Hello (and where have all the starlings gone?)

Hi everyone

I'm pretty much a newbie to this wildlife and gardening lark (pun intended) as I lived in London until three years ago.  Now I'm an enthusiastic gardener and wildlife watcher.  I do everything I can to support birds and other creatures in my garden - feeders, pond, woodpile and so on.  My question is, has anyone noticed a scarcity of starlings this year?  They were always my most frequent, and boisterous, visitors - I call them the Boyz 'n the Hood.  So far this autumn, though, I haven't seen any.  I  hope it's just the mild weather that's keeping them busy foraging elsewhere - I'd hate to lose them.

Hi Wazzeau, I have  noticed many starlings, I have had them nesting in my roof as they do every year, they have now started to roost on TV aerials in there dozens I'm sure they will be back soon.

Hi Wazzeau

Belated welcome to the forum from me - hope you enjoy your time on here.

Have to agree with waxwing too - we have many starlings here, chasing off the other birds to get to the feeders and hogging the bird bath!

Hi Wazzeau and welcome from me also. I have had more or less the same number of regular starlings as other years 24+ and more in the fledging season. However, it seems to have been a bumper year for berries so maybe they are still taking much of their food from natural sources rather than relying quite so heavily on feeders and tables yet.

Hi Wazzeau and welcome

I think is that Starlings want to be with their own kind at this time of the year.  They like to be in flocks, for whatever reason - and of course there are the migrants too.   If the natural food is available all the better and they stick to their natural food source

Not so good for us who feed birds as we feel we have been deserted.

Regards

Kathy and Dave

I would say we have the usual numbers of starlings here this year - noisy, squabbling, greedy, clownish - and thoroughly likeable!!!

Welcome Wazzeau! I love your pseudonym!! (I'm half French!)

Have quite a few starlings about in my garden too!

Hi

I have many Starlings and sparrows all going mad for suet based foods a suet cake just lasts 1 day, ps i am in the middle of a large housing estate.