Subject: [Tweeters] @#$%^& starlings
Date: Jan 24 16:14:23 2008
From: Dennis Rockwell - dennisrockwell at verizon.net


Tweets,

Robert is correct regarding how is easy is to discourage starlings from attending your feeders if you're willing to "pop" one and have the act witnessed by the rest of the flock. Of course, this isn't any help to someone living in an incorperated area where the use of firearms is prohibited, but if you're living in a rural or semi-rural environment and aren't Buddhist or Hindu and aren't worried about "karma", then you might be interested to know that the Savage Firearms Company (great name, huh?) makes a single shot .22 caliber smooth bore. That's right, a .22 caliber shotgun that uses shot shells with #12 shot (also called 'dust'). Some refer to them as 'garden guns'. The effective range is out to about 30 feet, maybe a few feet more. The cartridge box claims a potential range out to 700 feet, but in tests I've done the shot bounces off cardboard at 125 feet without even denting it.

Robins and starlings foraging on a lawn are seeking different prey. Robins are, indeed, after earth worms, but starlings are after the larve of various flies (lawn pests) and as such the starlings are working for the grounds keeper.

Dennis Rockwell
Kennewick, WA
dennisrockwell at verizon.net
----- Original Message -----
From: Robert Pisano
To: Dennis Paulson
Cc: Tweeters
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 3:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Tweeters] at #$%^& starlings


Hello Dennis, and others ...

I say this at great risk, but as a devout conservationist. Starlings are very smart birds, and I have found that if you "eliminate" one in sight of its cohorts, the rest disperse and do not return. Ever! Now, before all the hot mail comes in, just think for a moment how many native birds you might be saving by safeguarding a valuable food and energy source. Native birds rule in my yard - I have no sympathy whatever for feathered rats. But if they leave the provided food sources alone then they're free to pass without incident.

As to Robins flocking with starlings, yes. I've noticed the same thing here for years now, and surmise they get some mutual benefit from the association - much like other wild birds following chickadees to the various feeders in the neighborhood. I've seen the Starlings dig and peck through the lawns here with great vigor; could the Robins be following after for the errant worm or two?

Robert Pisano
Ravenna Neighborhood / Seattle



On Jan 24, 2008, at 2:21 PM, Dennis Paulson wrote:


I often defend starlings to people who despise them, saying it's our fault they are here, not theirs, and that's entirely true.

But today they're straining my patience. I've had this nice suet feeder outside my window all winter, and it's bee a great source of joy, as bird after bird feeds from it, from flocks of Bushtits to a spectacular Pileated Woodpecker. Imagine a Townsend's Warbler on one side and a Bewick's Wren on the other.

But today the starlings have come back into the neighborhood, and I've spent all morning chasing them off that feeder. They are shockingly persistent, just flying into the nearby trees when I yell, clap my hands, and/or wave things out the window, then returning within minutes or even seconds. They're too relaxed! As many as 10 gather, one on the suet, and it pecks so vigorously that enough suet falls to the ground to feed the hordes below. Flickers do the same thing, and it's great to see a wren or Varied Thrush picking up the pieces then. But the starlings can strip a suet feeder in no time, and I can't afford the time or money to replace it every few hours. Also, they keep the smaller birds off it, even giving the flickers pause when there are enough of them. I'd love to see a Pileated come in and scatter them.

The flock finally flew away after about 15 minutes of my hassling them, but I know they'll be back.

Now that they've returned for the spring (they are fortunately absent from this neighborhood in winter, I may have to take the suet down. We have another feeder in which the suet is impervious to starlings, but that's such a metal monstrosity that I don't really want it by my window. Not much I can do about it, as I can't spend every day running to the window 50 times, just venting.

One interesting thing is that several times when the yard was full of starlings, it was also full of robins, and I get the distinct feeling that they may travel together, at least loosely.
-----
Dennis Paulson
1724 NE 98 St.
Seattle, WA 98115
206-528-1382
dennispaulson at comcast.net




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