Launceston Avenue, Hanham, December 2000: © Rob Laughton.

It was a chilly winter day in Hanham and I was on my way down to see my then girlfriend at her Nan's house on Memorial Rd. On my way there I decided to take a short cut from the high street through some lanes. Just before the last turning out of the lane onto Launceston Avenue I saw a Large flock of Sparrows in a hawthorn, and as they were getting more and more scarce in Hanham I thought it would be good to count them. In doing this I saw some more sparrows were tucked up down further in the hedge. So I walked to the edge of one of the gardens fence to count them, as I did this a flock of 10 or so Starling flew up from the next doors garden.

Immediately I saw a pink breast on one of them! Straight away I thought ROSE-COLOURED STARLING!! The bird then alighted in the hedge with the sparrows and other Starlings. As I was trying to get my breath back, I decided to get a better look of the bird before releasing the news to check it was not a hybrid or some weird albino bird. So I knocked on the door of the house who's garden it was in and asked if I could enter the garden briefly to check it out. No problem the Women said. As I went down the Garden I could see the bird still there preening it was 100% a Rose-coloured Starling in Hanham of all places!

I left the bird to run to my house and release the news and grab my camcorder, when I got back to my relief the bird was still there in the hedge. After filming it, the bird flew over towards Launceston Ave. This was to be the birds favourite haunt over the next month or so. During its stay the bird also visited nearby Gardens in Monkton Rd./ Memorial Rd. area often singing on the chimney tops with its spotted cousins, but also stayed faithful to the feeders in the lane where I found it. It was also famous on the local TV news.

On one memorable occasion I remember seeing it in the heavy snow! That sight I will probably never see again in my life time! especially in Hanham!

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the residents in the area for there kind hospitality over the birds stay, and for feeding it! Without there patients and kindness many birdwatchers might not have seen this beautiful bird.

It was present in this small area from the 8th December 2000 until at least January 26th 2001.

Rob Laughton - December 2000.