They look pretty good under UV light too
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I havsseen massive flocks of them put in an amazing flying display in the evening before they roost.
They used to roost in the closed and abandoned Brighton West Pier (before it burnt down)
Everyone on the sea frontused to stop and watch them.
There must have been thousands in the flock
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Starlings are twats!
We have a resident family of 5 - 9. Every year, one mimics the door bell and another the inside phone.
The rest sit on the sill and piss themselves as a I run down the garden.
I love them, my favourite bird by far.
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me too
I love to watch a crowd of them frothing up the birdbath
20201005_150628 by uh_simon, on Flickr
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Amazing mimics!
A few months ago I heard a greenshank call and scanned the sky looking for it. No joy, I scanned again but still no flyover greenshank. Only then did I see the starling on the fence mimicking a greenshank.
Note perfect, the little bastid 
Great birds.
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The second T mount arrived so I tried the Lumix G3 on the scope. A little disappointing contrast wise and sharpness but I’m sure in better light and more practice it can be improved upon (and not shooting through a grubby window will help too!)
Common snipe 20/11/20
I think the X-Pro1 is producing better images and (key) it is much better at high ISO levels, allowing faster shutter speeds.
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It’s what you’d expect, given the sensors.
I stopped using a Lumix GH2 because a pocket Sony HX-20 gave better low-light pics, and my Fuji XE1 and XE2 are a lot better still.
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Yeah, I guess so. I can shoot at 4000 ISO with the Fuji and get acceptable images. The Lumix at 800 ISO isn’t as good.
Anyway, I’m seriously thinking of taking the plunge on a high end mirrorless system with telephoto lens. I’ve seen what it can do and the results are phenomenal. Just need to get my head around the >£5k price tag and convince myself that I can justify it.
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Me too.
Why over £5k? The matching lenses are very expensive but you can use legacy glass with the adapters Do you not have some suitable telephoto Canon EF lenses (seem to remember you used to use a 5D mk2?).
I’m looking at a secondhand Nikon Z6 with lens adapter - around £1k on eBay.
Might go for a Canon R6 if I can find one cheap.
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Never owned a Canon camera in my life.
I’m looking at the Olympus 4/3 system.
E-M1X body, M Zuiko Pro 300mm F4 + teleconverter and various accessories. I’m friends with a professional photographer up here and she changed all of her high end Nikon equipment for a similar set up. Some of the images she produces with this kit are stunningly good.
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If you’re going mirrorless, go Sony, they’re way ahead of anyone else.
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Maybe, for general photography, but…
full frame sensor against 4/3 is a compromise whichever way you go. Lighter weight, longer reach and dedicated autofocus modes are a big plus for photographing birds.
I had an Olympus Pen 4/3 a few years ago, by no means professional but took some lovely pictures
You would spend that on a TT and arm without thinking too much about it (maybe not now but I bet you have done) Birding gives you at least as much pleasure as hifi and music, and I doubt you spend anything like as much as you do on hifi and records these days.
Birding was one of the main reasons you were happy to move to end of the world, a decent photography system is very much part of it, If >£5K is what it takes then do it. Life can take many unexpected turns as you sadly know all too well, enjoy it while you can.
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^^ This ^^
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Wise words!
Thanks Kevin
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Maybe sell some of the hi fi you rarely use.
I still have the
Kowa 6 camera with a long lens that I promised you.
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Yes, I’ve found a good source for roll film for that. Looking forward to trying it 
Got loads of that! I don’t tend to sell much though 