Starlings grouping in the village now
Least said about todays weather the better with gale force >SW and torrential showers with the wind easing slightly late afternoon.
Nothing seen during the day in the conditions other than Starlings noticably grouping now with feeding flocks of up to 100 around the village. House Sparrows are feeding well and going through tubs of fat balls in the garden and the Sparrowhawk shield around the feeding area seems to be working with no reports of attacks from her indoors.
A quick after tea dash to Ned Hill to view the Causeway Foot col found terrible conditions with a strong SW>6 gusting 7 and short sharp blasting showers. Even then things were moving through with a handful of Swallows >S low down skimming the fields, and a steady flow of LBBs and small gulls heading for Thornton Moor reservoir. 3 Kestrels were up in the wind hovering off the hillside making the best of the wind holding them up without having to put a lot of effort in.
Jackdaws and a mixture of corvids rocketed past >NE on their way to the roost whilst Starling squadrons headed towards Bradford to roost.
Anyone remember the Starling roosts in the late 60s ? I used to walk into Bradford from work to catch the bus home when I was nobbut a lad and the town was heaving with thousands of roosting Starlings up on the buildings keeping warm under the lights. The noise was deafening but an amazing sight to see and one of those memories that stays with you forever.
BS
