19th June 2021
This 1st summer male/female Rose-coloured Starling showed well on the south slopes of the Garrison just below the Woolpack accommodation
This morning, George Kershaw contacted me and asked what starling has a white back? He told me that he had it on the center path down to the Woolpack Battery and shortly afterwards, I had relocated it with a small flock of Starling in the gorse on the south slope just below the Woolpack accommodation. It showed very well and then I had to return back to work. Later on in the afternoon, I looked out of the window to see 4 Starling only a few meters away on the deck. I wanted to attract that pink stinker into the garden and opened the window to throw out some scraps. Like two weeks ago, big mistake! Up got 5 Starling and a Rose-coloured Starling! But this was clearly not the dull 1st summer or female individual I had earlier. Immediately I could see that this was an adult as I observed it fly off into the pine belt with now over 50 Starling. But could I find it in the pines? I had to get to the airport and later on after finishing work, I kicked the paddocks nearby where I had over 100 Starling but not a pink one in sight.
St Agnes in the distance
Linnet
Stonechat
Also had my first Meadow Brown of the year on the Garrison
‘Billy’ in the horse paddock
In the paddocks, Instead, ‘Billy’ the Iceland Gull was relaxing out in one of the horse paddocks before spending over twenty minutes on the bird table later on. By far the longest time he’s hung around less than a meter from the window. When he made the short hop down on the deck, I quickly filled the table again, trying hard to hopefully get that Rose-coloured Starling back again. It was only some 30 Starling that got the scraps down their necks before dark.
Before spending over twenty minutes on the bird table Got to clean those windows
And then staying in the garden until almost dark
It appears as though the starlings have had a good breeding season with juveniles all over the shop including in the garden, what looks like a juvenile from a second brood (top image)
Reed Warbler at Porth Hellick from a few days ago
The Moorhen were ganging up on this Coot
Israel / Palestine – This Needs To Be Heard
Many of you wanted clarity on the subject of Palestine and the current conflict. This, from Holocaust survivor Dr. Gabor Maté (on my podcast Under The Skin) is the most beautiful and powerful testimony on this subject I’ve ever heard. From someone with deep connections to the history of this situation. #Israel #Palestine
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SCILLYSPIDER 2 