April 2021 - Starlings can be beautiful

You may remember that the weather during our first lockdown in 2020 was fantastic: a lot of sun, dry weather, hot temperatures. So that those of us lucky enough to have a garden could sit there and turn browner and browner while watching the birds sharing our garden with us. Mind you, that opportunity is obviously a lot less for those of us who are working – sorry, but you lost out! 

We have a swing bench in the back garden, and I moved it to the centre, and hung a bird feeder on it. Not a plan that means you can then go and sit on the bench; the Animal Farm air force make it a messy place to be! Then I sat down on a lounger with my camera and long lens all ready to catch some of the birds that came by. We have a lot of sparrows who nest in a quince bush in the garden – provides safety from larger birds I think – and of course a lot of pigeons. 

But this day a starling came for a brief visit. Now I only think of them as the pests at the supermarket car parks, but it turns out that they’re really rather attractive to look at. Fortunately, it stayed standing still on the grass, about 4 metres away, until I could get my camera up and take its portrait. It’s so glossy that it could almost be a wooden carving of the bird – but I assure you that it flew away shortly after!