I live in South Yorks and have always wondered where our starlings are. With them being one of the most common garden birds on the recent survey, I can never understand why they don't visit since I've started feeding birds and seeing many species visit. I'm fairly new to bird watching but I could only remember seeing them up close once before! But then I was in Kensington gardens in London and out of nowhere they were sitting outside a cafe on tables in a flock, eating scraps and making lots of noise! It was stunning to think I hardly ever see them (or at least close enough to identify them I suppose), that they actually looked like I'd seen a new bird for the first time. Their shimmering coats were lovely and it was surprising to see how human friendly they are- is this a trait of theirs? Which is a worrying sign if they used to be so common?
Though I have now seen online that they are on the red list also? So maybe it explains why I haven't seen them around anywhere near where I live. But it does seem puzzling, so are they still visiting gardens but doing badly out in rural environments?
I'm sure there are some but any tips where to look, any particular nature reserves maybe? And since seeing them I've read about their murmurations, which seems to occur in October and I'd love to see one. Are there particular spots more likely to see them?
My Flickr photos
In reply to Alan:
It's not the reserve as such as the size of them that attract them, when there are literally thousands of them collecting in a murmuration they all need somewhere to land to go to roost, both at Old Moor and Potteric they use the reed beds overnight. At places such as the coast they will use underneath piers. I'm in Sheffield first thing tomorrow hoping to see the Peregrines so will keep a lookout for some Starlings, they are about because the Peregrines bring them to the box during breeding season.
This is my video from Old Moor
And this is a mates from Potteric,
I remember visiting family in Sheffield 20 years ago and watching flocks of 20 or so visit their garden. I used to love watching them squabble between each other (the starlings that is, not he family!) and gather in larger flocks of around a hundred or so on a nearby field. I'm afraid to say that when I visit these day, the starlings are no longer around. As you say, they are now a red listed species as their numbers have plummeted. If you are looking for murmurations near Sheffield, I have watched them at Middleton Moor in the past. Might be worth seeing if they still happen there. It's just across the border into Derbyshire but it is a fairly short drive.