Murmuration

[Black Comb]

As dusk approaches this is quite spectacular.
Only had my standard lens with me.

[Trog]

A swarm of starlings? (Yes, I know what it's really called but it does resemble a swarm, doesn't it?) I saw this for the first time in the New Forest (Beaulieu) at the end of last September. Glorious!

[beejazz]

I remember starlings flocking like that when I lived in Cumbria, years ago, they would roost in the wood at the back of our house.

[Jon]

You can see that near central station in Belfast in the evening. They roost under a bridge.
I remember seeing the same in Palma, Mallorca years ago and there must have been tens of thousands of birds involved.
Spectacular stuff.

[Pete L]

We get countless thousands of them down here as well, quite a spectacular sight when they come in to roost in some of the big fir plantations.

[The Drone Ranger]

You must have the lot
I haven't seen a starling for years

[GRIZZLY]

We used to get really spectacular evening flights here at the ferry terminal in Stranraer, then they would roost on the ferries and gantries. The ferry people got fed up with cleaning up their droppings so they used to send up loud bang rockets to scare them away. Shame because the display was incredible.

[Black Comb]

This one was at Leighton moss RSPB reserve so they are welcome.
They roost in the reed beds.

[brecks]

You must have the lot
I haven't seen a starling for years

I could post a couple to you DR if you like.

[gavin]

You should have come to Athlone, DR, there was one waddling about between my feet whilst I waited for Jon and Willie to provide a taxi service at Dublin airport. Very pretty close up in their winter plumage.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGegmMWsgu8

Do they taste nice, Brecks? Is that why you have some to spare?

[brecks]

You should have come to Athlone, DR, there was one waddling about between my feet whilst I waited for Jon and Willie to provide a taxi service at Dublin airport. Very pretty close up in their winter plumage.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGegmMWsgu8

Do they taste nice, Brecks? Is that why you have some to spare?

I have never eaten any and would not care to try it, in the hand they are greasy and smelly. There are far too many of them in my garden so I have plenty to spare.

[Pete L]

I have never eaten any and would not care to try it

I have, but only young ones, they make good eatin.

[The Drone Ranger]

I have never eaten any and would not care to try it, in the hand they are greasy and smelly. There are far too many of them in my garden so I have plenty to spare.

Hi brecks

Many years ago I was in the offices of the GMB union in London and one of the ladies there had saved an injured starling
He lived in a cage in the office and was a cheeky little devil
When he was better he was released
As far as I know he never migrated after release just stayed in her garden

[wee willy]

Not surprised ,there is a resident UK population of starlings.
WW


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[Trog]

Some lovely photos on the BBC just now. Apparently we have a lot of foreign visitors at this time of year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-25104625

[brecks]

Hi brecks

Many years ago I was in the offices of the GMB union in London and one of the ladies there had saved an injured starling
He lived in a cage in the office and was a cheeky little devil
When he was better he was released
As far as I know he never migrated after release just stayed in her garden

Hi D. R.

That reminds me of another cheeky bird. When mowing the lawn 2 years ago, a Jackdaw landed on my head -a bit of a shock! It was clearly tame and we tried feeding it a wide variety of foods suitable for Jackdaws, but it would not eat any of them. It would fly about the area and come and go as it pleased, returning to strip the rubber from windscreen wipers and around car windows and sealant around the house windows. The next day it was sitting on my shoulder while I swept the driveway, when some local children told me it belonged to a friend of theirs and would only eat Hula Hoops. It was true! - it tucked into them greedily. Flew off the third day and not seen again, but cannot have lived long on that diet alone.

[The Drone Ranger]

Hi brecks
Loll ! Amazing bird story
He probably pulled off one windscreen wiper too many
You'll have to pick the pace up a bit with the lawnmower less standing still :)

[Black Comb]

The ones we saw were like Gavin's vid. but my digi camera doesn't have video.
Wonder why they don't bump into each other.

[gavin]

Must be that song from Elbow helping their coordination ;)

When I was a lad (a wee while ago now) I used to go walking at Aberlady Bay in East Lothian where you could marvel at the waders (dunlin especially) doing the same kind of thing. So much more up-market than starlings, but less amenable to popping in a cage in a union office somewhere.