Day 20: Starlings

We did the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. It's good to help the RSPB out with figuring out how our birds are doing but it's also a good incentive to spend more time than usual watching the birds that come into the garden and make use of the seed feeders. Also, at this time of year when it's really cold, you get some visitors you wouldn't normally get - we counted a Long-Tailed Tit, a Thrush and 4 Yellowhammers which are not common in our garden!

This picture is of a couple of Starlings. Starlings are listed as red status by the RSPB which means that their numbers have declined severely and their breeding population and range has severely declined. Even I remember when large flocks of Starlings would go from garden to garden picking through the grass for food. I'm glad I still see them, but I wish it was more frequently. We were lucky to count 16 in the garden and there were probably 25 total in the area. I hope they're still coming next year and that their numbers grow. When you take a good look at them and their speckled feathers which glow green in the sun - they're really quite beautiful birds and they know how to put on a stunning aerial display.