Beware of the Mimic

This is a European Starling that I photographed during my bird walk this morning out to the Elkton Community Education Center. European Starlings are an invasive species that has spread through the United States, and although they have some admirable plumage, they are quite a nuisance. They can make a real mess nesting around homes, and their sheer numbers can pose a problem for farmers. The problem for birders is they make a wide variety of weird sounds, including mimicking other birds.  Which leads me to the scripture lesson for the day: “Beware of those who mimic, they are not to be trusted”. --the Gospel by James.