Starling Trail

For the first time this season I managed to dodge the bad weather and DIY and visit Ham Wall to see the Starling Display. I forgot my phone so instead of ringing the RSPB hotline I checked the Natural England’s update in their window at the Avalon Centre. Luckily, I had plenty of time to drive around to Ham Wall.

I waited for around half an hour and was rewarded with a sky full of starlings arriving from the south. These flew passed in front of Glastonbury Tor – a classic photo opportunity.

They arrived in two huge flocks which flew over the Ham Wall reserve heading straight for a group of trees on the Old Stileway Farm.

Then after a very brief couple of minutes the birds were up again heading for the reed bed.

I had been watching the mist form over the reserve as the temperature dropped during the evening. The birds seemed to be timing their roost to just before the mist became too thick.

They settled in a few groups amongst the reed beds. After ten minutes the smaller groups lifted and a crossed the reserve to join the main flock under a thick white blanket.