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Fletcher Wildlife Garden | all galleries >> Previous FWG blogs >> 2016 Blogs >> FWG Blog: January 2016 > Starlings probing grey squirrel nest
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22-JAN-2016 Christine Hanrahan

Starlings probing grey squirrel nest

Fletcher Wildlife Garden

This is a dreadful photo, but I include it so I can mention that several grey squirrel nests (or dreys) were being vigorously probed by starlings, evidently looking for seeds or insects (overwintering, or larvae or eggs). There were sometimes 6 or more starlings clinging to the nest, some on the bottom, some on the sides, some on the top (you can just barely discern one at the top in this photo), pulling away dry leaves and other vegetation, dropping them to the ground below. Unfortunately, the height, not to mention all the branches in the way, plus the starlings flying off when I approached, made it difficult to photograph. I've seen this behaviour in the past, but today the birds were very active and at more than one nest. I don't know if squirrels were still using the nests or not, but if so, they wouldn't be too happy! (CH)

Panasonic LUMIX FZ200
1/125s f/8.0 at 108.0mm iso125 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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