Shining stars

Starling in galway

The dawn chorus is in full swing in our back garden, and while sparrows and the occasional robin make the odd contribution, it is a flock of starlings that are the chief noisemakers. They made their nests in roof gaps and under the guttering of the houses in the street, and now, with their brood reared, the adults spend most days teaching their newly flying young how to stay alive for another day. All of this is communicated in a non-stop cacophony that constitutes normal discourse for starlings. It takes a toll – there is no sign of the sparrowhawk that hunted them last year, but the local cats are cutting a swathe through the fledglings, just as they do every year.

You can hear starling song in this link, and this link & song is for all the birds, sorry, ladies of the world.