Flocking Starling's

Sue B · #1 (**permalink**) 29-10-2009, 10:27 PM

Hello- my husband is desperate to see " a flock" of starling's one evening.
We live in the Midland's, but we would be willing to "travel.
Any suggestion's please ?

RobinP · #2 (**permalink**) 29-10-2009, 11:14 PM

Best ones I've seen have been over the West Pier, Brighton and Portsmouth harbour but I'm sure there are better ones much nearer to you.

teknomage · #3 (**permalink**) 30-10-2009, 10:01 AM

If you are prepared to travel into Wales, Aberystwyth Pier has a huge flocks of starlings coming into roost in the evening. It's a wonderful sight seeing them all arrive against the sunset and flying together over the sea before they settle down for the night.

tekno.mage

flower_girl · #4 (**permalink**) 30-10-2009, 01:33 PM

They say one of the best places is the Somerset levels (nr Glastonbury) however when I travelled down the weather wasn't perfect and I was rather disappointed. I have seen much better roasts at home in Blackpool.

I would therefore recommend you don't travel too far as from my experience it can vary from day to day. Last night I left work early to see my local roost and there were far less than recorded the 2 days before. So I'll have to try again at the weekend...

Hope someone local to your area knows some good places.

Jonathan · #5 (**permalink**) 30-10-2009, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue B

Hello- my husband is desperate to see " a flock" of starling's one evening.
We live in the Midland's, but we would be willing to "travel.
Any suggestion's please ?

Depending on where abouts you are in the Midlands, Slimbridge may not be too far away, I think they usually have a large starling roost in winter.

YouTube - Starling Roost Slimbridge 31 January 2009

Cheers
Jonathan

JeffH · #6 (**permalink**) 30-10-2009, 03:39 PM

There's quite a nice Starling roost building up at the RSPB's Fen Drayton Lakes reserve (just off the A14 between Huntingdon and Cambridge).

I've been several times in the last couple of weeks and the flock has been officially estimated at approx 6,000 birds but on one evening last week I'd have put it between 8,000 - 10,000. Certainly not one of the largest roosts (like Somerset levels or Brighton pier) but quite a spectacle nonetheless.

However and as flowergirl intimates, the number of birds and the precise location of their roost can vary from night to night so there's no guarantee they'll be present when you are

Jeff

tcvarlh · #7 (**permalink**) 31-10-2009, 12:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue B

Hello- my husband is desperate to see " a flock" of starling's one evening.
We live in the Midland's, but we would be willing to "travel.
Any suggestion's please ?

Twenty years ago Brum city centre at the Bull ring provided a spectacle. Since the sanitizers desecrated the place you are lucky to see 30 Starlings. Mind if you want wildlife, the council buildings are full of thousands of Rats, Swine and Toads.
h

Perhaps Sutton Park, or out towards Water Orton !

Jadeyduck · #8 (**permalink**) 31-10-2009, 10:21 AM

Westhay Moor on the Somerset Levels, but you need to go roughly end of december through to january and possibly early february to see the best flocks. Its a wildlife trust site and not to difficult to find.