Bad reputation

We have a sizeable colony of starlings that roost in our byres.

Somefolks aren't too keen on these guys. I'm not sure why. I guess they're not the prettiest of birds. I suppose they will make short work of any seed sown in fields. And they do tend to hang out in huge gangs. Dieseldaisy and Anziegb described them recently as 'the Bikers of the bird world'. I like that, it seems to fit them nicely.

Like most other bikers I've met, they're not that threatening when you get up close. The wee fat sparrows in our garden are more likely to chase these guys away than the other way round.

Not sure what was happening with them today. Must have been a party round our place as the chapter from up the road teamed up with ours and were lined up along the telephone wires. The noise was fantastic. If you listen to this and imagine it multiplied by a thousand birds you would get close to the chatter that greeted me as I stepped outside.

I got fairly close, the noise stopped, dead. As if someone had switched it off. Then they, in a single movement stepped off the wire and flew in a huge wave over my head. I could feel the breath of their wings. It was amazing, magical. Then they settled back on their wires and started their conversations again.

I would have got a shot of them swooping but I'm afraid I ducked, they were that close.


I was trying to think of a title for this blip when the song 'Bad Reputation' by Halfcocked came on, it seemed appropriate...!