I have shot a starling (Bird) and have plucked the feathers out and put them in a Zip lock bag then threw then in the freezer now what?
Start tying spider style flies (Baillies Black Spider especially), Small wet flies (peacock and starling) hackled with starling. Starling feathers are underused and underappreciated in my book. I have three starling skins on my tying desk at all times. One of my favorite soft hackles.
If you need or want recipes that use starling go to http://www.danica.com/flytier/ and use the search funtion. Just type in starling and see how many pop up. I quit counting at 50.
REE
Thank you REE is there anything i have to do with the feathers now?
Some kind of nuclear, biological or chemical warfare is in order…microwave them…mothballs…etc. Lots of theories out there.
I have shot a starling (Bird) and have plucked the feathers out…now what?
marinate the naked bird overnite in the following:
1/2 cup orange juice (juice of 1 orange)
1/2 cup lemon juice (juice of 2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage or several leaves fresh, chopped
1 1/2 inch section fresh ginger, peeled, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
a few drops Tabasco or 1/4 teaspoon hot salt
bake at 350 deg for 20-25 minutes
serve with wild rice
happy cooking!
What do you prefer?
I just (yesterday) found where a Cougar had killed a Wild Turkey, the cat was kind enough to leave me several tail feathers, I have washed them in good dish soap, am now drying them, and then will freeze them for a bout a month, then wash again and then dry and use, …
Tommy,
Read this one here on FAOL. This is how we treat all of our feathers. Many other opinions but none of them compare with the NPS.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/alcampbell/ac020204.php
By the way, your Christmas package was mailed today.
The feathers are spotted and are used as a substitute for the MUCH MORE expensive jungle cock nails.
By the way, here’s a link to tying the Baillie’s Spider. http://www.flyanglersonline.com/fotw/2009/fotw20091221.php
REE
A starling & herl wet tied on a size 16 1XL wet fly hook will take fish non-stop when the grannoms are out and about.
Does the smell turn fish away from the fly?
Somebody had to ask the question.
[b][u]Bruce
[/u][/b]
Hi,
I also think the Starling is underutalised and agree with REE that it has some of the best soft hackle feathers out there. Along with Baillie’s black spider, try a Pritt’s Water Cricket size 14 (oragne or yellow floss body - tied short, just to the hook point, ribbed with the black tying silk, and one or two turns of a starling neck feather; with the green or purple sheen to it).
- Jeff
Bruce,
I’ve been using the same material to bug proof my feathers and furs. I’ve never noticed an odor or smell, even after long exposure.
REE
Re: the NPS…I too use it …in fact, I was having some trouble with fruit flies in the house and 1 day after hanging it they were gone …never to return…Got the idea for fly tying stuff from the Al Campbell article and I’m reassured by Denny’s using it so long and extensively.
However having said that it should be pointed out that it was actually developed to hang in barns etc. …there are those that feel it is too toxic to have around. There was another thread about this some time ago and I posted much of what I posted above and said I wasn’t really concerned.
A reply came back that caused me to at least give pause. The reply was something like this…" Didn’t Al die of a brain tumor?"
If anyone needs any free starling feathers they are more than welcome to visit my home and shoot the he** out of them!
I’ll even provide the shotgun and shells…3" magnums will be just fine with me!
Bob
Would the flea collars be less toxic, since they hang around our friend’s necks? Or too ineffective?
Hi Tsnyder,
Add me to the list of those who like starling for soft hackles. One of my favorite uses is to tie the in for soft hackle pheasant tails. Also for other soft hackle flies. Starling feathers tie in nicely, have good stems for wrapping, and I think they have good movement and make wonderful soft hackle. Like some of the others above, I wonder if they may not be used enough in fly tying.
Regards,
Gandolf
[b]This is a quote from Skues on Starling hackles:-
"**Starling. - This bird is the fly dresser?s stand-by, and if he had only one bird to rely on all the year round he would chose the starling without hesitation. The birds usefulness begins early in life. When his plumes are just out, and he is leaving the nest, he is a delicate dull brown dun in hue, and then his wing feathers, primary and secondary, afford lovely pale wings for flies of all sorts. As he grows older the colour of the wings darkens, and in an old bird the fibres become very dark indeed. The wings are often dyed in onion and other olive dyes.
A large range of colour is thus obtained. The hackles from underneath the wing, both of young bird and old, are used as substitutes for the dotterel hackle, though not considered equal to it. There are numerous feathers about the body and wings tipped with yellow which make beautiful glossy green black hackles, and in the cock bird the neck hackles have a purple black metallic hue at the back of the neck, and a greenish metallic hue under the throat, and are long and shapely. The short side of the secondaries of this bird is used in Scotland to dress the well-known Tweedside pattern, the White Tip, so called because of the pale yellowish tip to each wing. The tail, with a soft brownish edge, wings the female Black Gnat. The quills of the primaries and secondaries stripped off make good bodies, dyed or undyed."
When you are satisfied with you decontamination of the feathers
here is more info on using them:-
http://donaldnicolson.webplus.net/page174.html
Six pages on Spiders (Hoorah! Hoorah! and Yippee!)
And if you are keen on Tenkara fishing :-
Hook: 12-18 TMC 2487.
Body: Olive Pearsall?s silk.
Hackle: Starling, tied in with the concave side of the hackle towards the eye.
You better get out there and plug some more starlings.
[/b]
Hi T,
You saved yourself some money with your trusty rifle or shotgun. Starling skins are going for $3.50 or and up at fly shops. I’ve been tempted to load the old 12 gauge with very fine bird shot and slip it out out the bedroom window when those massive starling flocks are blanketing lawn. Presto, I’m in the fly tying materials business. 8T 