Texas

KG

(28,749 posts) Wed Mar 23, 2016, 11:50 AM Mar 2016

just back from SxSW. Austin is such a cool place hard to believe it's in TX. anyway..

sitting outside a cafe, noticed two species of birds fighting over some scrapes. one was a large black / darkblue aggresive with a screeching call. the other was smaller and dark brown. nobody could tell me what these were. what are they?

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just back from SxSW. Austin is such a cool place hard to believe it's in TX. anyway.. (Original Post) KG Mar 2016 OP

Probably grackles...very noisy. Lodestar Mar 2016 #1

that was them...thx KG Mar 2016 #2

a tail that goes from horizontal at the ass to vertical is the sure sign MisterP Mar 2016 #3

It's a very fun place to live. Hopefully you got some Torchy's Tacos metroins Mar 2016 #4

My friends who still live in Austin absolutely dread SXSW week. Paladin Mar 2016 #5

I read today Austin Metrois now 2 million Hangingon Mar 2016 #6

It's like everybody who wanted "The Austin Experience," moved there. Paladin Mar 2016 #7

Lodestar

(2,388 posts)

1. Probably grackles...very noisy.

Reply to KG (Original post)

Wed Mar 23, 2016, 12:04 PM

Mar 2016

There are several varieties and two of them fit your description.

Brown
https://www.google.com/search?q=brown+grackle&biw=1012&bih=545&tbm=isch&imgil=lNOzurc7W7nK6M%253A%253B6UhmTTLauUoFlM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.allaboutbirds.org%25252Fguide%25252FBoat-tailed_Grackle%25252Fid&source=iu&pf=m&fir=lNOzurc7W7nK6M%253A%252C6UhmTTLauUoFlM%252C_&usg=__4C5atWFspEBRjQjySt_6qOSMtjE%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjenILoltfLAhVM42MKHVDRCFMQyjcIRg&ei=kL3yVt6UCMzGjwPQoqOYBQ#imgrc=lNOzurc7W7nK6M%3A

Black/blue
http://www.birds-of-north-america.net/grackles.html

KG

(28,749 posts)

2. that was them...thx

Reply to Lodestar (Reply #1)

Wed Mar 23, 2016, 12:52 PM

Mar 2016

MisterP

(23,730 posts)

3. a tail that goes from horizontal at the ass to vertical is the sure sign

Reply to KG (Reply #2)

Wed Mar 23, 2016, 01:34 PM

Mar 2016

it folds up

YIKYIKYIKYIK hrrreeeeeeeee

metroins

(2,550 posts)

4. It's a very fun place to live. Hopefully you got some Torchy's Tacos

Reply to KG (Original post)

Wed Mar 23, 2016, 04:59 PM

Mar 2016

Roppolo's Pizza or made it down to Rainey Street.

Come back any time

Paladin

(28,241 posts)

5. My friends who still live in Austin absolutely dread SXSW week.

Reply to KG (Original post)

Fri Mar 25, 2016, 10:27 AM

Mar 2016

Many of them get the hell out of town on vacations, because of it. Austin is overcrowded enough and peopled with way too many obnoxious hipsters and mediocre musicians, as it is. Like I keep saying, if you think Austin is cool now, you should have been there 50 years ago, as I was lucky enough to be. And don't buy into the party line: there are plenty of cool places in Texas, besides Austin.

And yes, those birds are grackles. One of Austin's enduring positive aspects.

Hangingon

(3,071 posts)

6. I read today Austin Metrois now 2 million

Reply to Paladin (Reply #5)

Tue Mar 29, 2016, 06:56 PM

Mar 2016

We lived there for several years and moved after retirement. I don't enjoy trips back much. I miss places - restaurants, bars, shopping - but the traffic is terrible and the city is losing its identity.

Paladin

(28,241 posts)

7. It's like everybody who wanted "The Austin Experience," moved there.

Reply to Hangingon (Reply #6)

Tue Mar 29, 2016, 07:16 PM

Mar 2016

With predictable results. I avoid the place whenever possible; San Antonio is a lot more fun.

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