Folk startled by starlings in Bushmills

For people returning to their cars are finding they are having to cope with the ‘calling cards’ of starlings which have gained entry to a nearby property.

Council Vice-Chairperson, Cllr Robert McIlroy (DUP), said “thousands” of starlings have gained entry to a property through a window and their presence is creating problems for local people.

He said the birds are leaving “such a mess” in the car park.

The councillor told a meeting of Moyle Council a woman was carrying a child to a car and when she put her hand on the door handle what she touched as a result of the birds being overhead was “unbelievable”

Cllr Willie Graham (Ulster Unionist) wondered if the house could be boarded up but Sinn Fein councillor Oliver McMullan said it would probably turn out the starlings have more rights than people.

The RSPB says: “Starlings are gregarious and often flock. The flock size varies during the year, being smallest during the breeding season, and largest in winter when numbers are augmented by migrants from the north. The flock permits more efficient feeding, since each bird can afford to be less vigilant. The greater vigilance of the flock gives each member a greater protection from predators - there is safety in numbers.

“During the breeding season pairs sometimes feed by themselves, sometimes in a flock with others from their colony. While feeding chicks, flocks gather to feed wherever there is a plentiful supply of grassland invertebrates. Birds commute between their nest and the feeding flock.

“Once juveniles become independent, they gather into noisy flocks that can number several hundred. These disperse to places where inexperienced youngsters can easily feed, such as orchards and parks.

“During the winter, starlings live in flocks throughout the day, travelling between feeding sites. They have spare time for preening and loafing, usually close to the feeding areas at noisy gatherings called daytime roosts. Day roosts are normally at exposed places such as tops of trees, where the birds have a good all-round visibility.

“Starlings feed up to 20 miles from their winter roost, but return each evening. In late afternoon feeding flocks coalesce into progressively larger flocks as they move towards the roost. Large pre-roost assemblages form in places where the birds can get one last meal before nightfall. At dusk birds from these assemblies fly, often in a swirling cloud-like formation, to the roost.

“Woods are the commonest roost sites, but reedbeds, cliffs, buildings and industrial structures are used. Protection from weather and predators are important criteria in the choice of a roost. A large roost can contain hundreds of thousands of birds.

“Once inside the roost, starlings take their time to settle and are quite vocal. Noise levels increase again towards dawn, and the birds leave in waves. These flocks can be detected on radar, which allows detailed monitoring of the movements of the birds,” said the RSPB.

Meanwhile, the Council is to seek legal opinion on ways of advancing the issue of another property in the centre of Bushmills which has been described as an “eyesore”.

Independent councillor Price McConaghy said the building is “one of the biggest eyesores in the whole of Northern Ireland”.