Starlings

The baby starlings are learning to fly out back. Every year, they return to the nest they have made in the edge of our roof. I know this is probably something a savvy homeowner would repair and seal up; it was noted in the previous inspection of our home (the previous owner also let the birds be!). But we like the birds, and I try and let wildlife live whenever possible. The house already has a million things wrong with it, so sealing up a nest is the least of our worries, really. Plus there is a small window upstairs that acts as a magnifying glass into the nest area, so we can watch the birds and their progress without them noticing us!

Starlings seem to be hated everywhere by bird enthusiasts and backyard gardeners. I guess they are pretty tolerant of our disgusting urban environments, much like pigeons, and seem to reproduce and compete with other "desirable" birds. Apparently they are not native to North America, but so many things are not, and it seems people like to pick and choose the non-natives that are fashionable, and those that are not. Starlings are apparently not in fashion any more. Kind of a dorky site, but an interesting overview:

http://www.pleasebekind.com/coexist/starlings.htm


In any case, the young birds are learning to fly and it's very sweet to watch. Learning to walk seems hard enough, having just watched D go about it for many months; I can't imagine learning to fly! It's nice too for D having the birds out back - she can see them up close and point and marvel, if a toddler can really "marvel" at anything. Granted, the birds think she may eat them and they send out their warning screech, which only adds to D's joy.