Starling Trail

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9856

It has been an amazing start to the starling season at RSPB Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels.  Not only have the number of birds easily reached half a million. They have been roosting in a series of perfect locations for visitors.

If you have not come down to see the murmuration before, you may not realise how good things have been.  The birds could roost anywhere across the miles of marsh across several nature reserves.  But have chosen easy to access roost in huge numbers.

Combine the ease of seeing the birds with some wonderful skies and you have the perfect mix.

Marsh Harrier – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9050

I had been watching this marsh harrier for about an hour.  Sadly it did not come very close.  But it was great to watch.

As it got dark a few starlings arrived.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9252

Soon a series of huge flocks flew in.

Unfortunately, I was not in the best position to see the birds so I moved across to the nearby hide screen.  This had got a bit overgrown, but through a gap in the leaves I could photograph the birds close up.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9359

A bonus view of Glastonbury Tor surrounded by the starlings.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9547

All the birds targeted the same spot. So it was not long before they began to spread out across the reed beds.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_9772

Once the bed was full, groups of starlings lifted out of the reeds into the sky and poured across the dark sky to find more space.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0228

Once again I had to quickly move to another spot, this time all the way to the other side of the heath.  It was worth it to get the best views.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0122

Long narrow streams of starlings continued to flow, but gradually the number of birds making the leap dropped.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0469

And finally…

Even in a near pitch black sky small groups of starlings took to the air and made the jump back to their old roost site.

Starling Murmuration – Walton Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID JB_0643

They kept streaming passed even in the dark, long after most visitors had left.