Hello to you all and hope you have had a good Festive Period and your New Year Celebrations go well.

2021 has been an up and down type of year again hasn't it? 
Here at 'Starlings In The UK HQ' is has been no different and I haven't been completely on top of everything where the website and map has been concerned, so apologies for that.
As with a lot of people during the various lockdowns etc, I kind of 'lost my way' and have had to give myself a little 'nudge' up the behind regularly to keep everything flowing.
This is down to a few things including a new job role and also the fact that I do not have a good roost site near me that I can go and chill out near......
Anyways, as always a MASSIVE THANK YOU to those of you that have joined our Facebook group, 'liked' our Facebook Page, Submitted Info for our Murmuration Map..... It really does astound me how the group & website etc has grown!! 
At one point the website went in to the Top 25 of the website 'The Top 1000 Birding Websites!!' MAD!! 

Well, regarding the map, I hope to have a 'Spring Clean' of the locations once the season is over. 
Any locations that we have not had any reports for 3 years will be removed and any data will be stored for future reports. 
We may turn those areas to a different icon, or may remove them completely. What are your thoughts?
The map is fast approaching 1million views..... just BONKERS!!!!!!!

Behind the scenes I am working on a Forum as there are quite a few people that do not do facebook, sometimes I really do not blame them.! 
This forum will be split in to areas and locations and will also incorporate a section for 'the rest of the world' too.
I hope to have the forum running before the end of the current season! 

I am also working on a Subscription Newsletter service too and then from the 2022/23 season I shall put out detailed Newsletters, possibly once a month, if not more.....

Right, well, that is about it for now. 
We hope you have a great New Year and fingers crossed 2022 and beyond is good to you all

Best Wishes

​Glenn and Sarah

A Quick update regarding our Facebook Group & the Murmuration Map. 

Sarah and I sat down after the Lockdown Announcement last night and have come up with a couple of decisions regarding Murmurations and Roost sites.
Firstly the Facebook Group is going to stay on Post Approval for the remainder of the season. With Lockdown until at least mid February we feel this is the best option.
Also to not encourage people to travel we shall no longer be allowing any more posts from this season. Please keep footage and photos until the season is over and lockdown restrictions have been relaxed. 
We are therefore asking people to only submit photos etc from previous years as a Lockdown Look Back.
Within this we will not be allowing and RSPB reserves though to keep those out of the limelight this season. 

THE MURMURATION MAP.... 
From this point forward we will not update the locations with any updated information. This is to try to reduce the risk of people looking at recent information and travelling outside of their local area against the Lockdown rules.
We understand that the majority of people will understand why we are doing this and also that it is the minority that would flout rules to travel distances to see Starlings etc, so if we can help that in any way, we hope by taking these steps, it will stop them.
This has been a difficult decision to make as we enjoy seeing all the information come in and all the footage that gets posted. We are though asking for you to continue sending your information to us so we can keep it in our database to add to the location information once the season is over.

Again, we hope that you understand our reasoning behind this

Please Stay Safe,

All the best for now

​Glenn & Sarah.