Clashnessie Starlings disrupt mail
If your mail is late don’t blame the postie!
The post box at Clashnessie has once again been appropriated by a pair of Starlings, (Sturnus vulgaris), as a nest box.
We caught up with them on 6th May 2022 between rain showers and watched as both male and female birds constantly brought food for their demanding youngsters inside. They seemed to be favouring leatherjackets, the larvae of Crane flies as the main food item.
Of course, what goes in must come out again, after processing. Several times the adult birds flew in with food then came out a few seconds later with a faecal sack in their mouths.
The birds would then fly off with the faecal sack and drop it a good distance from the nest. This stops the nest getting too fouled, keeps parasite numbers down and doesn’t attract the attention of predators.
It was a very enjoyable half-hour spent watching them from a suitable distance. They are so dedicated, hard working, and for ‘just’ Starlings really stunning birds.
David Haines
(words and photographs)