What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?

[Joseph K]

We must have had about eight Starlings in our garden a few hours ago!

[AuntDaisy]

We must have had about eight Starlings in our garden a few hours ago!

I love Starlings' iridescent feathers & the unusual, almost electronic, noises they can make; we only see the odd ones here.
Is a small group of Starlings a Joseph?

[johncorrigan]

Is a small group of Starlings a Joseph?

It is now, Daisy.
I've posted this before but a number of years ago on the Isle of Iona in April we were walking down towards the village when we were stopped in our tracks by the sound of a corncrake. We were surprised. When we go to Iona in July we hear the corncrake's familiar crekk in a number of parts of the island, but had never heard them this early in the year. Looking to see where the sound was coming from we saw a starling on top of the church and another on the ground, calling to each other in 'corncrake'.

[Bryn]

I love Starlings' iridescent feathers & the unusual, almost electronic, noises they can make; we only see the odd ones here.
Is a small group of Starlings a Joseph?

For a small group on the ground, a "chattering" should suffice, though a "Koba" would sound better than a "Joseph", I think.

[vinteuil]

... a "Koba" would sound better than a "Joseph", I think.

... o very good

( I was a bit slow at first - I thought AuntDaisy's 'Joseph', in connection with the 'iridescent feathers' was some reference to an amazing technicolour dreamcoat. But of course იოსებ ბესარიონის ძე ჯუღაშვილი - Ioseb Besarionis dzе Jughashvili )

.

[oddoneout]

For a small group on the ground, a "chattering" should suffice, though a "Koba" would sound better than a "Joseph", I think.

First attempt to understand that reference wasn't very helpful! Neither Korean restaurant nor evolved bonobo seemed quite right... Second attempt more successful.

[Bryn]

We must have had about eight Starlings in our garden a few hours ago!

So which one, out of Terry, Jan, Fergie, Loz, Grandad, Bell, Reuben, Charlie, and Gravy, was missing?

[Serial_Apologist]

I love Starlings' iridescent feathers & the unusual, almost electronic, noises they can make; we only see the odd ones here.
Is a small group of Starlings a Joseph?

Given the name of the original poster it took me about 10 seconds to twig that one!

[AuntDaisy]

I concede - both Bryn & vinteuil win the prize

Thanks johncorrigan for the excellent corncrake story - I had to look up the noise it makes; impressive mimicry by the starling.

[johncorrigan]

I concede - both Bryn & vinteuil win the prize

Thanks johncorrigan for the excellent corncrake story - I had to look up the noise it makes; impressive mimicry by the starling.

There was a lovely wee 'Tweet of the Day Take 5' on Radio 4 on Sunday featuring the wonderful corncrake, Daisy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000x6cg

[Serial_Apologist]

I love Starlings' iridescent feathers & the unusual, almost electronic, noises they can make; we only see the odd ones here.
Is a small group of Starlings a Joseph?

Starlings would wolf whistle back in the 1960s, but nowadays they're woke.

[johncorrigan]

Starlings would wolf whistle back in the 1960s, but nowadays they're woke.

Actually, S_A, I think they murmur to the nation.

[gradus]

This afternoon, a thrush singing as a thrush should from the top of an oak tree.

[cloughie]

Just now - Collared doves - 3 of them enjoying use of the birdbath - 2 of them having had a good splash around and a quck drink are drying off in the adjacent ‘Snow in Summer’ whilst the third wanders around wondering whether it has missed something by not taking a bath.

[Padraig]

Did you know falcons could swim?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-northern-ireland-53007276