A Tumbleweed of Starlings

FishingMagic · Nov 4, 2015

http://www.fishingmagic.com/fm-features/18150-a-tumbleweed-of-starlings.html

Years and years ago as teenagers, Steve Drake (of Bishops Stortford) and I were fishing the Waveney at Beccles when the sky was all but blackened by starlings. They kept coming for fully 10 minutes and - rightly or wrongly - we estimated 10,000,000 birds. There was seemingly no end to this densely packed, wide, wide swathe of black birds. Would anyone else agree that such a figure is possible?

http://www.fishingmagic.com/index.php?news=18150

soft plastic · Nov 4, 2015

Used to see fantastic numbers and displays back in the 80's as the flocks, or murmurations, went to roost in the buildings of the steel works. Sadly no more, vary rare around here now. Can't recall the last time I even saw one in my garden.

thecrow · Nov 4, 2015

Could make a heck of a mess of your car

Cliff Hatton · Nov 4, 2015

I agree, 'Soft Plastic' (what kind of name is that!!) Starlings seem to be quite rare now; I seldom see one. It's the same with house-sparrows and I think it's for the same reason: we've all been plastic-clad by the home-improvements industry. We no longer have nooks and crannies and gaps under the eaves so there are far fewer places to nest. A national bird-box campaign would help...

theartist · Nov 4, 2015

We got a small pocket of them here that turn up now and then much to the annoyance of my elderly neighbour and his grapevine, whilst nothing like the flocks of yesteryear they can still do some damage.

S-Kippy · Nov 4, 2015

They're certainly not as widespread as they were. The big flocks are still to be found but I've not seen anything worthy of the word "flock" for years. There's the odd one my way but I mean the odd one. Hardly a sparrow either.

Neil Maidment · Nov 4, 2015

I was busy fishing the Frome on Sunday evening and witnessed a spectacular murmuration as the light faded. Not on the scale as yours but probably many thousands of birds. It lasted about 10 minutes and ended superbly abruptly as they dived down into the reed beds.

Been back three times to film them but they've not shown up in any numbers. Weather has been totally different with cloud and rain so I'll wait for an improvement before trying again.

dorsetandchub · Nov 4, 2015

If only you used a Census Poll (er, a Sensas Pole)......ok, fair enough, Taxi for Me!!!!!

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Nov 4, 2015

Plenty of Starlings and Sparrows around here. Not massive flocks as in years gone by but still good numbers.

Seem to be more Owls than ever also which is great news.

soft plastic · Nov 4, 2015

Cliff Hatton II, "soft plastic" is my forum name as the vast majority of my fishing is lure fishing. Haven't purchased any bait in years.

flightliner · Nov 4, 2015

I was on the s/yorks/notts border the other day and was privy to a large flock of starlings flying over the A57 liverpool/ lincoln road. Pretty rare these days I have to admit but in Sheffield in the mid nineties cum dusk in the city centre the sky was filled with em. Sadly, no more, hopefully not forever.

laguna · Nov 5, 2015

Saw a few (maybe 50 or 60) settling to roost in some trees on Tuesday evening at a friends house. Pretty much absent now, a far cry from the 70's when Bradford Council offered a £1Million to rid the City of them.

Peter Jacobs · Nov 5, 2015

Driving up the valley yesterday there were some large flocks of Starlings, but in keeping with others' comments, nowhere near as many as in yester-year.

I think I'm right in saying that the Starling is now Red Listed . . . .

laguna · Nov 5, 2015

To what do we attribute their demise? Its the same with sparrows, song birds, butterfly's, bees, insects... pesticides?

soft plastic · Nov 5, 2015

Many, many things, probably all the things you mentioned. I also reckon loss of habitat and massive increases of avian predators are contributing factors.

Cliff Hatton · Nov 6, 2015

...and where have all the redwings gone? Perhaps it's my new location on the Welsh border, but I haven't seen redwing or fieldfare for years; green woodpeckers too... And here's another thing: there would appear to be no kestrels in this part of the world. There's plenty of buzzards and kites and the occasional hobby, but no kestrels. I guess it's Nature's way of distributing the predators.

A Tumbleweed of Starlings

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