I Love My Job

And this is one of the reasons:

Today I spent five hours searching the web for images of refugees to Canada from all over the world. In the course of these travels I naturally skimmed through many pages of history and got edumacated, and that's fine, but even better than that is finding ridiculous things like the statement above.

People are so crazy, it's a constant wonderment. The things they say!

European Starlings?

Burr oaks, birdfeeders and flowerpots through the front window


Scott's pile of black dirt behind the oaks is meant for levelling the yard, but I've been using it for flowers; it's dwindling fast.

European starling checks me out; click photos to enlarge.

These birds arrived yesterday and notice me when I approach the window. Usually they all fly up and away, but I'm getting sneakier.

This is the best pic I could get to show the colour brought out by light.

Or are these brewer's blackbirds? Or purple martins? Or brownheaded cowbirds?
Any bird experts out there?