2 invasive species with 850 .22

[only1harry]

A couple of days ago I saw a lone Starling eating some cat food in the back.  I let it be hoping a flock of Starlings will show up but they didn't.  Yesterday morning again a single Starling at the bait site.  It fed for about 2-3 minutes and took off.  No other Starlings showed up.  I was hoping it would bring its friends, and I would let them get used to the fat/protein/vitamin rich dry cat food, so I can get them hooked on it.  But so far just a single Starling had the courage to visit  

Yesterday around Noon, after the lone Starling had made at least 3 appearances in a couple of days, I decided to go downstairs and set up my "winter sniping position" which has yielded 100+ Starlings each winter for the past few years.  I did a little shopping with the family but because of Black Friday, the lines were very long and we got back early.  We really didn't need anything.  More curious than anything else  While pulling into the driveway I see the Starling all by itself again at the cat food 18.5yds behind the house.  I went to my sniping position with the 850 .22 and a JSB RS 13.43 loaded from the 8-shot magazine, but the Starling was gone.  It only took it about 5-10min. to return around 3:30pm, and I was happy to see it back.  My eyes were used to seeing all the little Chickadees, Finches and song birds, that the Starling look gigantic in comparison  It was broadside so I put the crosshairs on its chest and let the JSB do the rest.  The Starling fell into the galvanized steel tray and never moved.

I picked it up quickly after I took a pic so that the feral cat wouldn't grab it before I had a chance to use the camera.  About 20min. later a lone bird that looked like a Sparrow arrived eating some seed from the tray behind the cat food.  It did not pick up a sunflower seed and fly away like the Chickadees and the Junkos.  It just sat there and went to town.  I knew that could have been a HOSP.  I looked through the glass, and sure enough it was a male English Sparrow!  That's what that other tray with bird seed was for  I confirmed the round black spot on its chest and neck, black beak, etc. and sent a JSB RS its way which knocked it off the bowl.  All I could see was its tail sticking up behind the bowl, and then go down 2 secs later.  Snapped a pic quickly and ran back to the house.  It started getting dark fast and no other unprotected species showed up.

This morning when I got up around 8am looking for a squirrel to shoot in the trees, I put the upstairs blind up without thinking, and there was another lone Starling at the cat food which I didn't see.  It took off and I don't think it came back, but it's good to know there are more out there that know where to find some free food.  It's too warm right now.  They won't show up in #'s until the first snow fall which is probably not far off.

PS. The holes in the steel tray are from the Condors (there is a .22 & a .25 hole in the pic but there are more..). The dings are from the 850 and Springers which cannot penetrate it.

[dk1677]

Nice shooting Harry! Its on!  First of the fall?

[only1harry]

You got it Dave.  1st Starling of the Fall/winter season.  I hope "it's on!" soon 
 
This past Spring/summer season was very slow for Starlings.  Only got a few young ones (probably because I had my eyes on the Groundhogs all the time, hehe) that were not careful, so I am looking forward to getting them in the "cold" season.  I am hoping their #'s recovered somewhat so I have plenty to shoot, because I know I put a dent in the local population the last 2-3yrs with my winter sniping.

[gamo2hammerli]

The Starlings are safe from me now....all the windows have been sealed up with plastic sheets for the winter.  I had thought they had all gone south a few weeks ago, as I haven`t seen one in over a month.  Well....a warm spell happened a few days ago and there`s still a flock around.

Great sniping abilities at those flying varmints Harry.  Keep on whacking them....I don`t want to see too much of them come back in the spring.

[redone1992]

Nice shooting Harry

[xschug3]

Good shooting Harry! Glad to see a dead starling. What type of cat food is the best bait for them? And is that hotdog pieces in the tin with the cat food??

[randomgunner]

nice kill. i cant wait for starlings to come around. they stay about 30-40 yards away, and they are kinda of hooked on some starling food i made with store bought nut suet, peanut butter, and dog food. they are around in the morning. tomarrow i will get up early and try to shoot 200 pellets through my titan, which should prob finish break in.
i also noticed that your starlings have the winter spots on, mines do not, odd....

[longislandhunter]

Nice shooting Harry.  Nothing makes my trigger finger twitch like the pic of a DOA starling 

I haven't seen or heard any starlings near my yard in a long time but 2 days ago I was in the kitchen and heard that magical sound of starling vocalizing in a tree nearby.  I went outside, looked up into one of the trees in my yard and was amazed to see a flock of yellow beaks in the tree.  There were at least 50 or 60 birds.  They flew off quickly but I was thrilled to see them again.  Like you, I'm waiting for the cold weather so I can put out my cat food and suet cakes and start popping starlings. 

Anyway, great shooting and pics as usual buddy.

Jeff

[Furseeker]

Harry thats some fine shooting there. I picked up an 850 earlier and it's proved to be a real shooter. Can't wait for the yearly starling invasion to start in ernest.

[OldmanJunky]

Nice shootin -- keep takin out those invasive buggers.

[jonnnyboy]

Okay, new score: Starlings zero, Harry one! 

IT HAS STARTED!

joe

[only1harry]

Thanks everyone!  They are out there, so get ready!    Starling action does not pick up for me until middle of December usually when it gets consistently cold and the ground is frozen.  Good to see you back Furseeker/Dave!!

PS.
My "secret" is Meow Mix Ocean Medley.  Works well with bandits and Country Rats too   I even shot 8 crows last winter because of this cat food.  I spotted 1 crow very early 1 cold January morning (before I had a chance to put the window up) just pecking at the empty steel bowl with no cat food in it!  The only thing is that almost every song bird adapted to eating the cat food.  Even the Cardinals that never touched it the first 2 years(!), plus cats, skunks, etc.  so a 14.5lb bag only lasts a couple of weeks.  Once in a while they have 15% more (free), so I will get 2 or 3 of the 16.2lb bags at a time. 
And yes, that is old hot dogs that expired a couple of days ago.  Helps bring in the night critters, but I can't get out of bed late at night like I used to   Crows like hot dogs (and any fatty/rich food) too, but they won't come unless it is very cold out, or we get a lot of snow and they are starving.  Crows know it's suicide to come here, so they only get the courage when they are literally starving.  Even then, they will fly low and check out all the windows first (to look inside, but I keep the blinds and curtains shut, lights off, etc.), and then walk around the entire house slowly, before they approach the bait in the backyard.  They do all that in complete silence, with 4-5 lookouts in the trees, while only 1 or 2 approach in stealth mode.  I am just stealthier than they are

[shadow]

Great shooting and pics bro and keep after em. Ed

[only1harry]

Thanks Ed.  Have you gone out night hunting yet?