At 06:00 today while standing at Point St John, I watched a flock of 32 Starlings leave the mainland.
Climbing, the flock hesitantly made frequent changes of direction, which I interpreted as orientation. Having gained a considerable height, the flock set off on a heading that would have taken them across the St George's Channel to County Wexford.
During the period mid June to mid July for the the years 2005 -13, I have noted the arrival, and disappearance, of Starling flocks (juv and ad) on the Pencarnan headland. Shortly, in this region,Starlings will go unrecorded until the arrival of wintering birds from Europe. Donovan and Rees - Birds of Pembrokeshire - mention flocking Starlings from June onwards, with gatherings on coastal strips, but no reference to migration for the same period.
My observations lead me to ask: Do Starlings that breed in Pembrokeshire (and perhaps birds from outside of the county) winter in Ireland?
One thing for sure: we credit Cuckoos and Swifts as being the first Summer visitors to our county to depart. From where I stood this morning I'm inclined to believe the Starlings go ahead of them.
