 Yellow-rumped Warblers but also including 1 Cape May Warbler (with Zane Baker) and a tardy Palm Warbler for #21.
- 12 Semipalmated Sandpipers (FOY), Florida Lake Park, 5/18 (with Chris Beck, Noah Gibb, and Jeannette), 5/18: my 163rd all-time species here!
- 319 Black-bellied Plovers, 141 Ruddy Turnstones, etc, Pine Point, Scarborough, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
- 900-1,000 Long-tailed Ducks and 81 Brant, Pine Point Beach, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
- 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Florida Lake Park, 5/20.
- 17 species of warblers, led by 16 Common Yellowthroats and 10 American Redstarts but including 1 Bay-breasted Warbler, Florida Lake Park, 5/21.
- 18 species of warblers, led by 22 Common Yellowthroats and 11 Ovenbirds but including 1 continuing Lousiana Waterthrush and 2 Bay-breasted Warblers, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/22.
 
And my personal first of years this week were as follows:
- 2 Blackpoll Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/17.
- 2 Bay-breasted Warblers, Florida Lake Park, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
- 26 Short-billed Dowitchers, Pine Point, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
- 19 Least Terns, Pine Point, 5/18 (with Jeannette).
- 4 Laughing Gulls, Bailey Island, Harpswell, 5/19.
- 1 Tennessee Warbler, Bailey Island, 5/19.
- 1 Eastern Wood-Pewee, Florida Lake Park, 5/21
- 7 Red-eyed Vireos, Morgan Meadow WMA, 5/22.
 
-Derek
*****************************************
 
Derek and Jeannette Lovitch
 
Freeport Wild Bird Supply
 
541 Route One, Suite 10
 
Freeport, ME 04032
 
207-865-6000
 
www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com
 
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