Re: Great Tailed Grackles, Mourning Doves, and Me

On Sat, 10 May 2008 12:35:56 -0700, "Reunite Gondwanaland (Mary
Shafer)" <reunite.gondwana@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:

>On Fri, 09 May 2008 21:15:35 -0400, Boron Elgar
><boron_elgar@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>

>> Oh, boy, you've got yourself another fun hobby. You better get that
>> puppy soon.
>
>You're telling me.  Not only are the birds distracting, but I scored
>an incredible bargain on Jaggerspun Zephyr wool-silk (50-50) lace
>weight, in violet, and I've fallen in love with it, too.  I've got a
>great pattern for a lace shawl and I've spent the last three days
>knitting, ripping back, and re-knitting a swatch of the lace pattern.
>This yarn is just gorgeous, with the silk giving it a beautiful sheen.
>It's pretty sturdy, too, because there are sections of the swatch that
>have been knitted three times and they look just as good as the ones
>that have only been knitted once.

That sounds so very lovely. I am amazed at the years available these
days. Years ago, when I did knit with regularity, it was pretty much
wool or acrylic. You'd have to go far afield to find anything unusual
beyond that.
>
>> The only drawback to the seeds is the mess that is left behind. And if
>> you've got so many grackles, you will be amazed at how quickly they
>> can empty the feeder.
>
>I bought a so-called wasteless bird feed.  Everything is already
>shelled and there's none of the cheap little seeds that are usually
>added as filler.  Needless to say, it's more expensive than the feed
>with shells and filler, but not a lot.

The mess is more than the seeds. I have to wash the kitchen windows
because of bird droppings. I don't know how they crap sideways, but
they manage to.  They also splatter the suet around, but I forgive
easily woodpeckers for that.

>I know what you mean about grackles.  They go around in small flocks,
>which are particularly noticeable when they're working over the lawns.
>I think we've seen about a dozen here once, on the roofs and the wall
>and in the courtyard.  I'm not trying to be their only source of food,
>because I don't want them to rely on the supply in case it drops off
>over the summer.

My starlings get chased away (by me) and we've begun to see cowbirds.
That is not a good sign for my mini-forest.

>
>My husband has a wonderful view of the feeding area and the waterfall
>from his office.  I have to stand up to see the feeding area from my
>office, at least until the Arabian jasmine stops blooming and gets cut
>back radically.  The best view, though, is from our bedroom.  The
>grackles show up early and make a big racket over breakfast, so I'm
>awake to watch the show willy-nilly.

Dang...my jasmine has to be grown in pots and spends the winter in the
kitchen where I do battle with spider mites or scale.
>
Boron