The sound that these flocks make as they land and take off is really loud. It is almost like a distant helicopter taking off or landing. They do like to check out what might be in the feeders. When the blackbirds are around, the feeders usually get emptied pretty quickly.
Some of the birds are starlings and some are Redwing Blackbirds. I like this photo as you can see the red shoulders on some of the birds in flight. As always, you can click on any photo to see it in a larger view.
words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.
OMG!! I can see the Hitchcock link!! Extraordinary!! Great photos and it is fun to see the flashes of red! Hopefully they have good manners! Love imagining the sounds as they fly off! ;>)
ReplyDeleteWe get huge flocks of starlings here. They land in the pecan trees. I go out and beat on something metal like a trash can lid to frighten them away. They are not frightened by arm-waving and shouting, lol.
ReplyDeleteThe great 'whoosh' as they lift off is awesome. Even more interesting is the exact spacing between birds. I've never seen them fly into one another as they make great sweeping turns off to another spot. From a distance, they appear like dark clouds or fog.
I'm worried about you...I hope you have a panic room that you can retreat to if things get out of hand.
ReplyDeleteI can see THE BIRDS for sure. Great shots of them!
ReplyDeleteCool photos! Very eerie. Every evening at dusk there are thousands of black birds that return to the trees near the I64/I264 interchange area in Norfolk. They look like giant swirling black clouds. BTW - that movie still gives me nightmares.
ReplyDeleteI remember the movie very well. It really scared me the first time I saw it! (Along time ago!) We are having lots of blackbirds here too. I love your photos of them!!
ReplyDeleteActually those are Grackles and not Starlings. Starlings have much shorter tails and are as not as pure a black. We get huge flocks of Grackles here in the winter too. They're really quite amazing to watch.
ReplyDeleteThat is a crazy amount of birds! My daughter thinks that birds are scary and I think it is from letting her watch that A.H. movie. That is a cool picture!
ReplyDeleteRosey
Wow Janet, That's a lot of birds alright! I love to watch them as they undulate through the air....
ReplyDeleteWOAH I have never seen anything like that! Creepy!!
ReplyDeleteWhoa Janet ~ that is a lot of birds. I would not be happy if I had a huge flock show up in my yard. I act like a crazy person and try to scare them away! They usually start showing up here next month. ugh.
ReplyDeleteThat is A LOT of birds! I've been seeing huge flocks of Crows in our town, but never so many in someone's yard. It would be a little creepy.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Never seen that many around our neighborhood. There is a small flock of crows that serves a purpose here - they sound the alarm when the hawks are hunting and often chase them!
ReplyDeleteCameron
Wow, that really is a large flock of birds! I think "The Blackbirds of Seaford" has the makings of a sequel here:)
ReplyDeleteWe usually see great flocks like that when they are getting ready to leave Ohio in late fall.It is amazing to watch them as they move in waves from fields and trees. They fill the field to feed and then in a wave they all fly at the same time. Wonderful shots Janet.
ReplyDeleteThe winter flocks of blackbirds and others are quite amazing. Your photos are great!
ReplyDeleteLisa
Wow. It does look like the set of a Hitchcock movie and it would scare the living daylights out of me. That movie gave me the heebie-jeebies since I was a little girl and I've never quite gotten over it. Don't really like any animals with beaks and claws to this day! But you got some great shots of them.
ReplyDeletehi Carol, thanks! We don't have too much of a mess from these large flocks...at not in my yard. Glad you can see the flashes of red.
ReplyDeleteHi NellJean, these birds will take off if they sense you opening the door or even the curtains. It is a great whoosh. The huge clouds of them are like watching a dance.
Hi Phillip. hahaha...panic room indeed. You know what I am talking about with these birds.
Hi Tina, I think lots of us grew up with many of Hitchcock's film and are still suffering nightmares.
Hi David, thanks, appreciate it. These flocks are all over this area. I know what you mean about the movie...though I can't tell you the last time I saw it.
Hi Debbie, I know..scares me too. Glad you like the photos.
Hi Sweetbay, thanks. I know I have seen some starlings in some of the groups, but I went back and looked closely at these photos and you are correct....grackles!
Hi Rosey, some birds can be scary that is for sure. Hitchcock was certainly a master of suspense.
Hi Lauren, these pictures don't even begin to show the scope of the flock...HUGE!!
Hi Ginger, what?? no big flocks of blackbirds in Mississippi?
Hi Kathleen, they come every winter, and then they are gone....not sure why.
Hi Catherine, it is amazing. They are pretty jumpy so you can scare them off easily.
Hi Cameron, man, the hawks would have a field day with this many birds to try to pick off.
Hi Rose, ah, a sequel, sounds good.
Hi Lona, they are something to watch in the air...synchonized.
Hi Lisa, yes they are amazing. Glad you like the photos.
Hi Diana, think that movie gave lots of us the heebie-jeebies.
Wow! We have about 20 grackles in the tops of pines every where you look but nothing like yours. Kinda spooky for sure.
ReplyDeleteHi Dawn, it is kind of overwhelming so see so many.
ReplyDeleteAll you need is that freaky background music - and you've got yourself a scary movie!
ReplyDeleteWhoa. Those are some serious flocks of birds.
ReplyDelete