I’d add a couple of things to that list:
- Duct tape
- Rope
- Burlap bag
- Shovel
- Condom
I’d add a couple of things to that list:
This is impossible to guarantee or control for. Birds migrate, you never know who might make a pitstop at your feeder. I’ve spotted birds that were so far off their normal range it created a buzz in the local birding community. There’s a non-zero chance something endangered or at least very rare could stop by your feeder.
If you’re worried about making sure your cat gets enough stimulation there are a lot of articles and tips on things you can do that require little effort on your part (like, even a cardboard box full of crumpled paper can do the job).
If you’re short on time I recommend Great Art Explained in 15 Minutes. May not be exactly what you’re looking for but the creator puts in a lot of work and you get to learn some really interesting things about art pieces and the artists who made them.
Hmm when you say flying in formation do you mean in like a cloud or a specific shape? If so could be starlings as they have a very varied repertoire of songs and can mimic other birds (which might explain why Merlin can’t identify them)
When you say ‘jagged wings’ do you mean you can see the individual feather tips (like fingers)? Could be fish crows? The juvenile sound could be a little seagull-y?
Grackles are usually fully black apart from having lighter eyes. Some species flock together, and like starlings they also minic other birds.
Edit: one thing to note is Merlin doesn’t always work well if you’ve turned GPS off on the phone. That might also interfere with identification
Where are you based approximately? Europe/Asia/US/etc? Is the bird fully black? Same size as a crow? Any distinguishing information might help!
If anyone is wondering, that’s a red-backed fairywren. Here’s some other great fairywrens (literally, it’s in their names):
Oh yes, but that needs to be first on the list for sure.
Edit: on second thought, make it last on the list. It tells more of a story.