Wednesday's Wisdom: More Info re Starlings

EUROPEAN STARLING

EUROPEAN STARLINGS

The two photos atop this entry features European starlings spending time in my urban garden. In the first one, a starling is alighting upon the branches of my kiwi vines; which, as you may recall, are a flora type that inspired my first garden themed movie, The Kiwi Speaks! Fifteen Minutes of Fame...almost; which can be within my Vimeo channel, by clicking here. In the second one, starlings are having a heated discussion at one of my bird feeders. Both of these photographs were taken in bygone years. As you may know, this bird type has been the subject of a number of my entries within my cyber-venues, and, my post recent post regarding them was published here on Blogger nearly two weeks ago (March 23rd 2017).

In any event, the European starlings who visited my rooftop garden yesterday, and who can be seen doing so, in the following pictures...

EUROPEAN STARLINGS

EUROPEAN STARLINGS

EUROPEAN STARLINGS

...are the inspiration for this blog posting. The images directly above, features a shameless male starling checking out (if not leering at ) a female starling as a possible mate. The female pictured here seems a little uncomfortable (as evidenced by the way she is holding herself) at being scrutinized.

The Consequence of Reporting on Sturnus vulgaris (European starlings)

On Sunday, March 16th 2014, the day before a number of folks were due to celebrate the Saint Patrick's Day holiday, I realized another holiday was taking place. The holiday I am referring to is the 124th anniversary of the arrival of the bird type known as Sturnus vulgaris (European starlings) in New York City, the city where I live and have an urban garden that this bird type is now visiting. It appears they truly enjoy noshing here as evidenced by the photos above.

A European Starling's Healing Power

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL3

Earlier this morning, I published an entry here on Blogger which documented day seventh of the Clapping/Cheering Sessions (that has been dubbed #ClapBecauseWeCare) being held to commemorate and encourage health care professionals, first responders and essential workers who are taking  care of NYC during this pandemic. All we have ben asked to do is to stay at home and shelter in place.

I've been doing this since the night of March 21, 2020, the eve of the day when the mayor and governor's mandate went into effect. This lock down is a concerted effort to slow down the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

Admittedly, it is easier for me to shelter in place because I have a garden right outside my door. It is atop a roof extension. One of the European starlings visiting my rooftop garden the other day kept me company as he mesmerized me while I watched him during a "battle" he was having with a grape as seen in the picture directly above.

European starlings got this: The Importance of Washing! Tuesday's Truths WK 179

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3 

EUROPEAN STARLINGS HAVE A STORY IN VOL 3

Welcome to my 179th segment in my Tuesday's Truths series. This evening I was blessed to witness an avian creature adhering to the on going request/plea during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, which is to wash one's hands: A European starling visiting my garden seemingly understood the importance of washing too, as evidenced by these photo-ops (directly above) of this creature taking a bath in my garden.

"A bird in the bath is the soul of enjoyment..."

AMERICAN ROBINS ARE FEATURED IN VOLUME 3

During our tremendous back to back heat waves in NYC which have come hot on the on the heels of lockdowns and gradual, partial re-openings (all due to the coronavirus pandemic), I'm most grateful to be able to provide relief for birds visiting my garden, including a young American robin, seen in the image atop this entry where he/she is taking refreshment from the brutal heat by spending time in one of my bird baths.

Seeing this sweet creature at my place has prompted me to do some research and one of the things I read, is, "Robins have hollow bones, so the are too light to submerge themselves. Instead, they bathe in shallow water and splash it up to wet their backs and heads," as one seems to be doing in the image atop this entry.

Starlings came to NYC 129 years ago today.

STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

Today marks the 129th anniversary of the arrival of Sturnus vulgaris AKA European starlings in NYC. A few photographs of "solo"  starlings visiting my garden at various times over the years are posted atop this entry.

Mother's Day 2020

PIGEONS ARE FEATURED IN MY BOOK SERIES

Mother's Day is for the birds, as evidenced by these pigeons in my garden featured in the image directly atop this entry.

Photo-Ops from #ClapBecauseWeCare 65 & A Protest (Plus a return to pre-COVID topics)

PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD

PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD

PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD

PROTEST RE GEORGE FLOYD

As I said in this past Tuesday's blog post, I've been very distracted by the ramifications of the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic and now by the demonstrations/curfews taking place in the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd.

I also confessed it is high time (and even past high time) to think about the beauty of my garden's flora as well as in the birds who visit it. However, in spite of my intention, here I am "reporting" on last evening's (June 3rd 2020) sixty-fifth session of #ClapBecauseWeCare, as well as on an event concerning the killing of George Floyd, for just as the clapping tribute was scheduled to take place, throngs of protestors re the murder of George Floyd marched against traffic up an avenue close to where I live, and a few photo-ops can be seen atop this entry.

Mockingbirds and starlings have common behaviors! Tuesday's Truths WK 208

For this 208th segement of my Tuesday's Truths series, I'd like to tell you a behavior that the bird types (European starlings and Northern mockingbirds) featured in the photos atop this entry have in common.

Tuesday's Truths WK 1: The Construction of Young Starlings's Beaks Help Their Parents!

                              

Those of you who have followed this blog over the years have probably discovered that I have incorporated certain templates and after a bit of time stopped using them, switched to another format, but have often wound up reverting back to what I started with. My behavior re this "process" reminds me of how Oscar Wilde once described his editing. Here's what he said: “I was working on the proof of one of my poems all the morning, and took out a comma. In the afternoon I put it back again.”

Today, Tuesday, July 19th 2016, I am returning to a posting feature I once provided in my blog during the years of 2011 and 2012. The feature I am speaking of is to designate a given day of the week for an entry topic. During the years of 2011 and 2012, I often designated Mondays as "Mondays Musings"; Wednesdays as "Wednesday's Wisdom", and Friday's as "Follow-Up Friday." I set aside Tuesday's for referring folks to my activity on tumblr and called those Blogger posts, "If it's Tuesday, it must be tumblr..." 

While it has been a long time since I desingnated a certain day of the week as a springboard for a blog topic, all of those day-of-the-week posts can still be found within my blog by going to the left hand column titled TLLG's Blog Archive. Meanwhile, as I just stated, today, Tuesday, July 19th 2016, I am returning to a posting feature, which will be designating a day of the week as a springboard for a post. 

Beginning with this Tuesday,  I will feature "Tuesday's Truths." These series of posts will provide an interesting fact about flora growing in my urban (NYC) rooftop garden and or an interesting fact re a member of the avian community who visits it. I was encouraged to return to this type of feature by Jenn G, a young woman who works in my hood (she drew the bird I've featured below).

Jenn believes that folks are interested in fun facts and has encouraged me to share some of what I know, hence my new Tuesday thing. I'll start this new series with a fact that I've just about the bird type known as European starlings. One can be seen (in the images posted below) alighting upon the container which is home to the kiwi vines which grow in my garden. 

Some of you may recall, I was once criticized (by a stranger) for writing about this bird type. Be that as it may, I am continue to be fascinated by the antics of European starlings; and I recently discovered something I hadn't known about them, after placing a saucer of blueberries atop the table in my garden.

Throwback Thursday: Mr. Eugene Schieffelin (He was for the birds, especially starlings.)

The photograph atop today's entry was taken during this past Tuesday's nor'Easter; a "bombogenesis," winter storm named STELLA. It's a picture featuring a representative of one of the dozens upon dozens of dozens of European starlings who spent the entire day in my rooftop garden, eating and squawking (not sedate like the one seen here) while the blizzard raged on (as evidenced in the following images).

This bird type that I'm speaking of is a member of the Sturnus vulgaris family whom are also known by the common name of European starling. Evidently this variety of bird was brought to NYC from England by Eugene Schieffelin in March of 1890, and he subsequently released them in Central Park. 

I first learned of Eugene Schieffelin's antics in March of 2014 and wrote about the news-worthy topic on TLLG's Facebook Page. I also wrote about it on hometalk, with a follow-up entry here on Blogger. 

Now, in preparation for today's throwback Thursday post, I've read other interesting information re Eugene Schieffelin's "responsibility" in bringing starlings across the pond, as well as interesting facts re this ubiquitous bird type, all of which I'm sharing in this entry.

European starlings contine to enjoy my garden. (Saturday's Sentiment)

European starlings the bird type featured in the image atop this entry (visiting my roof extension garden) were brought to NYC from England 131 years and one month ago yesterday (3-16-1890).

Splish Splash

EUROPEAN STARLINGS ARE FEATURED IN VOL 3

In yesterday's (6-17-2020) blog post, I mentioned that a European starling who had stopped by my place for a dip (on Tuesday, June 16th)) seemed miffed by a hovering low-flying helicopter that was flying within the vicinity and  over my garden.

Thankfully he/she  didn't let the helicopter's disruption deter him/her (unless the creature was another one), from returning to my place.

Oh, Avellana corylus! Oh, Avellana corylus! How lovely are your branches!

Seeing the leaves of my Avellana corylus AKA Contorted Hazelnut (a shrub which grows in my rooftop garden) all covered with snow (as evidenced in the photo atop this entry) and clinging to their branches, caused me to think of the song, On Top of Spaghetti, which is associated with a nursery rhyme.

But, fortunately, unlike the doomed meatball in that nursery rhyme, I didn't lose any my shrub's leaves that were covered in snow, because NOBODY sneezed!

Saint Patrick's Day 2019

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, dear reader! As you can see, I'm honoring it with a cartoon by Dan Regan, that's posted atop this entry and was sent to me in bygone years.

Squirrel Appreciation Day 2021

Today, January 21st, is the annual day to celebrate Squirrel Apppreciation Day. I've written about this holiday within a number of venues including entires on this blog.

These animals can provide a lot of entertainment when you observe them as I've done in both Central Park and Riverside Park over the years when I've encountered various types including Cinnamon Variant squirrels, Black squirrels and Eastern gray squirrels.

On July 8th 2020, shortly after NYC started to begin easing up on lockdown restrictions (many of which were subsequently put back in place) which had been in effect since March due  to the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, I had the chance to watch squirrels from my window for they began to visit the Ailanthus Trees in my buildings courtyard and as you might surmise from the photo-ops atop this entry, their antics gave me many reaons to smile during those isolating times.

Tuesday's Truth, The Thirty-Second Week: STELLA, a "bombogenesis" is for the BIRDS!

We are currently having a Nor' Easter style winter storm that has been named Stella; and she has received the distinction of being called a "bombogenesis" storm!

According to weather.com, to be considered as a bombogenesis, a given storm must be known to have "rapidly intensifying area of low pressure."

And, weather.com also states that another criteria to be classified as a weather bomb, "is that the central pressure of a low-pressure system must drop at least 24 millibars within 24 hours." This source points out that, "at 8 p.m. EDT Monday (last night) the central pressure was 1007 millibars, and as of 3:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday (today when the storm took place) the pressure had dropped to around 976 millibars. This equates to a pressure drop of 31 millibars in only 19.5 hours, easily exceeding the requirements for bombogenesis." 

In NYC, where I live, schools were closed and certain forms of public transportation were suspended as a result of the storm. However, folks were given a few days warning and many of them heeded it, as evidenced by the long lines just to get into many a grocery store.

The mayor urged people to stay put once the storm began to take place. However, not everyone followed his plea, especially the birds that visit my rooftop garden. I'm not naming names re who failed to comply with the mayor's request, but I will say that they included a large number of European starlings (a few of them can be seen in the picture atop this entry) along with a lone mourning dove.

I'm not sure why the storm was given the name of Stella, but, as you may surmise, this sparked a lot of Marlon Brando clips being uploaded to various social media platforms.

After all, it's hard to not reference his famous yelling "Stella," to his wife (Stella Kowalski) in his role of Stanley Kowalski for productions of Tennessee Williams' play and movie, titled A Streetcar Named  Desire.

In any event, you can see that this Stella-Brando reference is not lost on my prolific birds! One of the starlings pictured above is reenacting Brando's Stanley Kowalski, and yelling "Stella." European starlings are known for their skill in mimicking, and I must say this starling nailed Brando!

The mourning dove is also quite well read and while the starling focused on Stanley Kowalski, she focused on Blanche Dubois (Stella Kowalski's sister); for as she munched on the suet that fell from the feeder, she quoted Blanche saying, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.”

A Bath Interrupted

On Sunday evening (June 14 2020) into the early portion of the night, NYPD helicopters were flying low in the immediate vicinity of where I live. Their noise was deafening and I referenced this incident in an entry on my personal FB Page. Presumably, they showed up because protests were taking place in the area.

The presence and noise of the NYPD helicopters agitated me as well as others in the area, and yesterday (June 16 2020) into the early portion of the night, helicopters were flying low in the immediate vicinity once again; and once again, their presence was nerve-racking to me, and apparently it was nerve-racking to a lone European starling who had stopped by my garden for an evening bath.

My Encounter With a Superb Starling (Monday's Musings)

The photograph atop this entry feature a Superb Starling (Spreo Superbus) spending time in his home which is within the zoo in Central Park.

No April Fools Day Prank OR Fake News: Dandelion has been retired!

On this April Fool's Day, I'm sorry to report that the announcement made by Crayola yesterday, regarding their retiring the crayon color known as dandelion; was not a pre-April Fool's Day prank!

And it was not fake news either!

The crayon known as dandelion (pictured above) will no longer be a part of any of their crayon collections. It is my understanding that some type of blue color will be replacing dandelion, which seems problematic to me given Vincent van Gogh's philosophy on the color yellow. He is known to have claimed, "There is no blue without yellow and orange," which is something I wrote about here on Blogger in 2011!

Yellow has been an important color in my urban garden, as evidenced by the members of the fauna community who visit my place; as well as by the flora which has grown here.