Grackle in Flock of 40 Blackbirds

My latest new bird arrival at my feeders was a grackle, in a flock of about 40 blackbirds, mainly starlings I think. I know more grackles are on the way.  On the American Birding Association's Ohio-Birds listserve I saw a report of four grackles just north of Cincinnati on March 2.  And John Switzer reported in his column in the Columbus Dispatch (Sunday, March 2) that he had seen at least one grackle for the first time this season at his feeder.

Usually by the time I read his column the bird species, if not individuals, at his feeders come to mine, in Howard, about 50 miles northeast of Columbus.  I hardly believed his report of an aggressive robin that chased away other birds at his feeders, but my daily robin visitor is like that, using up precious energy to chase away birds in a 10-foot-radius around, when there is plenty of food for all.

Last year I saw a grackle on January 1, but they didn't start coming regularly to my feeders until March 17.

I'm not sure I've ever had a robin come to a feeder, let alone eat from it.  He may be just picking out the fruits I have in the seed blend.  I haven't checked to see if robins will ever eat seeds, I just know they primarily eat worms and bugs.

Our Cooper's hawk is getting bolder.  On Sunday, when we were shoveling snow from the driveway we scared him and he flew over our heads and low over the driveway to the nearby woods.  I think that's the closest I've ever seen a hawk.

I'll nominate these four bird species as hardy birds after seeing them brave my feeders during fierce gusts this morning that made me grab for my hat to put on and my mother-in-law's to rescue when it blew away, almost taking us with it:  cardinal, tree sparrow, blue jay, and junco.


I think the cardinal was the first to show up and soon there were four.  They have a reputation of being first at the feeders in the morning and last in the evening.  I recently saw only one bird stay in the bushes near the feeder after a Cooper's hawk landed nearby.


Sometimes I think it's because the cardinals live in the evergreen trees lining two sides of our property.  Then again, maybe the others live nearby too.  I often see birds fly out of the bushes around our house.


Those are the only birds I saw during the my breakfast bird watch this morning.

Feed Crows!

When crows chased a Cooper's hawk today from a perch aimed at my feeder birds, I realized the corn and peanuts I was feeding them in a minor feeder in my backyard had payoffs in my main feeding area in my front yard.


I wasn't surprised the crows chase hawks.  When I took a brief Birds of Prey course, I learned that one good way to spot a hawk (or owl) is to look up when you hear crows call.  If you see the crows flying, look to see if one of the birds looks different than the crows--that bird will also be harassed, even pecked by the crows in flight and that's your hawk or owl.