A few times this winter I have witnessed a very large grackle flock moving through and around our property on Flint Ridge in western Muskingum County. My estimates of the numbers have varied. February 1, late morning, there was a flock I numbered at approximately 400 that descended on the "front yard" portion of our horse pasture. I noted a smattering of cowbirds in with this flock, but only a few. Yesterday, February 3, there was a truly noteworthy fly-by of a flock in some serious numbers. Out in the clear and with the full flock more or less visible, I put it at around 800. This was after the horse dentist had left, and I was still out cleaning out the barn, so it was around 3:00. As they passed up the "spring hollow," just north of the house, I saw what seemed like flashes of lighter color among the throng in the sunlight, but I was not equipped with binoculars for this sight. Otherwise, they all looked long-tailed, thus grackles. They sounded like grackles, and the chorus was loud. One interesting associated sighting was a Cooper's hawk following the flock, a hundred meters or so off the tail end, I suppose looking for unwary or feeble stragglers. As I indicated, I have seen either this or other large flocks of grackles perhaps six or seven times in the past couple months. Another large flock, composed of starlings, is out and about as well, but they don't seem to mix. Bob Evans Geologist, etc. Valhalla Acres Fiber Farm Hopewell Township, Muskingum County ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]