Re: [cobirds] Marauding Magpies and Bad Boy Blue Jays in west Centennial, Arapahoe County

We have been having flocks of 30-75 Black-billed Magpies fly over our house every evening in the hour before sunset. One night we counted almost 100. We have also noticed that our neighborhood American Crows are not around right now.

 

On a brighter note, we have a mob of Bushtits that descend on our suet, usually twice a day. Being as small as they are, they cannot go through a brick very quickly.

 

Mel Goff

Colorado Springs, El Paso County

 

On 08/26/2023 11:39 AM MDT kevygudguy via Colorado Birds <cobirds@googlegroups.com> wrote:

 

 

Hello Fellow Birders,

 

   Paula Hansley's recent post about a flock of Bushtits chirping and chipping at her suet prompts me to report on a phenomenon I've not seen before in my little townhouse yard near Holly & Arapahoe in west Centennial.

 

   In the past month or so gangs of 30+ Black-billed Magpies and 24+ Blue Jays have taken over my yard, demolishing a brick of suet in an hour or less and terrorizing the smaller birds (except the male Broad-tailed Hummingbird who continues to patrol the hummer feeder and isn't afraid of anyone).  I finally stopped putting out suet because it takes me a couple of hours to make a batch of 6 bricks and I was starting to feel like Sisyphus.

 

  I've had both species coming to my yard over the years, but never before in such large flocks.  I'm also seeing them foraging in the lawns around here, I'm hoping they're looking for the Japanese Beetles & their grubs which have also shown up here in abundance this summer.  Another interesting note is that the small murder of American Crows that usually is in the neighborhood has not been around lately.

Keep Smilin',

Kevin Corwin

west Centennial, Arapahoe County

 

Sent from my Remington Rand Typewriter via my Rotary Dial Wall Phone

 

 

 

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