I sure hope I didn't hurt ecofriendly sensibilities with this post of mine.

I was wondering also, perhaps, do nesting Red-winged blackbirds in suburban garden environments actually behave so aggresively as to discourage other desirable bird species from nesting close to humans? I find things surprisingly quiet here outside the RWB's activities, Vs. Black-capped chickadees, Northern cardinals and Song sparrows, to name three otherwise common nesting species in local gardens, including our own, before RWB appeared in the picture (which is of relatively recent date)... Just a thought.

Hi- thought for sure you'd have some responses by now. Since they're nesting, I don't believe there's much you can do to deter them at this point. They are usually very protective birds but I didn't know that they'll nest so closely in someone's backyard. Usually they like to nest in swamps amongst cattails and rushes.

Hi there! Yes they have been nesting very closely to human settlements in recent years, here at least. What seems to attract them, as far as I can see, is a good number of swimming pools among our immediate neighbours, including one or two in-ground ones, plus we have lots of cedar (Thuja occidentalis) on and around our lot, and they always nest in these here. ...I'd probably rather endure those blackbirds than go without the cedars BTW! Thanks for the comment!

Blackbird squabbles bothered me, with one pair attacking another pair's baby, etc. Plus they would try to roost on my house. And peck at all my growing things. So, since I have soil with plenty of small rocks I started waving my arms and then throwing rocks NEAR them, not at them. After a few days they learned that arm-waving precedes the rocks, and they would fly away. Next I would slam a door or sliding window before going outside to waive my arms. Persistence paid off and from then on the blackbirds were deterred from spending much time at my place just by slamming a window or door. The next year they only needed a few days of re-training. My neighbors down the street often have fifty blackbirds on their property. I seldom have any.

I know exactly what you mean about those ANNOYING Red Wing SCREECH's. Sounds like someone is blowing a wistle over and over again. I hate it! I would give anything to get id of those aweful redwings. WE never use to have them and then they built a Chesapeake Bay watershed behind our house with it came cat tails and now those damn aggesive ( oh yeah they attack EVERYTHING) pain in the ass birds. HELP!

Slowgarden.......if you're still around.......where in your garden did they nest? Seems like a curious place, unless you have tons of 3'tall weeds. ;)

Vince.....As far as hating certain birds, I think we have to remember who is probably constantly ruining their habitat. I find some birds irritating, but try to get along with them. They do far less damage to this planet than we humans do! :)