European Starling / Sturnus vulgaris

One of these days, hopefully I will see and photograph a close Starling! They are beautiful birds, even if not at all popular.

"First brought to North America by Shakespeare enthusiasts in the nineteenth century, European Starlings are now among the continent’s most numerous songbirds. They are stocky black birds with short tails, triangular wings, and long, pointed bills. Though they’re sometimes resented for their abundance and aggressiveness, they’re still dazzling birds when you get a good look. Covered in white spots during winter, they turn dark and glossy in summer. For much of the year, they wheel through the sky and mob lawns in big, noisy flocks." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/id

This one was seen on 3 November 2016, when I was on a birding walk at Burnsmead, Fish Creek Park, all morning with friends, mainly seeing various birds that were just distant silhouettes and much too far away for photos.

I will add the list of the 32 bird species seen at Burnsmead, complied by our leaders, in a comment box below.

By the way, a note to any local birders - the road down to Bankside has been closed for the winter. I don't remember this happening other years. Now you have to park in the Burnsmead parking lot and walk the rest of the way if you want to go to Bankside.

After the walk, I decided that I needed to see something close enough to photograph, so I drove south a little way to look for a Long-tailed Weasel that people had been seeing all last week - but, as usual, not on the day that I went, lol! After 45 minutes of waiting, there was still no sign of the little Weasel. So, my usual plan of desperation took me to a wetland in the SW of the city, where I can usually see Mallards. Sure enough, there were two pairs hanging out together, and I really appreciated their giving me the chance to take a few photos. They were swimming in and out of sunlight and shadow, giving totally different photos.