When first observing these fast flying Starlings I didn't realize that other species such as red-winged blackbirds, grackles,and house sparrows were also with them. They look a little scary to me. It's a shame the other little guys are afraid to feed.
You get enough of them on a suet cage and it's gone in one afternoon.
The only bird who's not afraid of them is our red-bellied woodpecker. And of course their buddies. Seeing them in large numbers...I always think of Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 movie "The Birds".
The European Starling, also known as the Common Starling, is native to Eurasia.
In 1890, sixty birds were released in Central Park and 40 more in 1891 thanks to Eugene Scheiffelin who desired to introduce all birds ever mentioned in the works of William Shakespeare to the United States.
When I was at a unique garden center this past summer the owner gave me this seed and all I can remember is that he said some people who bought it were able to get it to germinate. My guess is that it's from sometime big and tropical.
Thanks for any help.
Sony A100
19 comments:
The Birds...for it's time, that was a scary movie! Can't help you with your mystery seed, Patsi!
That sure is one big mystery seed.
Ooo, those birds are scary!
I don't know what that seed might be.
Sorry, I don't recognize the seed.
Cameron
Eugene Scheiffelin was a very, very bad man;) He is responsible for the deaths of millions of our native birds like the bluebird (which starlings and English sparrows kill). Well, maybe ignorance is a defense but...
Suet attracts so many woodpeckers, it's a shame the starlings eat a whole block in a few minutes. Costly!
Those birds are so stunning, such pretty markings.
Didn't realize that English Sparrows are also called House Sparrows. Just learned about the Blue Birds last year. With all the beautiful gentle birds native to England it's a shame he couldn't bring them instead.
Not a starling fan but your photos are beautiful. :)
That's not a sea bean, is it? My Mom used to have several of them in her jewelry box.
Those Starlings have the most amazing coloring, the pattern reminds me of some kind of cloissoine vase.
They DO look aggressive, but if I don't look at that sharp looking head and beak, they're quite beautiful. I've never seen them before.
Sorry to see you also have the swarm problem with birds. We don't get starlings, we get grackles. It is scary how fast 20 of them can empty backyard feeders.
That seed is a mystery. Good luck with the ID.
Genie, you're right !!
Looked up Sea Bean and saw it.
The seed is from what is commonly called a "monkey ladder vine"
found in Africa. Not very attractive and probably won't survive here if I germinate it. People use them for jewelry.
Thanks sooo much.
They are aggressive birds and that one photo is quite illustrative of their temper!
So glad the bean was id'ed!
Gail
Scary or not, these are great photos!
Die Stare bleiben im Winter nicht in Deutschland, sie ziehen in den Süden, wo es wärmer ist.
Die Fotos sind sehr schön.
LG Charlotte.
Hi Patsi
I know what you mean about the Hitchcock movie .. a flock of birds flew over my head for our Mountain Ash tree and its berries and they scared the bejeezus out of me ! LOL
Great pictures : )
Hi Patsi, thank you so much for visiting my blog and for commenting on it. My english isn' t good but I try to be better one day.
I think your photographs of this birds are great!!! This kind of birds come one time in the year in my garden - mostly in November before they fly in the south. I don' t know this seeds I 'm sorry.
Have a great Sunday Wurzerl, Munich
Hi Patsi, Hmm, I thought I had left a comment of this post, I did read it thinking about how much detail shows on your photos and about the scary parts of that movie The Birds. We are fortunate to not have these come to our feeders or even hang out in the backyard.
Frances
Patsi, I just sent you an e-mail!!
The owner of the store must have thought you had a certain look about you that he/she would give you such a seed! Hope it germinates and grows! :-)
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