[NatureNS] Starlings as aerial insectivores?

References: <20090904173425.JUIZ20080.torspm02.toronto.rmgopenwave.com@TANAGER>
From: Mike McCall <frogmore@xcountry.tv>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 18:30:06 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
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Two events seem to have occurred at the same time.
My most numerous feeder birds, Purple Finches and Goldfinches did a  
complete
bunk on or about Monday and at the same time, swarms of Confusing  
Fall Warblers
have been working through the trees and shrubbery here at Hall's  
Harbour early in the
morning. One non-confusing warbler was a lifer for me, a Cape May,  
busy foraging in
a maple not far from the house. Many Juncos, mostly un-groomed  
juveniles, are busy
below the feeder. But I was scratching my head after watching a male  
Goldfinch offer
food to what I was sure was a mature female. A very tender and  
unexpected sight
at this season.

Mike



On 4-Sep-09, at 2:33 PM, Judy Tufts wrote:

> I saw the same sort of frenzied activity in Windsor last evening  
> (Thurs) near the old Windsor Wear building from Hwy 101, and  
> realized it was ~100 starlings hunting flying insects, and not  
> swallows.
>
> Sadly the  last Ruby- thr. Hummingbird - an imm. male - left here  
> Wed. night but note the Juncos are back foraging around our  
> gardens.  Our family of Pewees are still in full song beginning at  
> 6.00 a.m.. The adult male is followed by echoes from two youngsters  
> - no doubt asll getting ready to leave shortly, and this morning I  
> awoke to hear a Barred Owl also at dawn.
> We have been seeing migration movement of warblers - mostly Blk- 
> thr. Greens and Yellow-rumps, but Vireos and Flickers and Blue Jays  
> also passing through.
>
>
> Cheers,
> Judy Tufts
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>    Judy  Tufts
>     Wolfville
> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
>
>
> From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens- 
> owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Marg Millard
> Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 8:46 AM
> To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
> Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Starlings as aerial insectivores?
>
> Yesterday as we drove from town about 10:30 am, I saw a large flock  
> of birds that at first glance I thought oh! No! the swallows were  
> blown back here via the storms as a number of years ago when I  
> watched many, many die on Summerville Beach.  There was something  
> about the flight pattern and the diving that wasn't as sweeping and  
> elegant as that of the swallows. The birds were doing fine  
> aerobatics. As what they were capturing seemed to disperse so did  
> the birds and a couple landed on the wires just as we were passing  
> the salt sheds at the west connector. They were starlings! I  
> haven't ever noticed that before. have no idea what they were  
> feasting on. Gives me a slightly different view to feeding the  
> hordes now.
> Marg Millard, White Point, Queens
> http://MargMillard.ca
>
> ....................
> Hi,
>
> Twice today I have watched large but loosely-knit flocks of  
> Starlings flying high, and behaving just like Swifts or Swallows -  
> darting about  and certainly looking as if they are catching small  
> aerial insects. I can't say I have specifically noticed that  
> before, but I presume it's a common phenomenon for opportunists.
>
> Richard


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
Two events seem to have occurred at the same time.<div>My most numerous =
feeder birds, Purple Finches and Goldfinches did a =
complete</div><div>bunk on or about Monday and at the same time, swarms =
of Confusing Fall Warblers</div><div>have been working through the trees =
and shrubbery here at Hall's Harbour early in the</div><div>morning. One =
non-confusing warbler was a lifer for me, a Cape May, busy foraging =
in</div><div>a maple not far from the house. Many Juncos, mostly =
un-groomed juveniles, are busy</div><div>below the feeder. But I was =
scratching my head after watching a male Goldfinch offer</div><div>food =
to what I was sure was a mature female. A very tender and unexpected =
sight</div><div>at this =
season.</div><div><br></div><div>Mike</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><=
div><br><div><div>On 4-Sep-09, at 2:33 PM, Judy Tufts wrote:</div><br =
class=3D"Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type=3D"cite"><span =
class=3D"Apple-style-span" style=3D"border-collapse: separate; color: =
rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: =
normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: =
normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: auto; text-indent: =
0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: =
0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; =
-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: =
auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><div dir=3D"ltr" =
align=3D"left"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><span =
class=3D"593591717-04092009">I saw the same sort of frenzied activity in =
Windsor last evening (Thurs)&nbsp;near the old Windsor Wear building =
from Hwy 101, and realized it was ~100 starlings hunting flying insects, =
and&nbsp;not swallows.</span></font></div><div dir=3D"ltr" =
align=3D"left"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><span =
class=3D"593591717-04092009"></span></font>&nbsp;</div><div dir=3D"ltr" =
align=3D"left"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial"><span =
class=3D"593591717-04092009">Sadly the &nbsp;last Ruby- thr. Hummingbird =
- an imm. male - left here Wed. night&nbsp;</span></font><font size=3D"2" =
face=3D"Arial"><span class=3D"593591717-04092009">but note the Juncos =
are back foraging&nbsp;around our gardens.&nbsp;<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span></span></font><span =
class=3D"593591717-04092009"><font size=3D"2" face=3D"Arial">Our family =
of Pewees are&nbsp;still in full song beginning&nbsp;at&nbsp;6.00 a.m.. =
The adult male is followed by echoes from two youngsters - no doubt asll =
getting ready to leave shortly, and this morning I awoke to hear a =
Barred Owl also at dawn.<span =
class=3D"Apple-converted-space">&nbsp;</span><br>We have been seeing =
migration movement of warblers - mostly Blk-thr. Greens and =
Yellow-rumps, but Vireos and Flickers and&nbsp;Blue Jays&nbsp;also =
passing through.</font>&l