Starlings where have you gone my darlings?

My favourite garden bird has to be the good old Blackbird. How could it not be as they have sung to me so beautifully over the years. I remember well during infant school times in the 1980's lying in bed on light easter and early summer nights listening as a blackbird sang from a telegraph pole or top of a tree. I also remember plenty of Starlings in the gardens and fields. So the news today from the RSPB that Starling numbers have crashed by 70% since those days is not good at all.

It seems this country could have a revolution over tax on pasties and full on fist fights are breaking out at petrol stations for reasons unknown, as a strike isn't even on at the moment. The plight of Starlings it seems is way down the pecking order for most people. However, it really should have been the top news story, people should be waving banners and tieing themselves to the gates of 10 Downing Street!

Being from an old coal mining region most people are familiar with the reason miners used to take canaries down the mines. It was so if they dropped dead the miners knew there was a gas leak and if they didn't get the hell out of there they'd be the next ones to snuff it. The Starling, the bees are all the canaries in the mine, warning us that something is not right. It seems we think every other living thing can drop dead around us and its no great shakes. Well, I reckon in the grand scheme of things it's more important than VAT on sausage rolls!