You're my starlin', darlin'

My garden is full of starlings. For some unknown reason, I've developed an affinity for them. The poor things are so misunderstood. Mostly they are thought of as "pest birds" to be driven away so that the songbirds can feed. But these iridescent birds do have a song, several in fact, and can also mimic other birds and sounds like their cousins, their mynas. Mozart had a pet starling and proclaimed his song to be beautiful. I can see why.

Very late in the winter, while I was at the Botanical Garden, I heard a mysterious bird song above and just ahead. One bird. It was enchanting. When I looked to where it was coming from, there was the starling. As I drew nearer, it flew to the next tree, urging me forward. Its tune was in my head, rolling around like an unfinished symphony. I followed the starling all through the garden as the sky began to dim. At home, even now, the song is still in my mind. You're my starlin', darlin', singing to me all night long......