European Starling | Étourneau sansonnet | Sturnus vulgaris: Taken on April 20, 2015, from the West Vancouver seawall, with a handheld Nikon D5200 and AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED. Not baited, called in or set up.
[Update: I should have pointed out that I included the photo below, even though the bird’s head is turned away from the camera, because it has caught what appears to be an earwig. I don’t like earwigs, so this starling is doing a good deed. Will I actually start liking them, as a result? Unlikely.]
- Top: ISO 640 | 300mm | f/5.6 | 1/1000
- Bottom: ISO 560 | 300mm | f/5.6 | 1/1000
Not only for the birds? 
What excellent clear shots – a great pair of photos. Although I saw European starlings in Florida some months ago, I could never capture their beauty as you did here.
Thank you! Actually, I also find it quite difficult, especially since the colour of their plumage/bill remains vibrant only for a few weeks in spring. In fact, these are the first bunch of good shots that I’ve gotten, mainly because these birds have chosen to catch insects on the ocean rocks (and so they are not on grass, which I normally dislike in wildlife photos).