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Re: huge common grackle flock

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Rick Sussman

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Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:23:17 -0500

Hi Nancy,
 I think this was very likely the same flock. On Tuesday evening when I saw the flock flying towards a roost (?) it was headed due SE of us, which would put it in the vicinity of Daisy Rd.(we are maybe 10 minutes north by car from Daisy Rd). When I last saw the flock yesterday it was sort of swirling away towards Hoods Mill Rd., and if it continued south would have been over Daisy Rd at some point. I watched the flock till shortly after 2, so assuming their behavior remained the same (swirling, landing, eating, moving on...) it might eventually have been along Daisy Rd later in the afternoon.

Rick Sussman
Woodbine,MD





-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Magnusson <>
To: 
Sent: Thu, Jan 21, 2010 6:41 pm
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] huge common grackle flock


I had a similarly-sized single species flock of grackles at about 4:30 this 
fternoon along Daisy Rd in Howard County and am wondering if it's the same one. 
 guesstimated 4800 - big emphasis on the guess part. This winter I've seen 
ither this or other large grackle flocks along Old Frederick Rd  and at Carroll 
ill Rd in Howard. So far, no yellow-headed in with them.
Nancy Magnusson
llicott City, MD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
...  I noticed a large flock of black birds around the tops of the trees. They 
ere Common Grackles, and as I watched they flew out into the field, then into 
y neighbors side yard grass, then into our backyard, then into the farmers side 
ard, then swirling en masse into the area around his pond. Each time they moved 
hey would land and feed briefly before flying up and moving again. It was quite 
 spectacle to watch. My daughter was home early from work, and I called her out 
o watch. Our dog was out in the yard during this and he actually just stood and 
atched too. The horses in the far fields were sort of freaked out by all the 
ommotion and were running around in their fields too.
We estimated approx. 4-5000 birds, perhaps more. Each time I thought the flock 
as "entire" more would fly from the woods. It was really incredible. The hawks 
there were actually a pair) were soaring over and hunting, but with the sheer 
umber of swirling birds this proved difficult. To see an entire 4-6 acre field 
ntirely covered with grackles feeding ; quite a sight!
Rick Sussman
odbine (Carroll County) MD
P.S. A couple of evenings ago when I left the shop, around 4:40 PM I watched a 
arge flock of grackles flying over going to roost, beyond the woods where I 
ust watched them. It was neat to see that many in the air then, but there were 
ven more today.