And P is for patience.
If you want to get rid of Grackles and Starlings – and I know many of you do – the most important element you need (for both success and your sanity), is patience.
The frustration caused by these two birds is real. We’ve addressed it several times over the years through blogs and videos, all at your fingertips to access. We’ll show you where and how to access our archives and then, below, we’ll review and summarize the main tips as a refresher.
Here is an introduction to how to use our BLOG page to research topics.
Look to list on the right hand column of this page: Categories / Archives / Search
By using any and all of those methods you’ll be able to find everything we’ve said about most topics, products and artists related to the Avant-Garden shop.
Want to see everything we’ve posted about those pesky Grackles and Starlings (both video and blog posts)? We simply typed STARLINGS into the bottom right search bar, and got these results.
If you only want to search videos, use the search bar and type: “Garden Gate and Starlings” and you’ll get these videos.
NOTE: To look at shop items instead of blog posts, use the TOP SEARCH BAR search bar at the top of the page and be taken to the shop listings for info on the actual products we carry. So, type in “Grackles” into the top search bar and you’ll get this result. (Mostly feeders to keep out the Grackles.)
To return to the BLOG page, just click on Blog on the top menu tabs that run horizontally across every page.
Search our Blog page for articles and video links on everything we’ve discussed and reviewed in the shop as well as artist interviews and visits from special guests.
In short: How to outsmart Grackles and Starlings
ONE Understand that if you want to feed Blue Jays, you’ll probably have to accept Grackles, as whatever Jays can reach, so can Grackles.
TWO Change feeder types. Choose caged feeders, finch feeders, weighted feeders (grackles) and upside down feeders (suet).
THREE Change food types. Eliminate sunflower seeds and peanuts. Choose safflower, Nyger and squirrel-free food. If you still want peanuts, choose cage feeders that allow smaller birds.
(Using these feeders and food, you’ll still get Cardinals, Finches, Chickadees, House Finches, Red Polls, Pine Siskens, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers.)
FOUR As a last resort, remove the food source and feeder(s) being raided. The birds will quickly move on to the next new feeder they find to raid. Eventually, you can reinstall yours and they may not come back – or at least not right away.
The difference in seed, suet and supplies at Avant-Garden…
- SUPPORT LOCAL
- FRESHLY MADE, LOCALLY MADE, DELIVERED WEEKLY from NEWMARKET (Mill Creek brand)
- NO FILLER
- BUY 12 seed bags, get 13th free plus 5% back in Bonus Bucks when you pay with cash
- READ MORE about the benefits of buying Mill Creek seed from us (we also carry their suet)…
And as Brenda keeps saying, “Be patient! Be patient! Be patient!” ~
(Click on the image below to be directed to our For the Birds main page.)
