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Rossendale Birds Forum -> Rossendale Bird Sightings -> Top O'Th Slate - Tues May 15th 2007
Post Info TOPIC: Top O'Th Slate - Tues May 15th 2007
Birderbryan


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Top O'Th Slate - Tues May 15th 2007
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Much about the same, yet with 3 singing Whitethroats and about 5 singing Willow Warblers.

Interesting to watch are the Starlings which are coming from the town in droves, backwards and forwards all day long.  They come here and catch the St. Mark's Fly (Bibio marci) which are a very strange large black fly which fly with their legs dangling beneath them (see photo below - could only get this photo of the actual flies whilst on the ground mating).  The Starlings are seen all over the place doing this sort of flycatcher hovering.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v379/deejaybeejay/Beebie/StMarksFly150507.jpg

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JimOrmerod


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Good photo, Bryan. I'd never noticed before that the head sizes of the two sexes is quite different.

-- Edited by JimOrmerod at 19:26, 2007-05-15

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Jim Ormerod
Birderbryan


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RE: Top O'Th Slate - Wed May 16th 2007
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Hi Jim,
Yes that struck me too, they seem to have a totally different shaped head features.  Also I believe its only the male that flies with its legs dangling.  I was hoping to witness this today checking out the females flight pattern, but none present at Slate today possibly because of heavier rain, although the Starlings where still coming from the Town and flying over Slate into the fields beyond at Laund/Duckworth Clough, getting some sort of insects, and you could see their bills packed full of insects has they flew past quite close at times. I will keep my eye on this over the next few days.
With regards the birds at Slate - Willow Warblers: 4 singing and Whitethroat: 1 singing. 

Cheers,
Bryan.

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