I sincerely hope as much as the next birder that this cracker gets refound and I wait in anticipation for that text or call telling me it's still about. That said, it's only right to remember that this bird is a vagrant to us and despite good feeding and company of Common Starlings it's less likely than you might think to stay. Other than some odd birds in winter and perhaps spring, other than Cornwall and Scilly they don't often hang around too much in autumn. Why won't it hang around? For the same reason most autumn rarities don't hang around too much, by and large they've all got somewhere to go!

Now, all it has to do is prove me wrong and pop up again soon. Here's hoping

i had a good couple of hours this afternoon hoping to catch it amongst the large flock.

over 100 starlings on the roof of the main hospital building, but nothing stood out. saw 3 sparrowhawks fly through during that time.

will keep looking over the next few days and txt ian if it does turn up.

i'm wondering if a look at the pilsworth flock might be a good idea? it only 2 minutes flight away...

a search of the wider area on Sat pm produced only 3 Starling

Rob, 100 plus Starlings in the area, and loads of hiding places, like you I believe it is still in GM, and around that area somewhere

Keep birding

Can't believe this has stayed around, they usually do for a while.

Mike many thanks for the photo today of the bird, and the offer of a brew, great garden bird no matter what, lets hope it reappears.

keep birding.

Hi. It did not show today - but we only had a handfull of starlings turn up anyway.

here is the background story - I had a day out locally yesterday and saw fleetingly a green woodpecker, dipper and a kingfisher and was pleased with a good day.

When I got home my wife Pat informed me that she has had a rose coloured juvenile starling in the garden - tells me off for leaving her with a flat battery in her camera but she managed to get a couple of short videos of it, - I have posted a few here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDK66lk0-Lw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_cy4GlEFcE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-u8dnNW4ac


If it returns , I will let you know immediately

Regards

Mike

No sign 13.30-14.30

No sign by 12pm

Great vid Mike

Hi. No sign of it yet - I will keep you posted.

See it here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDK66lk0-Lw

Regards

Mike

Nosign so far this morning, though it is still being searched for.

apologies for the poor quality - couldn't get my mac to see the cam so had to improvise with snapping a pic off the cam screen

http://homepage.mac.com/skiddo/.Pictures/Photo%20Album%20Pictures/rs02sm.jpg



c&p link into your browser

the flock starlings it was today feeding with is regularly in flight on surrounding rooftops, trees and tall poplars on rochdale old road. will be looking from earlish in the morning will let ian know if there is any positive sighting first thing...

cheers

paul.

A juvenile Rose-coloured Starling has been found today by Mike Killelea in Birtle, near Rochdale. The bird has been feeding with a Starling flock (in back gardens) along the B6222 Rochdale Old Road, approximately opposite Holden Avenue (250 yards past Fairfield Hospital). Info thanks to Paul Cliff