Starling distribution?
It was thought that members of the WVBS might like to have a slot in the Newsletter for asking and answering questions. To set the ball rolling, our first question is about Starlings, and comes from a beginner.
In Taverham in the late 1960’s and 1970’s starlings abounded in our garden They would sit on the neighbour’s roof in the morning and clack their beaks exuberantly. But now I cannot remember the last time I saw a starling in the garden although, across the Fakenham Road in Thorpe Marriott, starlings are a common sight. At certain times of year I see them lined up equidistantly on the the roof ridges of the houses.
Further afield, on the North Norfolk coast near Happisburgh, large flocks of starlings are very much part of the scenery, bathing in puddles on the coastal tracks and flying up when a vehicle approaches. Sometimes the lawns of the coastal properties are black with starlings, busily probing the grass with their bills.
Can any member give reasons for these changes in the distribution of starlings?
Rosemary Harvey
(Editor’s note: A good idea Rosemary – is anybody going to rise to the challenge of trying to answer Rosemary’s question or pose a question of their own? All replies should be addressed to Margaret Shapcott for publication next month.)
Tags: bird watching, birding norfolk, birding