Thoroughly Obnoxious

Day 110: There are very few birds I actively dislike. Band-tailed Pigeons probably top the list, but Red-Winged Blackbirds and Starlings (above) are currently running neck-and-neck for second place. Blackbirds can be both persistent and aggressive, and I suppose a more appropriate word for my feelings regarding them would be that of "irritating" or even "infuriating," where Starlings fall into the category of "annoying" and generally obnoxious. The Starlings fly off when I open the door. The Blackbirds stay in the tree even when I'm right under it, clapping my hands and shouting profanities. All three species drive the other birds away purely due to their numbers. They come en masse, descending on the feeders in a cloud, and not even the jays (Canada or Steller's) will stand up to them unless it's one-on-one. That said, of the three, Starlings with their speckles have a certain charm (not enough to soften my sentiments, though). One or two, I can abide, but not a mob.