First Starling of the Year

[Mebits]

The BC is out of action until I get my stock screw parts (thanks again, Ed), so when the flock came in I was twitching pretty badly.

Fortunately, I have my old Benji-Sheridan .177 pumper, still. The iron sights are hard for these old eyes, but there is no hold sensitivity, and it is much quieter.

I threw some meat scraps out with some cat food and suet into the garden. Same kill zone as last year.

The flock of 40 birds at 15 yards was too much to bear, so I ran off to dig the Benji-Sher out of the closet. By the time I was pumped up, and loaded, there was only one bird left. Fortunately, he was looking way with a piece of steak fat dangling from his mouth. Bearing in mind that the front sight on this gun was bigger than the bird, I just relaxed and shot intuitively and sure enough, when I pulled the trigger, he hopped just a few feet and lay still.

I took another shot at just 18 yds and that was too much for my eyes. I can't wait to get regunned up so I can shoot with a scope again. Still, it's fun to kill starlings again. I'm also looking at the very hungry flock of sparrows. I must have 50 to kill. I'm not sure I can take many with the Benji, but I may have to try...

[oldpink]

Hope it's only the first of many hitman jobs on those nasty old yellowbeaks.
Good work.

[Mebits]

You know, it's amazing how many invasives we have. I mean, all year long I've been taking sparrows or starlings. Last season, I loosely estimate that I killed about 250-300 of them. Some may remember my 7-8-9-and 10 bird days. Almost every day killing a few. Then since this summer I have been averaging at least 7 and maybe more sparrows, every week. That has to be 200 or more sparrows down this year. Yet the yard is crawling with them and the flock of starlings is amazingly large.

There is much to do.

[dk1677]

Congrats! Keep getting 'em!