Speaking of birds, I just had quite an interesting encounter. I am trying to incorporate some very nice used carob bricks into my BBQ which is already built into some very large rocks adjacent to my pond. It is very challenging to try and meld the two materials together. I am totally engrossed trying to figure it out and out of nowhere comes a loud whoosh and a thud and an immature yet still very sizeable bald eagle flopping around at my feet. I'm not sure what attracted him, perhaps my koi but maybe he dove, saw me and tried to swoop out. He flew right into the glass rail of my deck and knocked himself cookoo. I calmly talked him through it until the cobwebs subsided and he was able to fly off to hunt another day. You talk about an adrenaline rush!!!!!! Here's a picture of the BBQ I was working on. I had just demo-ed the fake brick off the front when the eagle hit the glass panel on the deck stairs. Here is a link that might be useful:

Pretty birds. I see downy woodpeckers fairly often but hardly ever see the bigger woodpeckers. Our little Chloe is still jumping up in the air trying to catch every bird or airplane that she sees. I was hoping she would outgrow that. I don't think she's ever caught anything but I get tired of hearing her bark at them. I moved my bird feeder out of the back yard away from the dogs. I liked it better where it WAS because I could see the feeder and birds through my bay window from the kitchen. Now it's more out of the way but the birds will have some peace. I still need to hang my finch feeder.

Taffy, I haven't had trouble with grackles, but have had trouble with house sparrows and squirrels in the past. I did an Internet search for you using "discourage grackles", and found the sort of thing you're looking for. I'm attaching one link. I see one of the common recommendations to discourage grackles is to use safflower seed. I use that now because I was finding my bird feeder on the ground each day thanks to the squirrels. What I've found is both squirrels and house sparrows will eat safflower seed, but I see the house sparrows there very rarely, and the squirrels aren't knocking the feeder to the ground anymore. My favorite feeder bird are chickadees. They eat the safflower seed as do titmice, downies, nuthatches and cardinals. I must admit, when I ran out of safflower seed and used black oil sunflower seed, the birds seemed to enjoy that much more. There are other recommendations I don't have personal knowledge of. I have heard in the past heard of bird feeders for use by small birds only that are controlled by the weight of the bird landing on them, or by being enclosed by a grate. Good luck. -- Lori Here is a link that might be useful: from Stokes birding site

Lisa You will be losing sleep and pulling your hair out before this is over. I have not worked the last few years so I do nothing but watch out the window during nest building. I have seen these situations more than once. This year I am working and can only hope while I'm gone tragedy will not strike. Running out screaming and waving at hosps is always a good tactic. LOL It does work. First Keep trying with the drst. The natives will not go in it again after they get caught. The titmice always bite me when I let them out. So cute! I like to put it near a brushy area where the hosps hang. Next shoot at them with the bb gun every time you see them at the box. You will find out they are very smart. Even if you don't hit them you can sway them to another box by doing this. I would try to notice where they are flying in and out of your yard from and situate the drst there and also put another box with a 1 1/4" hole near there to see if I could entice them to switch boxes. Then let them get comfy and keep them busy. Then use the Van Ert. Of course like all traps it still must be monitored as other birds fit through that hole. You have to stop feeding the other birds or use only safflower seed when using the drst. Once they get busy nest building for real they will be more apt to eat from the trap. Keep us posted on your situation and your sanity. Any questions don't hesitate to ask. Good Luck Cathy