I'll Settle For Grackles On Sub-Zero Days
It was a wicked cold morning with thermometer readings of -15 degrees Fahrenheit. I ended up at Ferry Park in Rocky Hill where I found some grackles.
There was about 30 of them taking turns alternating between searching through rock piles and landing in the tree branches above.
I do like the iridescent color of the Common Grackle and enjoyed watching them tossing sticks and leaves looking for food while their squeaky calls to communicate with each other. I have learned first-hand that they will eat smaller birds. I once witnessed one killing a House Sparrow and plucking its feathers before eating it. Grackles are also known for letting ants crawl over them so that because the formic acid secretions from the ants help rid them of parasites.
There was no way I was getting out of my car on such a cold day so I was perfectly satisfied to just watch the Common Grackles doing there thing.
5 comments:
Beautiful coloring on these birds. We have had many Starlings at our feeders today during the snow storm.
Believe it or not, Larry, the first time I saw one of these and actually noticed it was on vacation in Aruba. I watched them and fell for their tails!!!...:)JP
I find those deep yellow eyes fascinating, and.... eerie! :)
One vote for the coloring, one for tails and one for the eerie eyes. I wonder where grackles would land on the common birds popularity list? Thanks for the comments.
Grackles are under-appreciated. The way the world is going, we must appreciate what is left!
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