Did you know that the Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) is in decline? Though it is still a very common garden bird, particularly in the south of England, globally it is threatened and the RSPB has designated it a Red List species. Red is the highest conservation priority, needing urgent action.
These are noisy, gregarious birds and in May, when numbers have been swelled with hungry youngsters, our garden echoes to the prattling, screeching squadrons of starlings that flock in by the dozens to feed.
One year we saw a pure white starling. We only saw her once – for some reason we felt she was a female – and I suppose she was doomed from the moment she put on her unusual apparel.
Starlings are marvellous photographic subjects as they argue and manoeuvre to appropriate the best position on the feeders. The following are some photographs Barry took this week. For those not fluent in Starlingese – or is it Starlingish? – I have provided translations. The language, after all, is in the movement.
Left-hand starling (Lhs): Come on if you think you're hard enough!
Right-hand starling (Rhs): Hey! I'm just stretching my wings - calm down.
Lower starling (Ls): I thought this was a quiet neighbourhood.
Lhs: That's better - get them down!
Rhs: Okay - they're down now. Happy?
Ls: Just stop the gabbing and eat, why don'tcha?
Lhs: Have you seen that thieving magpie today?
Rhs: I saw him over there just now . . .
Ls: I'll fill my boots while I can!
Lhs: Have you ever seen anything like that? Oink, oink!!
Rhs: Yeah, leave some for us!!
Lhs: Don't look now but Show-off's on the way!
Rhs: Yeah, I can see him out of the corner of my eye.
Show-off: Mee-ee-ee-owww . . . Hi guys, did you miss me?
Mumbles from the rest: Yeah, like a pain in the butt . . .
Show-off: Aww, I know you love me really!
The onlookers say: We'd love you a lot more if you stopped treading on us.
Lhs: Ouch! Get off my knee!
Rhs: I don't need your foot on my neck to find the food . . . so get OFF!
Show-off: Hey, just call me Isaac . . . (quotes) 'If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.' (Sir Isaac Newton 1642 - 1727)
Thank you to the tireless ABC Wednesday team for organising and hosting this weekly meme. Click here to see more Ss!
