It is getting to that time of the year again when starlings are performing their wildlife spectacles as they gather into their communal roosts in their thousands - or even hundreds of thousands. Do you have a major starling roost near you that has given you that wow encounter? There are big roosts on Brighton Pier, RSPB Ham Wall reserve and at Gretna Green, but surely there are many more up and down the country? And how about mass roosts of other birds - I have heard rumours of a corvid roost somewhere in the Sheffield area?
WOWOWOW!!!!! 100,000!!! I REALLY must get there some time soon!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
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I have had a go at a video of the Corvid roost in my home village, please understand the size is such that my poor little camera struggles to do it justice!
The first few seconds where shot from inside the house (I had already missed the start by a minute or two) Once outside the light improves slightly. The roost splits into three groups one to the front of the house heads east towards Dundee, another spreads out in our Glen/valley and the third heads west up the Glen. With it being so mild still, they break up quite quickly. At least thats my opinion as I believe they do it to warm up before roosting and again before starting their day, Please feel free to put me straight on this matter! Oh and anyone who can count them go for it!!! there are levels too high for my camera to manage!
As the days get colder their numbers will go up and the time to warm up lasts longer!
If the link below fails again try the one one my page.
ITS LONGER THAN THE 90 SECOND RULE SO I WILL EDIT IT DOWN
www.flickr.com/photos/40261931@N06
For viewing or photography right place right time is everything. I'd rather be in the right place with poor kit than have the best kit and be in the wrong place.
I was in Belfast over the weekend, and happened to be walking along the riverside walk close to the Albert Bridge just before sunset. My OH commented on the flock of starlings flying up over the river, and we stopped to watch as the flock grew bigger and bigger as new groups joined in. By the time they started to dip down to roost under the bridge, the flock was numbering in thousands rather than hundreds. Their aerial 'dance' is a great wildlife spectacle - especially when you see the birds silhouetting against a sunset.
Great video John - that certainly is a huge number of corvids.
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Why do I have just a handful of starlings, none in a flock of any size? They arrive with the sparrows mostly and hang around the garden much of the day, minding their own business and behaving in a most un-starling-like manner. One of them is a baby with a plain buff coloured head, but the others seem fully grown. I have never seen a large roost in the vicinity.
Cheers, Linda.
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Susan H said: Why do I have just a handful of starlings, none in a flock of any size? They arrive with the sparrows mostly and hang around the garden much of the day, minding their own business and behaving in a most un-starling-like manner.
Why do I have just a handful of starlings, none in a flock of any size? They arrive with the sparrows mostly and hang around the garden much of the day, minding their own business and behaving in a most un-starling-like manner.
They've probably worked out that you're a nice friendly food source and have made your garden their 'patch'. I read somewhere that starlings tend to visit the same place at the start and end of the day, where they know there's a regular supply of food, and do their exploring in between. The gang...er...group I have here seem to fit that pattern.That's stage 1. Stage 2 involves them heckling you when you're out in the garden - either whistling from the tree or landing on a nearby branch/fence/gutter and making squawking noises. Stage 3 they start waddling across the lawn towards you in a group and trying to nick the cheese/polony/grapes you're feeding to the blackbird!Great birds - plenty of character...and nerve! There used to be a flock of several hundred that I would see over the winter from my window a few years ago in the evening, but that has dwindled away.
Unknown said:I have had a go at a video of the Corvid roost in my home village, please understand the size is such that my poor little camera struggles to do it justice!
Unknown said:As the days get colder their numbers will go up and the time to warm up lasts longer!
Its taken a wee while but I'm catching back up with myself!! Sorry I've reduced the Video down to the limit allowed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40261931@N06
John :-)
Wow John, that is like something from Hitchcock!! Brilliant. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Sparrow, Its a very noisy place for the next three months first thing and last thing! (no complaint I love it, it makes winter something to look forward to.) Plus the numbers are still growing. I noticed yesterday at Dundee that there is one there too, so maybe there will be less here this year, with them having two choices.
Thanks John, I so enjoyed watching the video. We have only a few hundred here, which make a terrible racket and if you are outside, can halt all conversation. Just can't imagine what it is like when you get thousands, as you do.