well i,m off to work..............
The Common Grackle Thread
Quoting:
Is that what the C.G. said or is that you I've just heard? Just kidding there Burd. Love those shots. Is that a Starling I'm looking at beside the CG on this last pix?
well I'm off to work....
LOL Lily_love.
Burd, you're getting such great in-flight shots.
Quote from Lily_love :
Is that what the C.G. said or is that you I've just heard? Just kidding there Burd. Love those shots. Is that a Starling I'm looking at beside the CG on this last pix?
Yup a Starling, I wanted to get photo's while the Starling's were throwing the peanuts out of the feeder...but got this Grackle thread instead.
Thank's Margaret! I was shooting through a window I had open, but I think I sat back too far from the window (less light) and that may have kept my shutter speeds from hitting 1/2000 or more, but the Grackle's wings flap slow enough to capture. But I think if that feeder was not there to draw focus I wouldn't have had much to post Grackle wise.
Tons of magnificent photos, but Burd, yours are out of this world. What lens were you using and how far away were you?
Hack
And linthicum - that first pic you posted, the one with the piercing eyes staring directly at the camera - it takes my breath away!
Hack
Hack, 250mm lens...I was about 18-20ft away, I backed off the zoom on some so I could drop my f-stop from 5.6 to 4.5
Ive come up with a new set of Grackle pictures since they seem to dominate the feeder area most of the time. I went back and looked at my photo's from February and it was nice to find out that I have improved since then...there are some settings from those I would have changed.
This set with the 400mm at 18-20ft away. No flight shots this time as the birdbath was the focus.
testing the water...
seems every time a Grackle decides to take a bath they get quickly ousted...
who said you could take a bath?...lol
This message was edited Jun 21, 2010 11:43 PM
I want to dip my piece of corn!...
Hurry it up!
hey your getting me all wet!...
the Grackle King makes a ruling..lol
Boss says, Get Out!!
convinced he is the alpha male...aka Grackle King
an offering to his majesty...
Its good to be king...lol
This message was edited Jun 23, 2010 12:39 AM
uhum! I shall now bathe...
attention his royal highness is bathing in vigor for all to see...
attention his royal majesty has finished bathing and will be using his highness's hair dryer and then attending dinner alone..
This message was edited Jun 22, 2010 12:11 AM
last shot before I was ruled an interloper and removed.
Folks, I have got to ask the question. How do you cope with these birds. Yes, they are gorgeous, but they drive off all other birds. I never saw any until the past week - and they came in droves. I wondered if migration was on early. I take down the feeders when the flock shows up. I have 2 nesting Bluebirds and tons of fledglings who can't compete with these raucous critters. I can handle a pair, but not 20 or 30. Yikes.
Great shots Burd!
Gazer, I know what you mean. I have them here all spring/ summer long. They are bad. Wish I had an answer.
LOL, Burd. Great action shots. You must be so glad you discovered that it was that dodgy filter giving you all that lens grief.
That younger one in the bath is cute!
I see, you had front row seating to the Highness bathing,and his servants. LOL Great job.
Thx all! gazergirl a possible option would be to put up a feeder with a cage around it so that only the smaller birds can get to it. As for me I don't have any Bluebird's to attend to so its every bird for himself and when its gone its gone...I have watched the smaller birds wait for the Grackle's to clear the feeder as they often like to grab and go, then the smaller bird's quickly grab something. I fill it once daily...so the bird's don't count on it exclusively and know the feeder is more of a treat option if they really want some. These Grackle's are a few leftovers from winter in which I had about 40 for a couple of weeks. Yes Margaret on the filter failure with the 400mm, I keep the hood extended whenever I,m shooting now though.
Burd, I have been looking at special feeders today on the internet. That was because I came home after several hours of shopping to find my freshly filled suet feeder (and yeah, that would be home-made suet) emptied and my platform feeder hanging sideways by one chain. The Grackles are out of control. Now this didn't happen until about 2 weeks ago, which may be related to the golf course I live on being shut down for a month of repairs. Time will tell
I hear ya gazergirl! I counted over fifty of the marauders this morning. The feeders and suet cages were not visible as they were buried beneath the sea of black feathers.
Great photos Burd. I love these beautiful birds, but I don't get to see them in person. I imagine they're just like our Brewer's Blackbirds who also dominate our feeders. Think my favorite photo was the "offering"-great job.
Nice photos, Burd. I stopped putting out any birdseed for now and seldom take any photos at my feeders anyway. And, the Grackles clean out the feeder within hours of putting out birdseed. I'll wait to colder weather.
Gazergirl, the thing I have found to deter Grackles is a cage I made out of shelving units block. It allows the smaller birds to go through. Finches, downy woodpeckers, but does not allow cowbird size birds to go in. It doesn't work for suet though. The Grackle have learned to hang upside down like the Woodpeckers. I put the peanut silo up, for the larger WP. The grackles goes to it, but has to work harder to get to the peanuts. The Chickadees use it and so does the WP. I've even seen goldfinch eat peanuts. The good thing about the peanut feeder, I don't have to refill as often as I did the suet.
Here's my most interesting shot of a Commom Grackle.
Chris
Wow Chris, now that's a threatening look! Great job.
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