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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!


52 comments:

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

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

    oh Im first!:))

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

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

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  4. 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

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    Replies
    1. 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!

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    2. haha like a broadway show
      As they all stood below

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

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    1. 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.

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    2. 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. :)

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

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    4. 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!

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  6. 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. 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. :)

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    2. 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

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

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

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    Replies
    1. 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.

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  8. 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!!!

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  9. 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)

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

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

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

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

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  11. 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.

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    Replies
    1. 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....

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  12. 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

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

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  14. Betsy to the rescue! Yay for you.

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

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

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  17. What a sweet thing! So glad you saved him!

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

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

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  19. 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

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  20. Mrs Doolittle again! What a kind heart you have.

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