There are nesting starlings in the house next door to me, I can hear the chicks as the adults fly out of a gap in the soffits. Question 1. Is this normal? Question 2. Are they early or late?
Q1) No this is not the norm. Q2) In the true sense neither, as this time of year is slap bang in the middle of the "normal" breeding season.
Obviously with these answers in mind I would perhaps check to see if they are roosting and not nesting. Starlings are very noisy even at roost so noise when flying in and out is not unusual.
To see if they are nesting food would be constantly being brought in, and I mean constantly. If they are seen only early morn and late afternoon in the nest/roost site then I would think it a roost site.
Saying that anything in the bird world is not impossible.
-- Edited by Ste Rush at 18:46, 2007-11-20
-- Edited by Ste Rush at 18:47, 2007-11-20
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Thanks for the reply, I will let you know the result in a few days time....I have only seen two birds at the entrance and the sound from the site indicates recently hatched chicks as the sounds they make are quite weak. I would have expected them to be fed on leatherjackets but I don't think they are available at the moment, the birds also come and go all day.
I think you are correct with this being a day roost, the sound of chicks may well be adults in the roost and the sounds muffled by possibly roof insulation. None of the birds leaving have been carrying droppings as would be the case normally.
