Starling Trail

Tor View Hide – Waltons Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6755

Recently the Tor View hide (above) has been a great spot from which to watch the starlings arrive at RSPB Ham Wall for their evening roost.  However, the birds had been moving to the right and it was getting harder to see the birds drop into the reed bed.  So today I decided to wait on the main path.

The first group to arrive created some great shapes in the sky.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6788

Soon a large flock arrived from the neighbouring fields.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6824

The birds start to rain down from the bottom of the flock.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6849

Soon thousands of birds were pouring in the reeds.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6892

Wave after wave of birds arrived, taking it in turns to drop into the reeds.  The starlings crushed the reeds flat turning them black.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6977

After a few minutes the bed was full and the birds on the edges began to lift and fly over the hide to the other side of the heath.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_6998

Once again thousands of birds were back in the air – flying in all directions.

Starling Murmuration – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB1_7008