A baby starling (Sturnus vulgaris) on the bird table in May 2012…
Over the last few years, since I have been feeding the garden birds in summer as well as winter, we have had a bunch of starlings visiting, just for a month or two.
This year the first one arrived on April 27 and soon there were about seven of them. I know why they come – it’s to take fat and meal worms away to feed their young ‘uns.
They eat me out of house and home, but I just about feel it’s worth it when the babies finally arrive to take the food themselves. This year the first two arrived with the rest of the flock on May 17.
A wider shot of the baby starling on the bird table, May 2012…
That was when I took these top few pictures – and however much I tried in the following week or so, I never bettered them.
Another shot of a baby starling in May 2012…
The same shot in close-up…
At that age they are so grey, and have a certain innocent light in their eyes and their feathers are all fluffy.
Two young starlings together…
Starling old and young on the bird bath…
But now the young starlings are growing fast.
A juvenile starling in the garden this week – rapidly growing and changing colour…
Eventually they will all have their star-spangled rainbow jackets, like their parents…
An adult starling – very pink legs…
And then hopefully they will all fly away again to greener pastures – someone else’s lawn, where they can dig out leatherjackets (crane fly larvae)…
Here are my previous posts on starlings:
2010: Ruffians in star-spangled jackets…
What gorgeous photos, thank you! I think Starlings are unappreciated beauties.
Thanks for your kind words – but I had a lot of rubbish photos, too! They tend not to stay still for very long…
best wishes 🙂
A friend saw you had been looking at my window at Scaplan’s Court, Poole!
I’m glad you like it – you can see more of my work at http://www.captured-light.co.uk, since you seem to have drawn a blank elsewhere. I’m not a blogger myself so have had to get help to send you this! Best wishes, Sarianne Durie.
Since this is attached to the “wrong” post, I will add the link to the post showing your Scaplen’s Court glass here.
I like the window so much that I have my picture of it pinned to my cork board. I’m glad you now know how much your work is appreciated…
Best wishes 🙂
I ran into several young ones recently — you know they were shipped over because some idiot wanted every Shakespearian bird represented in the New World — and enjoyed their mewling madly for food.
I never knew that! But I see it’s explained in this Scientific American article…
I can hear some as I type this post..they are not pretty sounding beggars…
Indeed, their noise even gets through double glazing as a tinny buzzing 🙂
Hi, I have a question – I have starlings nestin in my chimney, which I found out last week, when all the soot came down (when I wasnt in the room) what a mess !! My question is, I have just seen mum and two babies in the garden on the bird feeder – I also need to have the nest removed, as its a gas fire and could be dangerous – altho the fire isnt being used at the moment – how long after they have been flying can I have the nest removed ??
Gorgeous birds and lovely pictures, I know they’re not always ideal neighbours but I really like them.
Than you for the kind comment – and I am now following your excellent Everyday Nature Trails blog!
Best wishes 🙂