Ham Wall / Starling Murmurations

Starling Trail

by Jeff Bevan · Published 20th January 2017 · Updated 9th February 2017

Another beautiful cold morning at RSPB Ham Wall watching the starlings leave their roost from the comfort of the Tor View hide.

Classic Tor View

The Tor View hide has been a gem this winter. For more weeks than we had hoped it has been a wonderful location to watch the birds take-off at dawn.

Before the flocks lift the small groups fly around between the reed beds.

Starlings start to move around at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4042

The birds leave in waves emerging from different parts of Walton Heath into the bright blue and gold sky. Each group flies over the hide and around into the west side of the heath.

Starlings leave Waltons Heath at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4057

Starlings leave Waltons Heath at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4133

Starlings leave Waltons Heath at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4167

Loxton Marsh

Loxton Marsh neighbours Walton Heath and most of the birds had roosted there overnight. Huge flocks flew out of the marsh filling the sky.

Starlings leave Waltons Heath at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4313

Starlings leave Waltons Heath at dawn – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4319

A huge flock of starlings leave Loxton Marsh – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 809_4414

And Finally

Many of the starlings that flew over the hide had dropped back down into the reeds on the western side of the heath. Everyone one in the hide had moved over to that side of the hide while I waited to photograph the flocks leave Loxtons. Luckily, I found a gap to grab a couple of images of the birds lifting out of Waltons East.