The weather bureau referred to it as “flurries” but briefly it had more the appearance of a blizzard.
Not that our feathered friends were daunted. If you don’t like birds, today’s post is probably not for you!
A flock ( or two?) of Starlings are hanging out with us lately, providing endless entertainment, though I suspect the other birds will be delighted when they move on to invade someone else’s feeding stations.
Hanging out in the waiting room as they wait for seed and suet.
And in the trees across the field.
It’s spooky, like “The Birds”. I always wondered about the Lovebirds in that movie. Do you think they survived?
Some mornings here, look a bit like that movie.
And we get sound effects as the Crows shout for food and the ruffians pour out of the sky shrieking.
Starlings have the appearance of badly brought up kids.
If you see what I mean…
“Get off my suet block!”
“That means you too!”
.
Going in with all guns blazing. Or something like that.
There ought to be corpses strewn about.
.
Happily, I’ve yet to see blood drawn.
“While those two duke it out, I’ll have a quick nibble.”
.
“Get off, you horrible great shite!”
Suddenly the Sparrows seem very contained!
.
Sometimes, briefly, other birds may eat.
“I say? Is the coast clear?”
.
“Listen, laddie. Your lot had better learn some manners.”
Sharing. What a concept!
.
“Yes, yes, understand. I’m out-numbered. I’ll just go then.”
Mrs Cardinal opted for an aborted landing.
.
“That’s got them sorted!”
“Not going to be trouble now, is there?”
“Heavy going, walking in this stuff!”
.
“Come and get it before the little shits come back!”
“I said come and get it! Now. Cark!”
“Right. Well I’m off. That’s my duty done.”
The Bluejays were on…
.
But only briefly…
.
Just long enough to show off their pretty plumage.
“Ewh no, not them again!”
.
Soon the puffy clouds were pushed aside.
.
With snow came renewed interest in food.
Though how could there be anything left?
Maybe there wasn’t.
“Where’d everybody go?”
Of course there was the other suet feeder…
They made short work of that too.
Rowdy, fierce and fun.
Starlings are beautiful.
This post, Carolyn, is wholly for me! Birds are my passion, and they can do no wrong. Starlings rap and entertain by pretending to type and bark hysterically as one dog not far away, something that drives him crazy. Blackbird comes in by the cat-flap to supervise the cooking of the breakfast
– porridge with sultanas and lots of lard. Babies toddle like a human children and they are fun to watch learning from their parents how to eat, wash and fly. As I rescue many birds, I have so many stories that I better stop here, otherwise I will take over your post!
Joanna .
I love to watch the starlings, they are always good entertainment and, of course, they bring thousands of little hearts with them!
I have seen a flock of starlings clear a whole granary loaf from my back garden as I watched. The wood pigeons and blackbirds waited on nearby fences for the scraps, then the sparrows and other small birds came last, to search for any crumbs.
I used to put out mixed seed for all the birds, twice a day. But that might all be gone in under an hour. The price for that has gone up to £22 a sack, so not a luxury I can afford at the moment.
Best wishes, Pete.
Lovely and almost like visiting a park here Caro, seeing so many birds I could almost hear there sounds all around me.
I also like the full page layout. Thank you for this chirpy best post.
Your photos make me cool down a little from the hot day we had – I won’t mind ‘flurries’ (but just for a day or so)! Oh, I love your bird photos (and the conversations going on)! The Bluejays are stunning … it seems you had a really action packed day!
Haha, fantastic commentary and wonderful photos!