Starlings

[Clive.]

We have not seen the great flocks of Starlings for a long time...that once seemed to be the norm'.....

..but...on our small front lawn at the moment there are 50+ Starlings including young ones...excitedly feeding on something.....

Clive.

[alan refail]

We have not seen the great flocks of Starlings for a long time...that once seemed to be the norm'.....

..but...on our small front lawn at the moment there are 50+ Starlings including young ones...excitedly feeding on something.....

Clive.

Leatherjackets?

[Clive.]

Hello Alan,

Suspect it could be so... as that is I believe one of their favoured lunches.....

The number of Starlings was amazing....not seen that number for years....

Of course my camera was in the car..parked alongside the front lawn....will have to see if they return to say cheese.....

Clive.

[Clive.]

A few returned to oblige for the camera.....pointed at them through the not so clear window. ......

Do I count 35.??.....if so, my earlier 50 estimate was way short...as the whole lawn was full of activity then...

Clive.

[Nature's Babe]

Good to see they are making a comeback in numbers again, have only seen a few round here and we get plenty of leatherjackets lol

[glallotments]

We have very few starlings - they seem to have disappeared.

[Monika]

The huge flocks of starlings are usually only around from autumn to spring because its our local lot as well as lots of continental ones which come here for winter. Having said that, I think the number of starlings has certainly decreased the last few years.

[glallotments]

Ours disappeared a few of years ago and haven't really come back - not the ususal seasonal fluctuation. They just don't like our garden any more for some reason - we have plenty of other birds.

[Johnboy]

I have not had any nesting Starlings here for many many years but I too have them in small flocks of a hundred or more who come and seriously reduce my Leatherjacket population at this time of the year.
The vast majority of these birds are the first brood of youngsters who to a bird are all brown lacking the normal Starling colour. There are no adult birds with them that I have observed.
JB.

[Clive.]

The flock on our lawn and in the general area all day yesterday were a mix of adults and young.
The youngsters kept sitting down flat on the lawn and were being fed by the adult birds.

We always used to see them about but haven't seen them in these numbers for years.

They used to nest in the interestingly constructed eaves of the next door bungalow.......

Clive.

[retropants]

I've had great numbers in my garden too lately, and what a racket they do make. A nice racket, but a racket all the same!! I too saw the younglings sitting right down in the grass waiting for the next morsel!

[glallotments]

We have hardly any birds at all at the moment but I should expect that as we are doing the RSPB bird count!!!

[Clive.]

Don't worry...they must all be with us today...

An amazing number of Swallows and Martins over the work Orchard...aerobatics all day long....

Clive.

[Johnboy]

Hi Retropants,
Strangely I do not get adult Starlings feeding their your here. I live 1.5 miles out from the large village where I suspect they come from.
I think the weaning must be done closer to the village and we only get young birds feeding themselves.
I am pleased to say that after the disaster with the Wrens here during the winter I now have one pair nesting albeit quite late for Wrens.
Lets hope that they manage at least one brood.
JB.

[Parsons Jack]

Lots of starlings here at the moment as well. Both young and adults. We've also got loads of sparrows which is great to see