During a blizzard, all six Rusty Blackbirds feeding on ground.
Snow covered up the seeds and corn so I swept a small area after noon and scattered more. All six Rusty Blackbirds fed along with Mourning Doves and Blue Jays. It’s very unusual for all of the RUBLs to be on the ground at one time. Usually at least one is in a tree nearby.
Bird was hiding under deck on March 18, under car, under bushes until this afternoon allowed a photo to be taken.
There were also 2 Common Merganser, 4 Black Ducks, couple dozen Mallards. We did not see the American Wigeon but it was probably nearby.
Hooded Merganser
Common Merganser
Red-necked Grebe
Red-necked Grebe with Common Eider
Horned Grebe
Sunny, 40 degrees F.
They know I’m in the garage.
This is closer than taking the photos from the house.
But I have to get in here when they are not on the ground, and stay until they arrive. Garage is like a huge bird-blind. All 6 of them in the same photo- hurray! Guess it’s worth hanging out here.
They often feed around noon or 12:30. I should have brought a sandwich out here with me.
6 RUBL, but can’t see them all at once. Temp. about 10 degrees F. when this was taken.
03 March, 2014 I take these fuzzy photos through the window so I won’t disturb the birds.
6 chattering noisily in the tree. Waiting for me to scatter the corn and seed.
It is rarely possible for me to get all 6 in a photo at one time. The first RUBL arrived on 01 January, 2014. It was joined by others, one by one. On 11 January there were 6 and that number has remained constant. I read in “Birds of America” that Rusty Blackbirds glean corn. I bought a 40lb bag of crushed corn which I scatter along with mixed bird-seed and the occasional handful of chopped pecans (when they are on sale) because the “Birds of America” mentioned that RUBL were considered a pest by southern pecan growers. In the early morning (not long after sunrise) the birds chatter in the trees while waiting for me to finish walking the dog and come back with the grain. They feed in the morning and are often on the ground again around 10:30. Then they disappear and often return between 3:30and 4:30. They are not predictable, however. Sometimes they only stay for a minute or two. Sometimes I only see a few of them. They fly as soon as approached, so I usually take the photos from inside the house, or try to get a picture of them up in the trees, waiting for me to leave. Other local birders have been by to see them. I suggest parking near our drive and walking, quietly, closer, or parking at the end of the drive and doing the birding from inside your car there. The lat. and long. given above is for the end of the driveway. To see the birds from January 01 through March 01, select the “Bird” category at the side-bar on this blog.
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