Starling Trail

Not every visit to the watch the starling murmurations at Ham Wall  is accompanied by a golden sunset or blood red sky in the morning.  Not unsurprisingly sometimes the weather is poor.  Today was a classic British dull grey.  It was one of those winter days when it is impossible to tell where the sun is.  As the evening turned into night a thick mist dropped and the starlings roosting in the reeds could barely be seen.

The first group of starlings arrive over Waltons West.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_5748

The size of each successive group got bigger and bigger.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_5759

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_5788

The birds dropped into the reeds of Waltons West.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_5869

As the mist settled the birds begin to lift out of the reed bed and fly over the Tor View hide path into Waltons East.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_6060

The ducks had the best view.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_6084

A continuous fast flowing stream of birds arrives through the mist into Waltons East.

Starlings at Dawn on Waltons Heath – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 808_5967