Together with the cold
these guys arrived, and as long as they can find the tiniest speck of a mealworm or fruit, they will stay, upsetting the harmony in the backyard. I know people love Starlings, and they can be fun to watch but they are also quite the handful. I never had to clean the bird bath more often than in the last couple of days. They love to take baths on the coldest days for some reason, making the lens freeze over and soiling the water. I did get some workout done just getting dressed to go outside so often, and some fun photos (that bird has an icicle beard!). Stay warm and enjoy the rest of the holidays!
I had not seen or heard
the Starlings in a bit, but in the last couple of days, they have come back a bit, along with groups of flocking Cowbirds. The adults are starting to get into their winter plumage, and I always like this look because they almost look like the fantasy birds we used to draw as children. The young ones will soon also be back, I assume, with their own unique look when the adult feathers come out through their brown baby plumage.
Video: Starlings cannot read.
And apparently they feel dirty constantly. I have been out cleaning and refilling several times, and while I generally don’t have issues with that, it is rather frosty outside and maintaining the bath is a bit harder in the winter. My little sign was to vent my frustration a bit, and they took it as a challenge - it only lasted seven minutes 🤣 Anyways, here is a little clip. The music is a copyright free piece by DISMENTOPIA Taiwan. Enjoy!
European Starlings
change their appearance quite a bit throughout the year and their life. The juveniles are starting to lose their brown baby feathers and growing into the speckled look that is their typical winter coat. The adults are losing their glossy breeding plumage, the yellow beaks of the males are turning dark again and their legs and feet become less vibrantly red. I always like this patchwork stage on them.
The Starlings
know that there are mealworms fed here and occationally in the open, so they stick around. It is interesting to see that some of them are starting to change into their mating looks - the beaks are turning yellow, they lose the “stars” and the legs and feet are getting more red. The sun loves them and reveals why I also call them “evil rainbows”.
A European Starling
showing off his feather beauty. They can be overwhelming at times with their noise and numbers and behavior, but even Starlings can look cute. This one is drying off after a bath.