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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Baby Grackle


I saved this baby Grackle from the jaws of Jack last night.
He wasn't harmed, thank goodness!  The parents were
squawking and swooping around but I couldn't find
their nest!  I walked around a good 15 minutes with
this cute little guy but had a trail of 6 cats following me
every where and licking their chops!  lol....
I finally chose a pine tree and let him hop up into
the branches as tall as I could reach.
The boughs are too soft for the cats to climb.
It was almost dark when I put him in the tree.
I'm sure the mom and dad were keeping an eye
on me and took over when I went in the house.
I love his left over fuzzy baby tufts!

♥

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52 comments:

  1. Gloria BakerMay 20, 2013 at 9:08 PM

    OMY he is so cute!!! poor baby!

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:14 PM

      He was quite content to stay in my hands! Sweet little thing! :)

      Delete
  2. Gloria BakerMay 20, 2013 at 9:09 PM

    I can see all the cats running by you at the baby!

    oh Im first!:))

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:14 PM

      Yes, first! ha. Oh, they were something...a whole line of them following me! Geesh!

      Delete
  3. Kathy GMay 20, 2013 at 9:09 PM

    I can just imagine you leading that cat parade :-) Glad you were able to rescue the bird.

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  4. Gloria BakerMay 20, 2013 at 9:10 PM

    and second LOL!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pat HattMay 20, 2013 at 9:12 PM

    A trails of kitties behind
    Hoping you are kind
    And giving them a snack
    Which they can attack
    Instead you help the bird
    Bet they thought that was absurd haha
    But the poor little guy
    Sure needs to learn how to fly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:15 PM

      I'm sure they thought it was dinner
      and it surely would be a winner
      But I put it up out of their reach
      and they had to listen to it's little screech!
      hahahaha!

      Delete
    2. Pat HattMay 21, 2013 at 11:24 AM

      haha like a broadway show
      As they all stood below

      Delete
  6. MarthaMay 20, 2013 at 9:12 PM

    I do not have very nice things to say about grackles...

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:18 PM

      Oh really? I think they are beautiful. And they are THE best parents to their young. I once watched a baby grackle on the ground that fell from a nest that was very high in the tree. I couldn't put it back..way too high even with a ladder. The mom swooped down and fed that baby on the ground all day. Then when it rained that evening, she stood over it with her wing out like an umbrella for it! So touching.

      Delete
    2. MarthaMay 20, 2013 at 9:39 PM

      Ogden Nash wrote a particularly apt ode to this intelligent, elegant, irksome icterid titled simply The Grackle…

      The grackle’s voice is less than mellow,
      His heart is black, his eye is yellow,
      He bullies more attractive birds
      With hoodlum deeds and vulgar words,
      And should a human interfere,
      Attacks that human in the rear.
      I cannot help but deem the grackle
      An ornithological debacle.

      <a href="http://10000birds.com/the-grackle.htm</a>

      They used to attack other birds in my parent's hard. Maybe yours are nicer. :)

      Delete
    3. MarthaMay 20, 2013 at 9:40 PM

      Guess I messed up that link there... Oops.

      Delete
    4. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:43 PM

      Oh that is too funny. The bully part sounds like a Blue Jay to me.

      You know what bird I don't like are the Cow Birds. They lay their big old eggs in little sparrow nests so the sparrows have to raise the orphan cow bird along with their own brood! Usually the baby is bigger than the little sparrow parents and it exhausts them trying to keep up with feeding it! Bad, bad cow birds!

      Delete
  7. MariMay 20, 2013 at 9:13 PM

    He's adorable! Yay for saving him. I must admit that the thought of you walking around with the cats following is pretty funny.

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:19 PM

      Wish I had a video. haha. I thought I was smart and took the baby next door and put him on the ground behind a hedge of peony bushes. But when I started to walk away, the baby hopped to follow me! And when I turned looked behind me, a bunch of cats were cowering along our fence! hahaha. So, I had to scoop the baby back up and try Plan B. lol...good grief. I'm sure some neighbors were getting a kick out of me. :)

      Delete
    2. ChristineMay 20, 2013 at 9:26 PM

      Betsy, we ALL are getting a kick out of you.
      You go to great lengths to make sure baby bird is safe.
      I would of put him on the nearest branch and call it a day (and then again, I don't have any cats).

      New name for you: Dr. Doolittle, Super Woman

      Delete
    3. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:31 PM

      haha...well, I hope none of the neighbors have their video cameras pointing out the windows. haha.

      Delete
  8. AnonymousMay 20, 2013 at 9:22 PM

    Awe...so glad you saved him. Hope the parents found him. And hope the cats don't : )

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 9:33 PM

      I hope he was, too! He sure was a sweet little thing. When I couldn't figure out what to do with him, I almost put him in the cage with my parakeets! hahaha.

      Delete
  9. AndyMay 20, 2013 at 9:43 PM

    That's one lucky bird.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousMay 20, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    I just had a vision of you and the parade, chomping at the bit to make that little fellow super! He is one lucky birdie!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. LindaMay 20, 2013 at 10:01 PM

    How adorable, Betsy....love his tufts!!!
    We found a baby woodpecker at the cottage, and my boyfriend put him in the garden...
    He look kind of injured...:o(
    Hopefully he will survive....like your baby Grackle!!

    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 10:47 PM

      aw..I'm not sure I'd recognize a baby woodpecker! I hope he's ok!

      Delete
  12. Brian MillerMay 20, 2013 at 10:36 PM

    aww...what cute big eyebrows he has...and how good of you as well to save him...now you are starting an aviary section of the zoo eh? hope your other friends dont find him...you know...

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    1. Janelle GoodwinMay 20, 2013 at 10:43 PM

      This made my day, thinking of you putting him up high enough. Blessings to you!

      Delete
    2. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 10:48 PM

      I thought they looked like eyebrows, too! hahaha. Felines and birds...hope they get along alright! haha.

      Delete
    3. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 10:48 PM

      janelle...I hope he found his mama! :)

      Delete
  13. WandaMay 20, 2013 at 11:03 PM

    You and Julie...saving baby birds. I'm so glad yours got to get back to parents. Julie sparrow is now a house pet in a cage as it had only known people. When the cage door is open Sydney flies over and lands on Julie's head or shoulder.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Betsy BrockMay 20, 2013 at 11:05 PM

      Oh, that is cute...and a sweet ending to her second bird story! I thought of her as I carried that baby around last night! ha....

      Delete
  14. Pierre BOYERMay 21, 2013 at 12:02 AM

    :-)

    Pierre

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  15. Hilary Melton-ButcherMay 21, 2013 at 4:37 AM

    Hi Betsy - how wonderful .. and do hope Baby Grackle lives happily ever after.

    I love the Ogden Nash poem .. such fun to read .. thanks to Martha for leaving it for us ..

    Cheers Hilary

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anita JohnsonMay 21, 2013 at 8:35 AM

    I love that Einstein look. I'm glad he wasn't cat chow. (o:

    ReplyDelete
  17. JaniceMay 21, 2013 at 9:59 AM

    Betsy to the rescue! Yay for you.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Jill from Killeny GlenMay 21, 2013 at 10:48 AM

    I am GROSSLY behind in my blog reading! SO HAPPY you saved the baby! He looks like a balding old man! I hate it that the kitties go for the baby birds and baby bunnies! OH!

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  19. OutcastMay 21, 2013 at 12:00 PM

    Well done on you to save him, so glad that he's okay Betsy, so adorable!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Betsy BrockMay 21, 2013 at 3:59 PM

      He is really cute, isn't he? And he was friendly! ha....or maybe just grateful.

      Delete
  20. MichelleMay 21, 2013 at 2:24 PM

    What a sweet thing! So glad you saved him!

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 21, 2013 at 4:00 PM

      hopefully his parents found him and he stayed up high until he can fly better!

      Delete
  21. Eddie BluelightsMay 21, 2013 at 4:25 PM

    Well rescued, Betsy.
    If he was a budgie he would have said, "Thank you!" but I am sure he said so in bird language.

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    1. Betsy BrockMay 21, 2013 at 4:43 PM

      I almost put in in the cage with my two budgies. I wonder how they would have gotten along! haha.

      Delete
  22. UnknownMay 23, 2013 at 6:09 AM

    Hi Betsy, I had to look up this charming guy in the dictionary. Seems that we do not have these birds over here. As you know, I am really fond of cats. But on the critical days, when young birds have their flying workshops in my garden, I am not so happy about my furry friends...
    So nice, that you saved the little grackle and what a touching story about the mother acting as umbrella for her young one!
    Christel

    ReplyDelete
  23. jennyfrecklesMay 23, 2013 at 3:09 PM

    Mrs Doolittle again! What a kind heart you have.

    ReplyDelete

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