Friday, December 23, 2011

Starlings And Stuff

This European Starling was up in the top of this tree singing his little heart out. I was out looking for birds to photograph, so this presented a perfect opportunity for me. The starlings seem to like these trees around here right now, so I can easily find a few of them every day right now.

These birds are sometimes considered to be invasive pests, but they don't bother me at all. I guess I'm not the one they're invading. Anyway, they are good subjects for my posts, so I won't go too much into the pest thing.

I think this will be one of those rambling posts where I talk about different things though. Let's see... I've been able to stick halfway close to my old posting schedule for the last two weeks now. It feels good to get on here and write whatever strange thing I'm thinking.

And I really do try to make what I write at least a little bit on the strange side, otherwise what fun would this really be? The internet is the best place to write or say any old crazy thing you want. If you aren't already blogging and writing down some of the things that pop into your head, then maybe you should give it a try.

I've been able to really expand the things I write since I started this. One thing I always wanted to do was to write fiction stories. At first I had trouble writing the stories I thought up, but now over at Rat Tales I have some pretty good short stories for anyone to read.

In fact, I just finished writing a story that I consider to be one of my very best. It will be published in about a month, after the end of my current serial and one short bit of oddness that I wrote.

This nature stuff is pretty good too though. Above is that starling in the tree. This picture shows everything a little more like I saw it with my own eyes. It's great to be able to zoom in with the caera to get close up shots of something so far away.

I'm considering going down the road soon to one of the nature parks so I can show you a few good views from the top of the hills around here. I hope I can get myself to do that. It's hard to make myself go too far right now because there's so much to do around here and there's so much nature right outside my door.

I'm going to take the weekend off from posting, but I'm sure I'll be visiting other blogs. I'll be back hopefully by Monday with pictures of a UFO or a Sasquatch or some other strange thing, but I'll most likely have pictures of hills or more starlings or a squirrel or something. Come on Bigfoot, I know you're out there waiting for me!

20 comments:

  1. That would be neat to see a UFO or Bigfoot. Hmmm...which one is scarier? I think Bigfoot, so be careful.

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  2. @Icy BC
    Getting a picture of Bigfoot is my ultimate goal. The only problem is that I don't think I'll get one any time soon.

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  3. We have lots of starlings around here and they never bothered me much either.
    hope you manage to get that shot of bigfoot :)
    Have a very Merry Christmas

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  4. @Ann
    I'm making plans to go to a place very soon that has to be prime Bigfoot territory. mt chances of that picture are getting better.

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  5. Starlings can be interesting, but I don't like it when they fill my yard and drive off the other birds.

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  6. The Starlings have disappeared here. You got some nice photos of them though. Boy! Wouldn't that be something to get a pic of a bigfoot!! Ha! Have a Merry Christmas Ratty.

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  7. @Sharkbytes
    Now that you say it, I've noticed that there aren't many other birds when they're around.
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    @Ginnymo
    One way or another I'm going to do everything I can to get a Bigfoot picture. You never know.

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  8. I love the sound they make when a whole flock get together. It's a very soothing almost what they call white noise.

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  9. @Country Mouse Studio
    I do too. If I remember what I read, that's the reason they were brought to this country, so we're not alone.

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  10. Speaking of those 'darling' starlings...Each spring when they return here en masse , A few inevitably search out chimneys and fan vents for nesting on those cool spring nights.

    I often have to chase them out at the first sign of pecking and tearing sounds of the vent louvres to my kitchen fan. But I figured out a simple , safe and quick quick method to make them move on.

    I turn on the stove element and the fan . Then I drop a few drops of cooking oil on the element which produces a lot of smoke. The birds always leave immediately - unharmed. They don't return to nest in an unsafe place for all concerned.

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  11. have a great time wanderings, may the holidays season treat you well with beautiful finds and pictures from your nature park visits.

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  12. @thepowmill
    That's a good way to get rid of them. I was a little worried about birds using the chimney of my wood stove, but it probably won't be a problem with all the smoke.
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    @betchai
    Thanks. I hope to have some new and very different pictures and stories very soon.

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  13. To be perfectly honest, Ratty, I would MUCH rather see photos of starlings than Bigfoot. But I'm a kitty and that's how I roll.

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  14. @Sparkle
    Maybe I could get a picture of Bigfoot catching starlings ad giving them to kitties. Now that would be an interesting picture.

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  15. Merry Christmas, Ratty!

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  16. @montucky
    Merry Christmas to you too!

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  17. Merry Xmas Ratty! It's been a while, but I finally have time in between semesters to rest my mind a bit.

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  18. @Lauren Axelrod
    I hope you had a Merry Christmas too, and I hope it continues. It's been quite a busy few months for me too. I hope you get a good rest.

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  19. It always amazes me to see your starlings...i think they re so much prettier than our native ones....are your as prolific as ours I wonder?? And are they too the bullies of the small wild birds?

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  20. @allotments4you
    Our starlings are actually the descendants of yours. They were introduced here in the 19th century. Many people here consider them to be pests because they have overrun many areas and they drive off many other birds. The situation is much like what gray squirrels have done to your red squirrels.

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