Starling Trail

It is often said that a visit to the Starlings in the morning is just as good as in the evening.  I’m not sure if this a true.  They are so different – how do you compare?  In the evening there is a chance the birds will put on a display across the sky.  In the morning the birds lift in dramatic waves often keeping low as the disappear.

In the evening there is time to ask and explore before choosing your spot.  In the morning you need to know where the birds roosted the night before.  In the evening the sunsets can be brilliant in the morning the dawn skies can be deep red.  In the evening it can be cold, in the morning it is often freezing.

This Morning

The night before the birds had roosted in the Waltons at Ham Wall, so very early this morning I headed out to the Tor View Hide. Soon I was joined by a couple of other photographers.  We were given a display full of drama as the birds took-off only a few metres from the hide.

Wave One

The roost site is black with birds, the reeds flattened under their weight.  The first wave of birds fly keeping low to the water.

Starling Roost - Ham Wall

A small group is first to go

Wave Two

The birds are unsettled, in the chaos birds ditch into the cold water.  They gather from the surrounding reeds before taking-off in turn from an agreed spot.

Starling Roost - Ham Wall

The roost is unsettled as some birds ditch in the water

The next wave takes to the sky

The next wave takes to the sky

Wave Three

In front of the hide a plume of birds lift together.  The sky is immediately full of noise and wind as the plume explodes.

Starling Roost - Ham Wall

A huge plume of birds explodes…

Starling Roost - Ham Wall

…to fill the sky.

Wave Four

The last wave leaves the roost keeping low to the water and flying directly over the hide only a few feet away.  After this wave the reedbed is silent.

The last wave to leave

The last wave leaves and Ham Wall goes quiet

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