Peterborough Bird Club annual report Starling Sturnus vulgaris | A | Common resident 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
2003	Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter migrant. A widespread and common visitor to most people’s gardens, this species frequently forms flocks after the breeding season in roosts which can be several thousand strong. Such roosts included 3,000 at Eldernell on 29 Sep (RSPB) and 1,600+ at Crown Lakes CP on 14 Oct (SPD), 1,600 on wires over the High Wash on 20 Aug (SPD), 1,200 at Dogsthorpe Star Pit NR on 21 Feb (SPD) and 1,000-1,500 at Orton BP on 16 Sep (KW). No counts from roosts in the gravel pits in the north of the area were received, despite there being known ones at Tallington GP and Baston & Langtoft GP. Breeding was only recorded at Farcet Fen!
2002	Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter migrant. Still relatively few records being submitted for this supposedly widespread, though declining, species. The peak count was of 5,500 at Nene Washes on 19 Nov (RSPB). Other notable counts included 5,000 near Eye on 9 Feb (GRH), 3,000 at Ferry Meadows CP on 25 Oct (MJW), and 2,000+ at Dogsthorpe Tip on 8 Nov (BHS). No breeding records received.
2001	Common resident breeder, passage migrant and winter migrant. As a species which regularly forms sizeable flocks, the following three-figure counts were received: Baston Fen Farm 300 on 18 Feb (GRH); Dogsthorpe 130 on 25 Mar, 250 on 30 Sep and 200 on 2 Dec (DW); Ferry Meadows CP 250 on 19 May (MJW); Toft Golf Course 400 on 2 Jun (DW); Nene Washes 100 on 10 Jun, 500 on 30 Jun and 15 Nov (RSPB); Netherton 470 (three flocks) on 16 Aug (GRH); Boongate 400-500 on 4 Sep (BHS); Prior’s Fen GP 100 on 12 Sep (BHS); Peterborough Power Station 400 on 19 Sep (BHS); Elton: 200 on 28 Sep (BHS); and Dogsthorpe Tip 250 on 15 Oct (BHS).
2000	Common resident and winter visitor. Large counts of this species included 1,100 feeding on the Nene Washes on 13 Feb, 500 at North Bank on 17 Aug, 1,000+ at March Farmers on 28 Sep, 1,000 at Bainton GP in Nov-Dec (CBR), c2,000 on 1 Nov at Stanground Wash and 500 at dusk at Peterborough Town Bridge on 8 Dec.
1999	Common resident and winter visitor. Records of large flocks received from Newborough, Nene Washes, Orton Mere and Market Deeping, the largest being c1,500 at Eldernell on 7 Oct.
1998	Common resident and winter visitor. No reports received from outside the Nene Washes! Nene Washes: Good numbers were attracted onto the washes during the floods; eg. 1,000+ on 18 Jan and 2,300 on 8 Nov. Post-breeding flocks were present in late June and July, with a minimum of 700 at any one time.
	report home | species index | introduction | next species | contributors | contact