Starlings love suet - if you stop putting out suet-based feed for a little while and put fruit and grains out for the other birds I think the starlings will head off and look elsewhere, but while you keep offering them their favourite meal why should they leave? In your area they're likely to join a flock which will roost in reedbeds for warmth as the weather gets colder - in fact after yesterday it may be happening
We'll be heading for Kesteven South for Christmas - family there are plagued by jackdaws - But it's the area where I see more Song thrushes than anywhere else
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Starlings don't migrate, but like other resident birds they do move about from one habitat to another at different times of year. In your area they're likely to join a flock which will roost in reedbeds for warmth as the weather gets colder - in fact after yesterday it may be happening, but starlings love suet so while you keep offering them their favourite meal why should they leave? - if you stop putting out suet-based feed for a little while and put fruit and grains out for the other birds I think the starlings will head off and look elsewhere,
We'll be heading for Kesteven South for Christmas - family there are plagued by jackdaws - But it's the area where I see more Song thrushes than anywhere else
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I sympathise with those of you who have hoards of starlings to contend with, we love to have the small flock that visit our garden. Their antics are very amusing and yes they do eat a lot but we have had very few other birds in this winter (except for the pigeons) which is most unusual. One of our starlings has taken to landing on the back of a pigeon when he is feeding from the suet block. The pigeon takes no notice!!
Well yes some migrate to the UK for our milder winters and then leave to travel to north and east Europe to breed, what I should have explained is that the ones that breed here do not leave but do move about within the UK, generally speaking. They do not fly south for the winter.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks everyone. It sounds like I was just lucky that they all sodded off last winter then Today I counted 70 starlings in the garden. It has got to stop and as Dove says, I have got to keep putting the suet out, as it is insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. So.... before I stop feeding the poor old blackbirds too, anyone know of a food that blackbirds like and which starlings hate? I think that the robins and dunnocks will eat the sunflower seed from the feeders so they should be OK and the tits can eat out of the suet ball feeders which I have already 'de-starling-ised' earlier this year. Any ideas gratefully received....
Hi Lunarz - I rarely see the starlings eating the apples or pears I put out. I'm sure they would if they were starving, but the blackbirds usually get fruit all to themselves. Good luck! Caz
I find that blackbirds are much happier with fruit and oats on the ground. I get damaged apples from the farm shop and chop them up, I also buy raisins and sultanas when they're on BOGOF or similar, and then either porridge oats or an oat-based ground feed - we had over two dozen blackbirds in our garden at one time on a snowy day last winter
Why not spread some suet elsewhere nearby for a few days (a wide roadside verge or some agricultural land or common land etc) and get the starlings used to looking elsewhere? Just an idea
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Good idea Dove - I'll sneak into the field under the tree that they sit on and put down some suet - yet another mad behaviour these starlings have brought out in me! The neighbours must think that I am mad....
Posts
Starlings love suet - if you stop putting out suet-based feed for a little while and put fruit and grains out for the other birds I think the starlings will head off and look elsewhere, but while you keep offering them their favourite meal why should they leave? In your area they're likely to join a flock which will roost in reedbeds for warmth as the weather gets colder - in fact after yesterday it may be happening
We'll be heading for Kesteven South for Christmas - family there are plagued by jackdaws - But it's the area where I see more Song thrushes than anywhere else
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Starlings don't migrate, but like other resident birds they do move about from one habitat to another at different times of year. In your area they're likely to join a flock which will roost in reedbeds for warmth as the weather gets colder - in fact after yesterday it may be happening, but starlings love suet so while you keep offering them their favourite meal why should they leave? - if you stop putting out suet-based feed for a little while and put fruit and grains out for the other birds I think the starlings will head off and look elsewhere,
We'll be heading for Kesteven South for Christmas - family there are plagued by jackdaws - But it's the area where I see more Song thrushes than anywhere else
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I sympathise with those of you who have hoards of starlings to contend with, we love to have the small flock that visit our garden. Their antics are very amusing and yes they do eat a lot but we have had very few other birds in this winter (except for the pigeons) which is most unusual. One of our starlings has taken to landing on the back of a pigeon when he is feeding from the suet block. The pigeon takes no notice!!
I have just read 2 articles on web that say they do migrate.
They arrive in our area in october and then congregate by the millions to go in the spring.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thanks everyone. It sounds like I was just lucky that they all sodded off last winter then
Today I counted 70 starlings in the garden. It has got to stop and as Dove says, I have got to keep putting the suet out, as it is insanity to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome. So.... before I stop feeding the poor old blackbirds too, anyone know of a food that blackbirds like and which starlings hate? I think that the robins and dunnocks will eat the sunflower seed from the feeders so they should be OK and the tits can eat out of the suet ball feeders which I have already 'de-starling-ised' earlier this year. Any ideas gratefully received....
Hi Lunarz - I rarely see the starlings eating the apples or pears I put out. I'm sure they would if they were starving, but the blackbirds usually get fruit all to themselves. Good luck!
Caz
I find that blackbirds are much happier with fruit and oats on the ground. I get damaged apples from the farm shop and chop them up, I also buy raisins and sultanas when they're on BOGOF or similar, and then either porridge oats or an oat-based ground feed - we had over two dozen blackbirds in our garden at one time on a snowy day last winter
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Good idea Dove - I'll sneak into the field under the tree that they sit on and put down some suet - yet another mad behaviour these starlings have brought out in me! The neighbours must think that I am mad....
Put out a slighty shrivelled plum today for first time - blackbird delighted / starlings not impressed.