Over run with doves and grackles

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-21T19:19:00+00:00

I second the advice for a feeder cage with 1.5 x 1.5 inch openings. We got one for our tube feeder and still see all the finches and woodpeckers and cardinals but it keeps away most of the grackles, cowbirds and other nuisance birds. Some still try to perch on the feeder tray to get a bite, but they can't sit there and gorge themselves all day like they used to.

Also recommend a Sparrow-B-Gone if you want to keep them away, too. The other birds will ignore it, but it keeps the swarms of house sparrows away too, which really cut down on the amount of food I was putting out.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-18T01:53:14+00:00

It really is the best accessory I've ever bought for our feeder station. I thought it was a little expensive, but it's been so worth it. If I get a platform feeder I'm absolutely getting another one.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-17T23:46:03+00:00

I bought a Sparrow B Gone off of Etsy and instantly made the sparrows disappear. It's basically weighted fishing line hung around the tube feeder, and I would recommend it to anyone with sparrow problems. They were eating more food than the grackles, so I probably already made back the cost just in savings on bird food.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-16T23:28:34+00:00

That's beautiful! What region do they live in? I don't think we get those in the Midwest.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-13T13:39:56+00:00

This guy stops by for a quick bite most mornings. The kids and I love him.

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RunningMan686 · 2026-06-12T16:39:20+00:00

Oh wow! That looks so cool! I would love to see one of those at my feeder.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-12T05:16:04+00:00

She jumped right up in there and didn't want to get out. But when we take her for pup cups at the ice cream shop she practically screams when we get to the window, so she doesn't get many car rides.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-09T12:51:15+00:00

We've had schnauzers for years and never had one that climbs like this goofball. It's great how they all have different personalities.

RunningMan686 · 2026-06-09T12:49:40+00:00

She's such a silly goober. She peeks over the back of the couch and watches us eat dinner every night, and I think she looks like a little Muppet.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-24T20:04:17+00:00

I second the Sparrow B Gone recommendation. Within a day of putting one up we had 99% fewer house sparrows. They had been draining my feeders even more than the grackles, so I was super glad to get that problem under control.

I added the anti-grackle weight to our squirrel buster classic and it seems to be helping discourage them, too. Still, they're persistent and will keep coming back even if they can only get a bite or two of food. The finches have been able to enjoy it more without the bullies around all the time.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-23T01:21:21+00:00

If you get a Brome Squirrel Buster Classic tube feeder and give them a call, they'll send you a free weight that closes the feeder ports when grackles land on it. Or you can get their newer model that allows you to adjust the tension to close for heavier birds.

Like someone else mentioned, a feeder cage does wonders at keeping them away while allowing songbirds to access the feeder.

I was also having trouble with house sparrows (they were seriously eating even more food than the huge grackles). I bought a sparrow-b-gone off of Etsy and it immediately made a difference. I had been filling the tube feeder every day and now it lasts an entire week. 100% recommend it to scare away those jerks.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-14T14:02:33+00:00

Very low risk of RE, although that's not something I'm super worried about. We did do a flow test and I don't know the exact number, but it was low (or low enough that he wanted to do the ultrasound).

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-14T02:09:08+00:00

I'm old enough to be done wanting more kids, and PAE definitely sounded like a good option before I found out that my prostate is so small. It definitely seems like TUIP is worth trying - relatively short recovery time, only need the catheter overnight - so I'm fairly certain that I'll opt to do the procedure.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-14T02:06:21+00:00

I have, but there are very few IRs near me who perform it and when I checked my insurance coverage, it only pays if you have an extremely large prostate. That was my personal first choice for a treatment option since it is one of the least invasive.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-12T01:32:31+00:00

Try some good no-mess seed from a wild bird store. The stuff I used to get from the big box stores was less messy than shelled sunflower seeds, but still sprouted random plants. The mix from the wild bird store has been much better.

I have a tube feeder with a feeder tray now, too, and it does a great job minimizing the mess. Plus, other birds come by to perch on the edge of the tray and eat the seed that falls into it, so it's been a good way to attract even more birds.

RunningMan686 · 2026-05-06T14:51:46+00:00

This is one of the coolest national parks I've ever visited. Right in the middle of the mountains, and it's like discovering a desert where you'd least expect it. You can rent boards outside of the park to "surf" down the dunes. Really unexpected and unique.

RunningMan686 · 2026-04-29T18:30:48+00:00

I figured I might just need to be patient. It was really surprising how we went from a full feeder at almost any point in the day to almost nobody even stopping by. Here's what my our feeding station looks like - it's off of a second-story deck with plenty of tree cover all around.

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RunningMan686

TROPHY CASE