[NatureNS] Starlings as aerial insectivores?

From: "Peter Mac Leod" <macleod.grayjay@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 19:10:02 -0300
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Hi Mike I had about 50+ Purple finches and their young amd the same here =
2 days ago they all disapeared. There were lots of War. around yesterday =
but i only found 1 Myrtle today what a difference a day makesz Peter in =
Shelburne . Lots of birds moving overhead at around 9 to 10 at night but =
there weater is so nice no reson for them to stop here.
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Mike McCall <frogmore@xcountry.tv>
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
    Date: Friday, September 04, 2009 6:36 PM
    Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Starlings as aerial insectivores?
   =20
   =20
    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.
   =20
   =20
    Mike
   =20
   =20
   =20
   =20
   =20
   =20
    On 4-Sep-09, at 2:33 PM, Judy Tufts wrote:
   =20
   =20
        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.
        =20
        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.=20
        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.
        =20
        =20
        Cheers,
        Judy Tufts
        =20
        >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
           Judy  Tufts
            Wolfville
        <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
       =20

       =20
       =20
       =20

------------------------------------------------------------------------ =
      =20
        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?
       =20
       =20
        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
        =20
        ....................
        Hi,
       =20
        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.
       =20
        Richard
       =20
   =20


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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3DArial size=3D2>Hi Mike I had about 50+ =
Purple=20
finches and their young amd the same here 2 days ago they all =
disapeared. There=20
were lots of War. around yesterday but i only found 1 Myrtle today what =
a=20
difference a day makesz Peter in Shelburne . Lots of birds moving =
overhead at=20
around 9 to 10 at night but there weater is so nice no reson for them to =
stop=20
here.</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
    <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
    </B>Mike McCall &lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:frogmore@xcountry.tv">frogmore@xcountry.tv</A>&gt;<BR><B>T=
o:=20
    </B><A =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>=20
    &lt;<A=20
    =
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A>&gt;<B=
R><B>Date:=20
    </B>Friday, September 04, 2009 6:36 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: =
[NatureNS]=20
    Starlings as aerial insectivores?<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>Two events =
seem to=20
    have occurred at the same time.
    <DIV>My most numerous feeder birds, Purple Finches and Goldfinches =
did a=20
    complete</DIV>
    <DIV>bunk on or about Monday and at the same time, swarms of =
Confusing Fall=20
    Warblers</DIV>
    <DIV>have been working through the trees and shrubbery here at =
Hall's=20
    Harbour early in the</DIV>
    <DIV>morning. One non-confusing warbler was a lifer for me, a Cape =
May, busy=20
    foraging in</DIV>
    <DIV>a maple not far from the house. Many Juncos, mostly un-groomed=20
    juveniles, are busy</DIV>
    <DIV>below the feeder. But I was scratching my head after watching a =
male=20
    Goldfinch offer</DIV>
    <DIV>food to what I was sure was a mature female. A very tender and=20
    unexpected sight</DIV>
    <DIV>at this season.</DIV>
    <DIV><BR></DIV>
    <DIV>Mike</DIV>
    <DIV><BR></DIV>
    <DIV&