[TN-Bird] Crow Nests and Crows killing a Grackle

Feb. 25, 2007
Shelby Farms, Shelby Co. TN
Hatchie NWR, Haywood Co. TN
 
I had crows carrying nesting material at both locations Sunday. The birds  at 
Shelby Farms were placing material in a pine tree south of the Agri-Center  
while a pair made 2 trips into an area south of Oneal Lake at the Hatchie  
Refuge.
 
The waterfowl at Shelby Farms had abandoned the lakes for the flooded  fields 
where I found the two groups of Cackling mucking in the mud along with  the 
Canada Geese, 2 Snow and the Ross's but no Greater White-fronted.
 
I've seen Crows rob nests for nestlings and witness them killing adult  House 
Sparrows but Sunday I watched 2 Common Crows jump a Grackle as it fed  along 
the shore of a wet area at the Hatchie Headquarters. One Crow was walking  
along the top of a levee when it descended on the Grackle and was quickly 
joined  
by its traveling companion. There was a pretty good tussle and I expected the 
 Grackle to come out in a hurry but that was not the case. Shortly the Crows 
were  feeding on the unlucky bird. Finally one of the crows walked out to the 
top of  the levee with the Grackles head in tow, flew to a tree and completed 
its meal.  I got a few grisly photos.
 
Other than the expected fare, two Great Egrets and a single Tree Swallow  
were the only other birds of interest at Hatchie.  
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135

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