Starlings (2 Viewers)

[delia todd]

The first batch of Starlings have fledged this morning. They'll be eating me out of house and home!!

 

[Andy Strachan]

There's a family of starlings nesting in my neighbour's eves through an old hole for an over flow pipe. They've been feeding chicks for a while, so I'm expecting them any day now. The parents often feed at our feeders so I'm sure they'll introduce me soon!

 

[delia todd]

Trouble is they bring the youngsters to my window feeder..... not designed for half a dozen fighting for room!!!

There's food elsewhere for them LOL

 

[Andy Strachan]

So far breeding in and around my garden hasn't went well. The starling nest that I mentioned... I don't know for sure but it seems like the fledglings fledged while the parents were away. For one whole day the parents just stood on the roof above the nest hole looking very lost. Just standing there all day. Occasionally they'd fly off somewhere (probably to eat or search for them) then just return and just stand there again. Wherever the fledglings were I doubt they were getting fed enough.

And we have a blue tit nest box in the garden. Yesterday morning I noticed that there was a lot of material bunched up on the entrance hole - so I went and had a look and it turns out something had tried to take the nesting material out through the hole and blocked it. When I moved it out the way, there were eggs and a dead hatchling inside.
Can only think that maybe a starling or something tried to take some of the material and blocked the hole. Not sure what else would have managed it.

 

[delia todd]

Oh!! How sad on both counts Andy.

That's really disappointing for you lad.