Nature Notes

Brin Best

Wharfedale Naturalists’ Society

www.wharfedale-nats.org.uk

THERE is a small area within central Leeds, no larger than a square mile in size, where a new sub-species of bird seems to be evolving.

As you enter this special zone, the first thing you notice is how loud the vocalizations of the bird in question are. Because all around you - from the trees, ledges and roof tops of what I now call the ‘avian quarter’ - exceptionally tame starlings are singing, sometimes quite literally in your ear.

The area where this phenomenon is occurring is centred on Leeds market and the streets that surround it. My attention was first drawn to the tameness of the starlings here a few years ago when a group of these sociable birds scurried around at my feet to scoop up some chips that a child had spilled from their takeaway lunch.

Everywhere I looked in the market starlings seemed completely oblivious to the humans in their midst - sometimes sitting a few centimetres away from seated or standing people as if they were statues.

When it started to rain many birds lined themselves up on the metal struts under the canopies of the outdoor stalls and sang their hearts out. I had my closest ever views of their beautiful iridescent feathers as they sang within touching distance of me for extended periods.

Close to home, many Otley residents have made friends with an exceptionally tame carrion crow that has taken up residence in the town centre.

The crow, which appears to be in good health and can fly and walk around normally, has been nicknamed ‘Colin’ by many locals - and ‘Russell’ by one middle-aged lady!

Colin spends much of his time on the window ledges, pavements and roof tops just off Bondgate, around the Bowling Green pub.

When I first encountered Colin a few weeks ago I couldn’t believe how tame he was as he peered at me at eye level from a ledge. I could simply walk right up to the creature and gently stroke his back, as if he were a pet parrot.

Crows are notoriously clever birds and Otley’s resident corvid seems to have learnt that if he is friendly to locals, they repay his friendliness with food treats.

As I watched Colin posing for close-up photos, he suddenly turned round, peered into the pub and pecked loudly on the window several times.

Promptly, a regular emerged from inside with a packet of shortbread biscuits which she fed by hand to the grateful bird. It was feeding time for Colin the crow.