The predatory grackle stories reminded me of how
	balanced nature can be.   Several years back I was
	birding along the shore at Sandy Point, up toward
	the jetties pointed out toward the light house.

	Not much was going on so I happened to have my
	binoculars focused on a grackle on the rocks of
	the "jetty" nearest the point where a grackle was
	foraging for something to eat.
	
	I was startled when my bins' field was filled up
	with a large dark bird's wings as it dropped
	right down on top of the grackle, attacking it
	with its bill and then proceeding to eat it on the
	spot.

	In this case the "odd predator" was a
	greater black-backed gull.

	Nature does balance everything out; it just
	ain't pretty always.

	Leo Weigant

	

On Dec 20, 2009, at 11:45 AM, Matthew Grey wrote:

> Hello all.
>
> Yesterday evening, I saw a grackle eating a junco at one of my  
> feeders.  Didn't fly off with it, just picked it clean.
>
> Also had 2 male towhees in the street this morning.
>
>
> Matt Grey
> Pasadena