This would be the mega lifer for a start in 2019 in Malaysia. News came late and I am not sure what Starling it was until TK who message me it the European Starling aka Common Starling that has landed in Port Klang Selangor. With the confirmation I took time off from my work immediately to tick this vagrant lifer to Malaysia. Reaching the port there were many birders there already. You just shoot it from the car. So a beanbag or improvised pillow will do as the can come close to 30-50 ft of your car. If a birder embark and set up their tripod they then keep away.
There was only a single juvenile/first winter bird following several Rosy Starlings. The latter are also uncommon Starling to see in Peninsula.
Apparently it is a "lapsup" bird in Europe which you can see in the thousands murmuring across open and suburbs country land. Based on my Field Guide they do land in South East Asia countries of Northern part of Thailand until Myammar & Tonkin side but never down to Peninsula. My only suspect is the recent monsoon storm "Baduk" that had brought it to our shore. So guys this is first record for Peninsula and you should not miss this once a life time sighting!
There was a single non-breeding Common Starling amongst Rosy Starlings which it follow around. This vagrant is most likely a native of northern hemisphere namely Eurasia and is found throughout Europe, northern Africa (from Morocco to Egypt), India (mainly in the north but regularly extending further south and extending into the Maldives) Nepal, the Middle East including Syria, Iran, and Iraq and north-western China. Until somebody tag it and see where it is land on its return trip then only we will now.
Wiki extract: The common starling is a highly gregarious species, especially in autumn and winter. Although flock size is highly variable, huge, noisy flocks - murmurations - may form near roosts. These dense concentrations of birds are thought to be a defence against attacks by birds of prey such as peregrine falcons or Eurasian sparrowhawks. Flocks form a tight sphere-like formation in flight, frequently expanding and contracting and changing shape, seemingly without any sort of leader. Each common starling changes its course and speed as a result of the movement of its closest neighbours.
Very large roosts, exceptionally up to 1.5 million birds, can form in city centres, woodlands or reedbeds, causing problems with their droppings. These may accumulate up to 30 cm (12 in) deep, killing trees by their concentration of chemicals. In smaller amounts, the droppings act as a fertiliser, and therefore woodland managers may try to move roosts from one area of a wood to another to benefit from the soil enhancement and avoid large toxic deposits.
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| Photo shoot with Coolpix P1000 Tv1/160 post edited. |
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