I'm sorry for the stress your birds, and you, are going through.

Were the dropped chicks grackle chicks? Grackles will raid other birds' nests and remove the eggs and/or chicks if they want that particular nesting area. Then again, if the chicks were other than their own, they would have probably eaten them.

It's been very cold here, too, and raining nearly every day for two weeks. Most mornings have been down to 32 degrees and we've been lucky to hit 50-55 during the days. Then throw in the North Dakota winds and...

Still, my Chickadees are sitting tight on their six teeny-tiny eggs. The Purple Martins are hanging in by their toenails, but they've not even thought of nest building yet. They've been feeding only about every third day in this terrible weather.

The Tree Swallows haven't shown up, nor have the Wrens. They should already be nesting in this area.

Last year the Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Hummingbirds arrived around April 23. I've not seen even one of them yet and it's May 11. I've had the nectar feeders out for them since April 15. The house finches and woodpeckers are loving the sugar water.

Usually I have Harris Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings, and Cape May Warblers stop by for a few days, or even weeks, during their migration. There has not been a one to be seen.

I suppose Spring will arrive, but hopefully before July!

Interesting about the grackles; didn't know they were such good housekeepers.

I am trying to encourage Cardinals. Unfortunately, the grackles are showing up in droves. The grackles shake the SF seeds out of the feeder and then eat them on the ground, even chasing away the Cardinals. The one or two Cardinals don't have a chance. :(

Sue

I didn't realize that chickadees could have 6 babies - that makes for a really busy Moma. And I didn't know that finches would take nectar from a hummingbird feeder.

Our Baltimore Oriole showed up about 2 weeks ago and I've heard reports that the hummingbirds are here so we put the nectar out this morning.

We're fairly sure these were grackle babies. There were fairly large and most of the birds around here would have at least some feathers if they were that big.

Sue - I wish I knew I surefire way to discourage the grackles. They do make pigs of themselves at the feeders. I've read that they'll avoid a feeder if it's full of safflower seed and last year I tried it and it worked. But the other birds aren't as thrilled with it either and they didn't stay around as long as usual.

I've been watching for the occasional Rose Breasted Grosbeak but haven't seen one yet. They only stay here for a day or two then head on their way north.