I wonder if there’s a restaurant up there. They dropped some food here on the floor, but maybe there’s fresher stuff up top.

Ah … this is more like it. A real borgasschmord of meaty worms and grains. Looks like a zinnia dropped some seeds here, and a bunch of other weedy things left promises of more weeds in the spring. I could help Anneli out by eating the weed seeds. But it might be easier to go dine at The Suet Block today.

Uh-oh! Looks like Mr. Darling Starling is already tucking in.
“Hey, Star! Don’t you know Anneli doesn’t want you here?”
“And why might that be, you little piece of Junc-o?”
“Well … she says you gobble too much food and don’t share, and anyway, she doesn’t like feeding baby killers. You know you’re a nest robber.”
“Harrumpf! Watch it, Twirp, or I’ll peck your eye out. And anyway, you’re not social distancing.”

“OMG! OMG!” said Harry, the hairy woodpecker. “I’d like to go down there, but – sheesh! That starling is star-k raving mad! … and-and-and he’s m-m-mean too.”

“I’m being good, Mr. Starling. See? I’ll keep my distance. I’ll just sit here and watch until you’re done.”
“Well, Twirp, you should have brought a chair. I’m gonna be a while.”

“Heh, heh, heh. Here comes Anneli. Look at that coward fly. He’s a “star” at running away. Coward! Heh-heh-heh. Wish Anneli would sit out here in the rain with us … sigh….”

January 10, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Wonderful bird photos, Anneli, they are so cute. The larger bird has got to be gobbling too much food. Pig bird. I thought you guys had a ride to a diner! πππ¨π¦
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 10, 2021 at 6:01 pm
Haha. No such luck. I can’t remember when we last ate out.
LikeLike
January 10, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Beautiful photos, Anneli. Looks like those lucky birds are not on lockdown. β€
LikeLiked by 3 people
January 10, 2021 at 6:03 pm
No, and they sure don’t worry about social distancing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 10, 2021 at 4:17 pm
π Love the photos too!
Happy New Year!
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 10, 2021 at 6:02 pm
Thank you, Susie. Best to you too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 10, 2021 at 4:22 pm
Love the photos, Anneli! I could watch the birds all day.
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 10, 2021 at 6:02 pm
I must admit I don’t get much done around the house when I’m running for the camera every few minutes!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 3:26 pm
I know the feeling!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 10, 2021 at 4:27 pm
The little juncos and woodpeckers are so lovely. π Starlings, not so much. But theyβre part of the whole process. I love how the junco wonβt stand down and is facing off with the starling.
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 10, 2021 at 6:05 pm
I was surprised that he stood his ground like that. I don’t care for starlings at all, but I felt bad for them. I kept telling myself they’re birds too, they’re hungry and cold too, but in the spring I know I’ll be sorry when I see them fly off with a baby bird or a bird egg.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 10, 2021 at 11:43 pm
I love those pictures and the birds a lot. ItΒ΄s better to take the camera than the broom!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 9:15 am
I know. I really want to take the broom to those starlings. Well, we’ll see. If there get to be too many, I’ll have to do something.
LikeLike
January 11, 2021 at 12:25 pm
Maybe the broom and the camera?
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 2:20 pm
Yes, good idea.
LikeLike
January 11, 2021 at 7:50 am
The junko and downy look well fed despite the aggressive starling. Nice photos, Anneli!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 9:17 am
I’m so glad your birds are getting some TLC, Anneli. You’re an angel.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 10:13 am
Haha. Thanks, Diana. The Captain would say a “broke” angel. We’ve been spending a ton of money on birdseed but we can’t stop now, not in the middle of this cold, wet weather. But I do thing it’s important to feed them now (until the weather warms up and things start to grow again).
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 10:57 am
That was fun!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 11:00 am
It was fun to make up this little scenario (based on a true story, haha). .
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 3:23 pm
You do bring to mind one of my favorite naturalists, Enos Mills. He spent hours–days–watching animals lead their lives. How wonderful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 8:59 pm
Let’s just say that some days the house has a bit more dust in it than other days. Depends on what’s happening out in the yard.
LikeLike
January 11, 2021 at 4:17 pm
Great photos Anneli. I am also not a big fan of starlings, but it seems every creature has their purpose on this earth. Bird watching is so much fun but very time consuming, isn’t it? It is definitely worth it when you can catch a few good photos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 11, 2021 at 8:57 pm
It’s surprising how much time slips away between gawking out the window, running for the camera, watching for an opportunity, and getting the actual snapshot. But I love it when I upload the photos and see something special I hadn’t noticed as I took the picture.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 12, 2021 at 6:24 am
I always enjoy watching the hierarchy of birds – and which ones wait patiently for the other kind to leave. For the most part everyone is pretty patient, as you show here. Great photos!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 12, 2021 at 9:28 am
Some of them have to stand aside for the bullies, or else. The pecking order!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Cat Blog #1: Challenge accepted – audrey kalman
January 14, 2021 at 2:27 am
Anneli, I’m smiling away at the beautiful photos (how do you get such good ones of the birds!!) and the dialogue is terrific – glad I’m not the only one creating a running conversation between the birds as they feed away!π
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 14, 2021 at 9:41 am
And me too! I’m also glad there is someone out there who doesn’t think I’m completely crazy (just a little bit) when I write what I think the birds are saying. Glad you like the pictures. I wish some were clearer, but sometimes I’m taking them through the window and that always makes them worse because I don’t keep my windows all that clean (on purpose) because I don’t want the birds to fly into them. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it. π
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 14, 2021 at 6:50 pm
Love the bird stories and the photos!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 14, 2021 at 8:53 pm
That makes me happy, Jennie. I used to love bringing the animals into the classroom, either in pictures, or books, or “taxidermed,” or even some that were, unfortunately, roadkill and we could admire them frozen) up close. I had samples of mink, weasel, otter. Sometimes when I drove to school, past a marsh area, I’d see a poor creature that had been hit by a car and I’d phone the Captain from school to go pick up the victim. I got so much mileage out of them and the kids learned to love those animals and care about them after we studied them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 15, 2021 at 5:02 pm
That is just wonderful! Hands on learning at its best. I wish I had the opportunity to bring animals into the classroom. There is so much learning and joy that happens with animals. Thanks for sharing your stories, Anneli! π
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 15, 2021 at 6:26 pm
I’m glad I’m retired, but there are quite a few things that I miss.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 16, 2021 at 6:15 am
I can imagine.
LikeLike
January 18, 2021 at 4:03 pm
Great photos and a cute story haha. So one of the two times I’ve been attacked by birds, the villain was a starling. I was walking around on hotel grounds and a starling divebombed me, pecking at my head!
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 18, 2021 at 5:34 pm
Horrible creatures. My mom had that awful experience with a crow that kept dive-bombing her to get the sparkling brooch she was wearing.
LikeLike
January 25, 2021 at 6:32 am
Lovely photos! What a sweet little woodpecker. I have to say I do appreciate starlings. They do descend en mass to our garden to raid the feeders and gobble everything up. But I can’t blame them and their markings are so beautifully iridescent. Who doesn’t love seeing a starling murmuration? Corvids are such intelligent creatures too, I love jackdaws especially. I guess I’m of the mind that the only truly horrible creatures on this planet are humans…or at least some of them!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
January 25, 2021 at 10:12 pm
I agree with all you’ve said about starlings, except it bothers me that they kill nestlings and eat eggs. If they would stick to vegetarian food, I’d be happy to have them share the birdfeeder offerings. Actually I agree with you about some humans too.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 27, 2021 at 1:06 am
Yes, I donβt like to see that either.
LikeLiked by 1 person