Up until the pre-Christmas cold snap, we regularly had a couple of dozen starlings visiting the feeders in our garden, but now there a none - not a single bird. I know they migrate westwards with the cold weather but would have thought that the constant supply of easily accessible food would have kept them here. Does anyone know the explanation? We quite miss the noisy little devils!
Think they are all in my garden, Syd. They are eating me out of house and home and costing me a fortune! I have at total of 20 half coconut shells and hang them on my barbed wire fence between my cottage and the field behind. I fill them with seed, nuts, porridge oats etc, all soaked in melted lard and then left to set. I can hang them out at 9 in the morning and by 3pm they are all empty! Getting very expensive! If I don't put the shells out for them they attack the feeders I have put out for the 'little birds', tits, robins etc. They certainly are noisy and I know many people see them as a pest but they are very beautiful, especially the first wintering juveniles. I will have a word with them and see if they will pop over to you for a few days - give me a break!
I think it must have worked Christine, 3 arrived yesterday and 7 in the garden this morning! I don't think the other birds were missing them though, they certainly do hog the feeders. When they're around, a couple of kilos of premium mixed seed can disappear by midday, which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't chuck half of it on the ground. The present Mrs Rumpo is going to try the suet cake and we'll see if it keeps them off the feeders for a while. But they are beautiful birds, as you say, and full of character - the loveable rogues of the garden!
They have all come to my garden in S Wales. lol Other birds do not get a chance of eating food when the Starlings are around!!
If nothing goes right, go left! :-)
I had no starlings in my garden before Christmas, now loads as with others they are eating from every feeder except sunflower nyjer seed. I like them but would be happy for them to turn up have some food and go to allow the little'uns tosome access