Suprisingly spotty

[Jayb]

I don't see many starlings anymore and I always used to think of them as more of a pest. But I think absence has made them more handsome

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[Jayb]

[Carol]

That one does look a bit spotty.   I have a few who visit, in 2s usually.  I don't mind them clearing up because they are all struggling in this harsh winter.  I note you have no snow in your Grouse pictures.  Lucky you having a snipe in your garden.  I have the pheasants visit along with the RL Partridges who seem to be resident at this moment in time.  My RLs  were sitting on my kitchen step yesterday. 

;)

[Jayb]

I think this one is starting to bring his friends as there are 3 this morning!

Oooh how lovely, I've never seen RL Partridges, they sound tame to be on your kitchen step.

Luckily only a little powder of snow, although it is snowing at the moment.

[Geoff H]

I think people's perception of starlings has changed in recent years. They do take quite a lot of harmful insects, particularly when they are feeding on lawns. Also when they gather in their roosting flocks of several thousand they make very impressive spectacles as they swoop through the sky.
They are very beautiful when you see them in good light and you get the purple of the feathers and the spots.

[Unwashed]

I see very few starlings now.  They're one of our more interesting garden birds because of they mimic the calls of other birds - and domestic noises like ring tones.  They're not popular with leatherjackets though.

[Robert_Brenchley]

We used to get flocks of millions over Birmingham at this time of year, before they netted all the buildings in the city centre. We only get a few now.

[angle shades]

love Starlings, very pretty , and the comics of the bird world, my lot can open the wire 'cage' (from above) that the fat and seed blocks go in ;D / shades x