Author Topic: A chattering of Starlings - (Read 6691 times)

tim · « **on:** June 21, 2007, 18:24:07 »

- but a heap of potatoes?

asbean · « **Reply #1 on:** June 21, 2007, 18:43:44 »

I thought it was a murmuration of starlings ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???
BTW the spuds are great. I hope they're as healthy underneath as they are on top :) :) :) :) :) :)

debster · « **Reply #2 on:** June 21, 2007, 18:47:20 »

ooh tim are you opening a branch of spud u like cos if yes ill have mine with cheese and beans please but no butter thanks

tim · « **Reply #3 on:** June 21, 2007, 19:05:36 »

Oh, BE difficult, Beano!

quote - "I looked up the collective noun for starling, it seems that they have quite a few different collective nouns.
Some have arisen due to their noisy habits: a murmuration, a chatter, a chattering. Some are due to their mess and pest nature: a scourge, a vulgarity, a filth, a clutter and some are due to their flight patterns: a flight, a constellation, a cloud ."

Any advance??

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #4 on:** June 21, 2007, 20:11:19 »

A clamp of potatoes?

cornykev · « **Reply #5 on:** June 21, 2007, 20:16:17 »

A bag of chips. ;D ;D ;D

froglets · « **Reply #6 on:** June 21, 2007, 20:19:59 »

A howk of tatties

( lifting the potatos in the fields of East Lothian is known as tattie howkin)

.... and anyone who has read any of my previous posts on the birds nesting in the terrace roofs will know....

A pissmeoff of starlings

asbean · « **Reply #7 on:** June 21, 2007, 21:28:31 »

Mind you, I haven't seen too many starlings in recent times. Now magpies - there should be a collective word for them - no, maybe not, it wouldn't get past the censor. a ****** of magpies.

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #8 on:** June 21, 2007, 22:51:40 »

Numbers have gone down quite drastically; I suspect it's got something to do with the fact that buildings in city centres are now netted to keep birds off. in the past, millions have roosted in city centres in winter, and gone out into the surrounding countyside during the day. You don't see those massive flocks now.

Raisedbed · « **Reply #9 on:** June 22, 2007, 00:09:11 »

That's cos we've got 'em. They bully and steal from the smaller birds, throw bird seed from the feeders all over the place in their greed, fight with each other and then sit on the fence wiping their beaks clean. It like the film 'The Birds'.

tim · « **Reply #10 on:** June 22, 2007, 06:31:08 »

I should have said a bump of potatoes.

budgiebreeder · « **Reply #11 on:** June 22, 2007, 06:33:21 »

We have our share in West Yorkshire also Raisedbed and they also are bullies.

cleo · « **Reply #12 on:** June 22, 2007, 13:13:48 »

Plenty of starlings here. My favourite collective noun comes from Tony Cozier-a white West Indian cricket commentator-"an annoyance of small boys"

Robert_Brenchley · « **Reply #13 on:** June 22, 2007, 20:16:01 »

i had a mayhem of Year 8's this afternoon.

tim · « **Reply #14 on:** June 22, 2007, 20:51:52 »

Like that, Stephan!

kenkew · « **Reply #15 on:** June 22, 2007, 21:19:27 »

It's a Chattering of Chuffs so I'm told and a chattering/clutter of Starlings...but all such collective nouns depend on locality...I have heard of a blessing of Unicorns, a Deck of Sailors, a Calendar of Saints, a Groan of Puns, a Breeze of Heather and a Vulgarity of Squaddies.
All probably made-up but still 'acceptable'.
(I just thought of one...a Plank of Trees!)

Melbourne12 · « **Reply #16 on:** June 22, 2007, 22:02:46 »

I don't know many collective nouns. A wunch of bankers, I believe, though.

Froglegs · « **Reply #17 on:** June 23, 2007, 00:00:01 »

:o ;D ;D ;D

OllieC · « **Reply #18 on:** June 23, 2007, 09:50:15 »

I think it should be an argument of gardeners...

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Author Topic: A chattering of Starlings - (Read 6691 times)