Here’s another little bird that usually hangs around in the yard along with several others. I haven’t tried to look this one up on the net to find out what she is, but I know this is a very common variety and she likes the purple berries, a lot.
Interestingly enough, this bird and her friends are sorta laid back about feeding with a few visiting the purple berry plant at a time off and on for the last few weeks. Then early last week, a flock of starlings showed up. I say “flock” when what might be more appropriate would be “heard” because when they found the bush the whole bunch stampeded and went on a crazy feeding frenzy. I mean it looked like Jaws had found his chum. The starlings kept attacking this particular bush for about two days at which point there were no purple berries left – they picked the bush completely clean.
Those starlings, rude critters that they are, soon left the area in their tight knit flock. The bird types in the picture above are still around, and while they may be a bit chagrined, they don’t seem to upset. There’s definitely plenty of food around for them this time of year, and even a few more of the coveted purple berries, that only they and not the starlings, know where to find.
________________________
© 2018 – Jim Casey
TOCC.tv Red HOT Uploads