As the Starlings came to roost this evening a Merlin dashed in and caught one of their number. Later the geese came in and what may have been a Woodcock flew past, in the gloom. PS.
Tag Archives: Starling
Marsh Harrier – 24th October
This afternoon a ‘cream-top’ Marsh Harrier was seen briefly over the Slurry Lagoon reed bed. It was chased off by some crows and a gull. The sweetcorn has been harvested in the adjacent fields and the geese are gleening the spillage. About 2,500 Grey-lag Geese and 500 Canadas flew from the fields onto the Slurry Lagoon. Later up to 6,000 Starlings came in to roost, in their spectacular fashion, in the Slurry Lagoon reed bed. PS.
Little Egret – 28th November
At dusk the gull roost contained about 500 birds, consisting mainly of Black-headed, Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls. there were also around 200 Teal and 70 Shoveler. Two Little Egrets and two Shelduck were also present and the Cetti’s Warbler sang briefly from the reed bed that the Starlings were roosting in. PS.
Caspian Gull – 16th November
Amongst the gulls roosting on the Slurry Lagoon this afternoon an adult Caspian Gull was found, as well as a Yellow-legged Gull. There were twelve White-fronted Geese which circled the lagoon before coming down across the river to land with the goose flock. Later some of them came onto the Slurry Lagoon with the other geese to roost. Also on the Slurry Lagoon were four Pintail and two Little Egrets. The Starling roost contained at least 3,000 birds and was predated by a Sparrowhawk and a possible Merlin and at least eight Water Rails were either seen or heard. RW. PS.
Starlings – 9th November
This evening, at the Starling roost, a strange, pale individual was noticed, raising hopes of a Rose-coloured Starling. Unfortunately better views showed that its wings and tail were paler than its body, making a leucistic variant more likely. There was also an aberrant Lesser Black-backed Gull, which JMD managed to photograph. PS.
Mediterranean Gull – 3rd November
The gull roost contained a first winter Mediterranean Gull and an adult Yellow-legged Gull this afternoon. Several Water Rails were heard or seen across the site, as were hunting Sparrowhawks. One Sparrowhawk was seen to fly into the Starling roost causing them to move across the Slurry Lagoon to another reed bed. As the light failed a massive flock of Grey-lag Geese rose unseen from the harvested maize field, where they had been feeding, to move to the Large Gravel Pit, to roost. The noise they made cackling and screeching was very impressive. RW, PS.
Starling – 31st October
As the light dimmed, at about 16.15, the Starlings began to arrive to roost. A group of about 1,000 formed and did an aerial display, then decided to have a mass bathe amongst the gull roost. Another group of about 1,000 arrived and then both groups amalgamated and smoked into the reed bed. Then lots of smaller groups of fifty to 200 birds arrived, mostly from the east and dived spectacularly into the reed beds to join the others. This carried on for about thirty minutes until I estimated about 4,500 birds were in the roost. Whilst this was happening there were echelons of Grey-lag and Canada Geese arriving to roost on the Large Gravel Pit and the numbers grew to about 1,200 Grey-lag and about 800 Canadas. On the Slurry Lagoon the gull roost reached in excess of 1,000 birds but the light did not make counting them practical. A Water Rail flew across the gap in the reed beds in front of the bench and the Cetti’s was in good voice. PS.
Starling Roost – 1st November
Starling numbers are building and tonight the Roost was spectacular with perhaps 5,000 birds in total coming over in wave after wave to join together in a fantastic aerial display which not only looked great but sounded great too. A Cetti’s was joining in and on the Large Gravel Pit at least one Red-crested Pochard is still present. JMD.
Ross’s Goose – 18th October
The Ross’s Goose was again present with the goose flock on the pasture fields across the river. When a jogger disturbed them they all came to land on the Large Gravel Pit, about 2,500 Grey-lag Geese and 1,000 Canada Geese, plus the Ross’s. Over the Slurry Lagoon about 5,000 Starlings smoked their way to and fro before settling in the reed beds, while two Sparrowhawks tried to snatch one for their evening meal. Two Cetti’s were heard but insignificant against the spectacle of the geese and the Starlings. PS.
Little Gull – 11th June
A Little Gull flew around the Deep Pit this evening and over the Tern Platforms before moving on to the Slurry. Also this evening a small Starling roost with perhaps 200 birds coming in to roost in the bushes and reeds. JMD.
Earlier on two Grasshopper Warblers were singing on the Deep Pit banks. PS.