Migrating Common Grackles

[Bill Pec]

While visiting my daughter near Akron, Ohio, I became aware of a flock of Common Grackles passing overhead. The flock was made up of thousands of Grackles with Red-winged Blackbirds mixed in and the flock stretched for as far as the eye could see. When I became aware or their passage I checked my watch and discovered that it took another twenty seven minutes for the remainder of the flock to pass by. For me, the sighting of these large flocks of migrating Grackles, that stretch from horizon to horizon, is one of Nature's great spectacles that signals the approach of Spring. If these large flocks decide to descend on a bird feeder or a farm field they may not be so welcomed.
Enjoy life,

Bill

[billb]

Bill:

I live west of Houston, TX. The large grocery store about 1.5 miles from my home is home to a roost of grackles that must number 5000 - 10,000 birds. What a racket they make! Every evening they fill the small live oak trees and power lines in this commercial center. Just this morning I noticed they were covering the parking lot like a huge raft of ducks. They have been here about 2 months or more as I recall. After reading your post, I expect them to start heading north real soon. I must admit, I won't exactly miss them. It is one of the fascinations of nature!

[barry resvick]

I live in ALberta,Canada and each fall i used to go to Saskatchewan goose hunting with friends.At that time of the year the sandhill cranes are migrating south for the winter months.They are quite the site when they get together in the thousands and when you get ten thousand of them croaking,its a very eiry sound.They skies grow dark with their numbers and as you were saying it seems to take for ever for them to pass

[~Ray~Gingerich]

A few days ago a flock like that passed by my place, don't know where they were headed, maybe Bombay hook as they were headed in that direction.

[Martin man RI]

The large flocks of cowbirds,redwings,Grackles often show by the thousands by 02/25 They stage here in southern New England and rest
for a day or two then continue north into central New England many fly due
north and only a few flocks fly east. They will be a little late this year due to snow pack once that is gone they will show and the little bluebirds follow
them north right behind them once the snow pack is melted. ----Ray

[GeneP]

I have a video on youtube of ten's of thousands of redwing's and other blackbirds coming to roost for the night during an October evening.

Do not like when the Grackles show up in spring at my feeders. That's when it's time to stop feeding. They come by in the hundreds and I fear some of my neighbors think I'm attracting them by raising the gourd rack. They don't know the difference between Grackles and Martins.

[Hanover Bill]

Bill;

I haven't seen any here in Western Pa. yet, but I always look forward to the Grackles and Red Winged Blackbirds, and their undeniable soounds, as one of those undeniable signs that spring is just around the corner.

Of course I'm sure my feeder birds don't feel the same way about them, as they eat me out of house and home where the bird seed is concerned, but that's a small price to pay for a harbinger of spring.

Hanover Bill.

[Bill Pec]

Hanover Bill,

I too look forward to seeing the large flocks of Common Grackle and Red-winged Blackbirds as a sure sign that the northward migration of birds is in progress. While I enjoy seeing Robins in the Spring, I sort of dismiss seeing them as a sign of the Spring migration since more and more of them seem to be spending the winters farther north than they did in the "old days". I did see a couple of Cow Birds yesterday.
Barry,

The migration of the Sandhill Cranes sounds like a spectacular sight. I would enjoy seeing the migration. I've deer hunted Saskatchewan several times, but never have seen such a sight.

Bill