The flock came back this morning. My post last night evoked lots of interesting reactions. For the birder on a budget, Starlings can be a bit of a nuisance because of their voraciousness. They will chase other birds away and can be rather aggressive in defending the food (also amongst each other). They are an invasive bird in the US, and can be a threat to native cavity nesters like the Red-bellied Woodpecker, taking over nestboxes and killing the inhabitant. But they are also very clever, impressive and beautiful birds, and none of their behavior is their own fault. As a native European myself, I do feel a connection to them, but I am always glad to only enjoy them in small doses.