|
Post by pete11 on Mar 1, 2022 18:54:33 GMT
Great quality video. Very interesting to see the behaviour, too.
|
|
|
Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 1, 2022 19:06:16 GMT
loving these starling videos Matt! This is exactly the same what goes on with the sparrows, Male bringing some material in first trying to attract the female. I am excited to see where this goes and I have my fingers crossed for you
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 1, 2022 21:04:38 GMT
loving these starling videos Matt! This is exactly the same what goes on with the sparrows, Male bringing some material in first trying to attract the female. I am excited to see where this goes and I have my fingers crossed for you Yep, it's exciting Paul! No idea how long these preliminaries drag on for - could be a while I guess? There does at least appear to be a female on the scene tho, which is encouraging. I remember I had a male sparrow in the box for a few days last year singing away, but he never seemed to attract a mate.. Funnily enough a sparrow checked out the box today, which is the first time I have seen a sparrow at one of the boxes since before Christmas. The bluetit also popped his head into the starling box a couple of times! It was a slow Feb, but things have really got going since that few weeks of wind went away.
|
|
|
Post by starling78 on Mar 1, 2022 21:39:13 GMT
Good Job Matt! the starlings are back in mine this year too they've been doing their housework on it for a while, once the weather gets sunnier as there's no light in the box and things get going more I will post some updates for you all to see, mine are at the same stage, a bit of material but regular visits by both of them.
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 1, 2022 22:43:45 GMT
Brilliant, yes I remember your boxes from last year I think! Good to have someone with a bit of starling experience on here. How long does this sort of phase typically go on for, and roughly when have you had actual nest building starting? This is all new to me!
|
|
|
Post by starling78 on Mar 2, 2022 13:34:33 GMT
Remembering back from last year my box was put up a little on the late side so once the male had found it the female got to work quite quickly, about a week later I think but the weather does hold things back for them, at the moment it is cold and damp here so they are not really building the nest, I think as long as the pair hang around the box and go inside daily it's a good sign, storm Franklin blew the box down at the front of the house luckily we got it back up and the pair in that one have returned, just as well there was no nest or chicks at the time!
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 2, 2022 16:15:55 GMT
Thanks Starling. What time of year, roughly? I'm sure I saw starling chicks in a nest in our wall a couple of years ago, but more like May time - which would mean now is a little early for them to get going? Then again, it has been extremely mild so far this winter..
|
|
|
Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 2, 2022 18:44:07 GMT
Matt, If you still have Bens email from the forum message him, He had starling nesting in his box for many years couple of broods a year aswell. He will definitely know all the nesting habits.
|
|
|
Post by starling78 on Mar 2, 2022 20:54:02 GMT
Looking back at my thread from last year it wasn't until the end of march that the nest was completed with the first egg laid on the 6th April and chicks near to fledging mid May so they still have a while yet
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 2, 2022 23:15:10 GMT
Thanks Starling, good to know. I've got a hunch things might kick off a bit earlier this year than last, as last spring was so cold (big frosts in April as I recall, and a frost on 1st May as well!). Frogspawn in our pond was a full two weeks earlier this year, if that is any guide. That could all change though if we get a cold snap - I hope not, as my Apricot is in full blossom already!!
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 3, 2022 9:14:31 GMT
Non stop action this sunny morning from starling and BTs. Starlings really are a very beautiful bird close up with the iridescence on the wings:
|
|
|
Post by karenupnorth on Mar 3, 2022 9:21:42 GMT
They are gorgeous and quite endearing to watch, are you gonna set up a live stream Matt for the Starlings? It looks like they are meaning business really pleased to see this for you after the work you put in building them.
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 3, 2022 9:37:52 GMT
They're a nice bird really Karen - a bit annoying around the feeders perhaps, but can't really hold that against them. Don't want to jinx anything, but could try and stream it if they go for it. I've only got the internet bandwidth for one stream at a time though, so we'll have to see how things play out.
|
|
|
Post by karenupnorth on Mar 3, 2022 10:06:56 GMT
Yeah definitely greedy on the feeders, my fat all get demolished!
|
|
|
Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 3, 2022 13:21:38 GMT
Matt, That is a STUNNING picture! These birds don't get enough credit for how lovely they actually are! I am so excited to see this nest unfold if the female picks your box
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 10, 2022 13:02:56 GMT
Well, well, well! After a frantic morning of activity, both starlings and BTs across all three BT boxes, we have material in one of the concrete 3 hole boxes. She didn't persist for too long, perhaps 5 visits in quick succession, after which only the male has returned (quite a few times) and inspected. Perhaps he is wondering why she has stopped? I'm 99% certain this male is Tony (scarface) from last year, pic below. Have had this one on low quality/frame rate to save my PC slowing down, but will up the quality now. Hopefully she resumes soon! It does seem very early tho, but the weather is warm(ish) and the forecast is for more of the same so who knows? Tony inspecting: Lot's of interesting goings on in the starling box today as well, the male managed to get at least two different females in (different beak colourings makes ID quite easy). Both stayed in for a few minutes, so hopefully he is getting closer to finding a bride and they can start to get on with it..
|
|
|
Post by pete11 on Mar 10, 2022 15:55:38 GMT
Great news Matt! Very pleased for you. Hope it all continues.
P.S. Flurry of activity here too this morning in the new box - 6 or more double BT visits with what might be shuffles/wriggles but hard to tell for sure.
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 10, 2022 17:56:11 GMT
Thanks Pete, and good luck with yours. I had a few false starts last year so won't get ahead of myself just yet - also perhaps any nest building might be on the slower side since it is still so early. Tony popped back 3 or 4 times over the afternoon, but she only came back once, and without any new material. Interesting to see how this one develops tomorrow. Starlings also getting much more animated now, today was the liveliest so far in that box with at least two double visits that I saw, and two different females at that.
|
|
|
Post by karenupnorth on Mar 10, 2022 22:45:38 GMT
Good old Tony is it the same box they nested in last year Matt? Its been a lovely warm day here in Yorkshire and the BT pair Judith and Glen have been around most of the day, she has a clean up each day and continue to roost next door to each other
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 10, 2022 22:58:20 GMT
Good old Tony is it the same box they nested in last year Matt? Its been a lovely warm day here in Yorkshire and the BT pair Judith and Glen have been around most of the day, she has a clean up each day and continue to roost next door to each other No, but it is the box the Tony showed the most interest in last year - he was in and out all the time, but just couldn't convince his lady at the time. I'm fairly certain that that first female then went off and nested elsewhere, and it was a different one who ended up using the sideview box. Tony didn't hang about to help her, but he was the dad to her chicks. Fingers crossed she cracks on tomorrow, although it is much earlier than my previous two nests (a full month earlier than the earliest I had before). Forecasts suggest we might get a proper taste of spring over the next week so could be action stations everywhere!
|
|
|
Post by WildlifePaul on Mar 11, 2022 1:46:39 GMT
Very promising indeed Matt! Looks like it could be a busy year for you this year!
|
|
|
Post by sammi on Mar 12, 2022 13:01:21 GMT
Loving the starling in close up. Pleased you are getting lots of interest Matt especially after all that hard work.
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 14, 2022 10:07:48 GMT
Not too much to report here, but thought I'd update anyway. The day after she brought the material in, there weren't many visits at all - it was windy and raining, so no surprise. The next day she came in and cleaned it out completely, and then yesterday she brought a little bit of material in (like two strands of grass) and this morning that has gone out again! Lots of visits and fussing around inside the box. Hopefully decision is made and just waiting a bit before she gets going - we'll see! Pic from this morning - a couple of small bits of material now, but mostly gone: Visits and material of different sorts still going on in the starling box, including now in the afternoon. No real sign of a chosen female yet, but quite a bit of stuff has now accumulated in the box. This is how much material the male (I think exclusively so far) has brought in as of this morning: Let's see what this week brings with more settled and dry weather.
|
|
|
Post by pete11 on Mar 14, 2022 11:48:42 GMT
Looking promising Matt. A lot more promising than my tree & side-view boxes right now: all ominously quiet all of a sudden
|
|
|
Post by matt on Mar 14, 2022 12:16:29 GMT
Looking promising Matt. A lot more promising than my tree & side-view boxes right now: all ominously quiet all of a sudden Still early Pete. I'd say lots of activity followed by a quieter spell is nothing to worry about (yet!).
|
|