Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Nothing else quite like them - they are such a pretty bird. They are all on their own in the Sturnidae family (in the UK). These are the guys, being excellent mimics, that do phone noises and similar. Used to drive Mum mad when she was in the garden in the 80s as they did a very good impression of a Trimphone ring, making her run indoors to get the phone. Do birds have a sense of humour? Who knows!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/12/2004) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Nothing else quite like them - they are such a pretty bird. They are all on their own in the Sturnidae family (in the UK). These are the guys, being excellent mimics, that do phone noises and similar. Used to drive Mum mad when she was in the garden in the 80s as they did a very good impression of a Trimphone ring, making her run indoors to get the phone. Do birds have a sense of humour? Who knows!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/12/2004) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/12/2004) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). We get loads here because of the bird feeders!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/12/2004) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Really beautiful irridescent markings.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Using the bird bath!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/07/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (24/02/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). This one is holding a bit of maize in its bill -hence the orange bit!

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). They also love the waterfall into the pond. A bunch of juveniles and adults.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/07/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). They also love the waterfall into the pond. A bunch of juveniles and adults.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/10/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/10/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). They have lots of arguments.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/10/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (31/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). They squabble a lot - here having quite a fight.

Brighton Pier. We went there to try to capture the murmurations - massive flocks of starlings - flying in patterns over the piers.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (26/12/2008) Brighton Pier. We went there to try to capture the murmurations - massive flocks of starlings - flying in patterns over the piers.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (26/12/2008) Brighton Pier. Murmuration over the old pier.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). A youngster.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). The same youngster. Seemed really fascinated by what I was doing!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). The same youngster.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). The same youngster using the ground feeder.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). This one is only very recently fledged.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). and is still asking the adult for food.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (20/06/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Two juveniles playing by the pond.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (20/06/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Juvenile on the bird bath.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). This one is starting to get its adult plumage.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (27/07/2008) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden).

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). A baby on the right - they are always weirdly larger than the adults - the one on the left. The baby here is demanding food!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (15/05/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). A baby on the right - they are always weirdly larger than the adults - the one on the left. The baby here is demanding food!

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (17/06/2005) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning (garden). Baby atop the feeder hangers, adult below.

Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning. A juvenile in September in quite an advanced stage of getting its adult plumage - head and neck still brown though.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) (06/09/2006) Driftway, Upper Beeding, Steyning. A juvenile in September in quite an advanced stage of getting its adult plumage - head and neck still brown though.