George & MDOsprey,
 
For the past three days I have encountered a huge flock of COMMON GRACKLES numbering in the hundreds.  My best guess is 300.  The problem with obtaining an accurate count is that they are high up in American Beech trees.  I have been walking under them on the Potomac Heritage trail between Dead Run and Turkey Run when I hear what sounds like rain.  It is the COMMON GRACKLE flock eating A. Beech tree nuts.  The shells rain down on anyone under the trees.  They accompany their eating with grackle grunts and clucks, which is another clue to the size of the flock.  
 
On Monday part of the flock was bathing in Turkey Run.  When they got anxious the group of 150 flew up as one from the water.  The sound was unbelievable, a loud whoosh that startled me.  
 
I hope you get the chance to experience a Grackle flock take off sound and Grackle rain.   
 
The Potomac Heritage Trail is technically in Virginia, but at times of high water some of it it secedes to Maryland (since MD owns the Potomac).  So we got your Grackles, at least until the Beech tree nuts are gone.  
 
Paul Mocko
McLean, VA
 
BIGBY Year total so far (walking)- 101



> Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:44:48 -0400> From: > Subject: [MDOSPREY] Where have the Grackles gone to?> To: > > Greetings,> > After my sighting of hundreds of grackles flying northeast over East > Silver Spring (coming from DC or Potomac River), in mid-August and > having two occasions of 30 or more grackles at my feeder, the number of > sightings have dwindled to nearly zero. I had thought I was seeing a > mix of Boat Tailed Grackles and Common Grackles but I have changed my > mind after more research. My Natl. Geographic Bird book lists only one > size for these with the BT Grackle being 2 inches longer than the common > grackle. They also show the BT as being more iridescent. This is > correct but they did not give me the full information that the darker > male Common Grackle is 10 to 12% larger than the more brownish female. > If that translates to length of the bird, then the approx. 2 inch > difference in size I was seeing was only the difference between the > adult male and female common grackle.> > More work with Google, indicates that common grackles in New Jersy form > large roosts in late summer with the peak roost size being in > mid-August. Roost populations range from 2000 to 10,000 individuals! I > think the groups of common grackles I was seeing were headed for a roost > site. Is there any information as to where in Maryland these common > grackles roost? I have noticed that fewer and fewer members are > reporting seeing any common grackles. I had only a pair in my backyard > for the first 2 weeks of Sept. and now they are gone.> > I understand that the migration south does not occur until well into > October or early Nov. So where are they? Somebody must have way too many!> > George Lane> Silver Spring Montg. Co.> > PS My next puzzle deals with European Starlings. In the early morning > hours (sunrise), I am seeing flocks of starlings numbering from 20 to 40 > or more birds flying South East over Silver Spring. I have seen as many > as 3 flocks at the same time and this goes on for 20 to 30 minutes that > I am watching.
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