Nature Done Wright

  Although many insist that bird feeders are meant for the winter only, when birds have trouble fending for themselves, most bird-lovers I know — especially those who don't live in bear territory  — leave their feeders out all year. And put up hummingbird feeders in the warmer months as well.

  The reason is simple. Feeders provide a way to enjoy — and study — all sorts of birds up close.

  The feeder population has been changing a lot in recent days. In addition to the usual suspects — woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, cardinals, juncos, sparrows, etc. — I've seen quite a few red-winged blackbirds and way too many grackles. 

  The grackles are beautiful iridescent-black birds, but they are also a major nuisance. They will swarm all over a feeder and devour its contents in no time — driving off other birds that might be in their way.

  More than any other bird, the grackle seems to keep the bird-seed companies in business.

  Grackles are also very wary of people. If I walk near the window, they fly away. If I open the window, they fly as soon as they sense my presence in the room. Trying to get a photo of them swarming the feeder is tough, but I sometimes manage to catch one or two of the more brazen ones — with my camera, of course.