Starling Nest (1 Viewer)

[Biscuitman]

A piece of wood dislodged from my gable bedroom window and the remaining 'hole' has been inhabited by two Starlings for the last four weeks. Our 'noisy neighbours' have been building their nest and, having looked at my book on birds nests, appears to be quite a structure. They're still bringing nesting material into the nesting site, so I wondered how long before they proceed to produce eggs and subsequent chicks?

 

[Kits]

You may find this Opus article interesting.

Common Starling - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

They usually lay eggs from mid April and the chicks hatch about 12 days later. They fledge once they are about three weeks old.

 

[Biscuitman]

Thanks Kits. Looks like theyre going to be around for a few more weeks yet!

 

[vingio54]

I noticed walking back from the park today that starlings are nesting in two holes, one about a foot above the other, near the top of a utility pole. I can watch birds entering and leaving both holes. I'm wondering if it's okay to share photos of their comings and goings as we can't really see into the nests and it's pretty difficult to disturb them so high up in the pole...

 

[Biscuitman]

My Starlings are still in their convenient nesting site in my Gable Bedroom Window!!! The noise has continued and activity is now much more strident.
Keeping us awake at night with constant scratching. We can hear some tweeting now, so believe there are definitely youngsters in the nest. This whole process has now taken 10 weeks! Any idea when the youngsters might actually fledge? It's a long drop to the ground so I assume they'll be able to fly efficiently enough to escape without disaster. Love them to bits but we need some sleep!

 

[delia todd]

According to our Opus article on this species, incubation takes about 2 weeks and fledging up to a further 3 weeks. What's been going on for the other 5 weeks, I don't know.

Unless they were just investigating the hole and making it right to build the nest (but that's not really a very complex structure LOL).

However, they do usually have another clutch, and in good years possibly a third. So it's possible this is the next lot and you didn't see the first fledging?

I guess they'll be out of the nest very soon now. I'm waiting for my local ones to descend on my feeders any day now; the adults seem to have been feeding them for ages.

 

[Kits]

My Starlings are still in their convenient nesting site in my Gable Bedroom Window!!! The noise has continued and activity is now much more strident.
Keeping us awake at night with constant scratching. We can hear some tweeting now, so believe there are definitely youngsters in the nest. This whole process has now taken 10 weeks! Any idea when the youngsters might actually fledge? It's a long drop to the ground so I assume they'll be able to fly efficiently enough to escape without disaster. Love them to bits but we need some sleep!

You may find this Opus article interesting.

Common Starling - BirdForum Opus

www.birdforum.net

They usually lay eggs from mid April and the chicks hatch about 12 days later. They fledge once they are about three weeks old.

 

[Biscuitman]

Looking at the BirdForum Opus above and the fact that we are hopefully in the North of the species range (just south of Aberdeen) it may be this is the one and only brood that are about to fledge. Will keep an eye (and ear) out for the fledglings.
Thanks for your comments.

 

[Biscuitman]

Saw your post on Birds Fae Torry Delia. The Starlings in our Dormer window have had their first clutch and we've seen them bring food back - they are about to fledge we think.... lots of juvenile 'trilling' sounds. Hoping there's not going to be a second clutch as keeping us awake all through the night - every night! What are they doing at night - the amount of noise they make is phenominal scratching and tapping - can't work out what they're actually doing.

 

[delia todd]

It sure is a strange year BM.

Sorry.... I don't know what they're doing at night either. Maybe get a camera up there for next year?

 

[Biscuitman]

The Starlings have fledged . Looks like about three as far as I can see - I've attached a couple of pics from yesterday morning in my garden.

 

[delia todd]

They emptied the nests a two or three days ago and are eating me out of house and home LOL. They can go through 4 fat balls in a couple of hours! As well as the coconut shells and seeds!

What with the adults too, I must have around 30 in the garden and what a noise they make LOL