Rosy Starling in Cheshire.

I've often wondered why Cheshire doesn't seem to get many records of Rosy (also known asRose-coloured)Starling when they're almost annual in N Wales and Anglesey. Even Shetland and the Scilly's get more than their fair share of this irruptive species. From memory there have been less than 3-4 records and most have been in private gardens with news released after the birds had gone.

They breed in eastern Europe and irrupt across western Europe in response to food shortages. Since the middle of May there have been reports of flocks reaching Italy & southern France and in the last week or so individuals have been reaching the UK in small numbers.

Most of the birds I've seen are autumn juveniles and I can count on one hand the numbers of adults seen. One of the best was an adult male feeding on bird feeders in a front garden in Rhos-on-sea, N Wales. See here

Most Cheshire birders haven't seen one in the county and expectations were high that this could be our year. I fully expected the first one to be on the Wirral as Hoylake has good numbers and Rosy Starlings tend to get found in with flocks of Common Starlings.

Starlings of any persuasion are scarce near me apart from a few flocks in the winter. However, Sean O'Hara decided to go to Frodsham Marsh specifically to Frodsham Marsh to check out the large Starling Flock that had been recently building up and feeding around the Marsh Farm area and struck rose coloured gold with an adult Rosy Starling yesterday afternoon.

Mark tried ringing me with the news late afternoon but I was stuck under a 44 year old Landrover fitting a new speedo cable and trying to bleed the clutch so didn't get the call. The first I knew was when I'd finished making a mess of the towels in the utility room after wiping my oily hands and checked the phone.......

With thoughts of a mug of tea gone I quickly grabbed the camera and set off for the 20 minute drive to Frodsham. Malc was already watching the bird as it rested on the roof of a barn with the rest of the flock. Although distant it was easy enough to pick out and we watched the flock fly around a few times and settle on the roof before they all flew off and landed in pasture on the other side of the ship canal to feed. With the promise I'd only be gone an hour I left and got home just in time for dinner!

Anyway, a few record shots! Spot the pink blob.

 Photo below taken courtesy of @frodshambirder through his scope!