Starling Trail

by Jeff Bevan · Published 15th December 2017 · Updated 17th December 2017

Winter Evening – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 824_2394

Its been a couple weeks since I got down to the Avalon Marshes to watch the starlings return to their overnight roost. During my last visit I saw about 12 birds. This evening I hoped for more.

A lovely evening bathed the Glastonbury Tor in golden evening light as a line of seagulls does a fly by.

Waltons Heath

In recent days the roost had been split, one small flock in Meare Heath and another bigger group using Waltons Heath. So my plan was to go to Waltons Heath and hang out in the Tor View hide waiting for the flocks to arrive.

The view west looked beautiful in the low sun.

Winter Evening – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 824_2404

A marsh harrier flew passed the glow of the sun.

Winter Evening – Ham Wall, Somerset, UK. ID 824_2419

The first group of starlings appeared and flew in front of the sun. Things were looking promising.

Starlings – Waltons Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, Uk. ID 824_2433

Then it went quite, in the distance we could see birds heading off to Shapwick Heath.

Starlings – Waltons Heath, Ham Wall, Somerset, Uk. ID 824_2447

Large groups of starlings flew in from the east, then overhead to disappear into the distance.

Then as the light faded small flocks started to drop into the reeds next to the hide. Soon a steady stream of low flying birds continuously arrived building up the noise in front of the hide. It was getting dark but still stream after stream of birds flew around the hide. One poor starling was caught by a sparrow hawk on the roof of the hide.