Late Season Starling Tips

[Mebits]

Here in Ky, the weather has been pretty warm and pretty nice (tonight's cold-snap notwithstanding). The big flocks of starlings are a thing of the past, now.

The starlings are around, though. It's just that they're less interested in flocking up and eating and more interested in l'amour.

I have found that they will come in singly or in small groups.

My secret weapon? Grackles. They love corn, so I give it too them. Starlings seem to feel comfortable with grackles around. I don't know why, but when I see a few grackles come in for food, there's often one or two starlings with them.

So, tip number one, put corn down on the ground in multiple locations with cat food. This will bring both in and will keep them distracted enough for you to get a shot off. This will also possibly bring in a few house sparrows as a bonus. Get them too.

My other tip is this: move the food around a bit. Move it away from your winter kill zone. I'm pretty sure most of my starlings have seen a buddy get whacked in one area in my back yard over the past few months. If they're still around, they're either new, or they are staying away from that spot. Every day, I put food out, but I'll move it modestly and keep it well away from the old kill zone.

Oh, and one other thing. If you can find another window to shoot from, it helps. In the warmer weather, too, you can just leave it open so you can sneak up and shoot without making any noise or visual distraction.

I've been doing this and getting pretty much 2-4 birds every day (that I can shoot) for the past 2 weeks.

BTW, I'm thinking that I've taken over 250 starlings since November 26. I've gone through about 675 pellets, and less than 75 have been for target. I have a few misses, but generally more hits than misses. I give a number of extra mercy shots, and of course occasional zombie birds. Still, I'm pretty sure I'm guessing low.  And don't forget that I have several doubles in there. There also have to be some "misses" that were pass-throughs too.

This is all in a 75' x 25' fenced urban garden from now 2 windows.

[longislandhunter]

It's funny you should mention the "grackle factor" because for the past few days I've had large flocks of grackles coming to my feeders every afternoon and I've noticed that there are always a few starlings mixed in with them.  I haven't been shooting them because I'm to busy with yard work but I think I'm about ready to open fire  

Jeff

[airiscool]

They've realy thinned out here the past couple of weeks. Only a few around trying to build nests.

One pair is building a nest in a hole way up in a large Maple outside my kitchen door.  The Girl Freind has requested I not shoot them...... yet.  She said she wants to see what the babies look like when they first come out. Once she's seen them then I can shoot them.

However, a few others have stopped by breifly for suet and seed. Two of which became meals for my clean-up Crows.

Paul.