Starling Murmurations / Westhay Heath

Starling Trail

by Jeff Bevan · Published 19th January 2018 · Updated 20th January 2018

Westhay Heath – Somerset, UK. id 824_6815

From one end to the other, during the last week the starling roost has moved from the wilderness in the east over to Canada Farm and Westhay Heath in the far west.

Canada Farm

The area is part of the Natural England’s Shapwick Heath nature reserve on the Somerset Levels. A mix of woodland, and reedbeds with a series of open water ponds.

Canada Farm – Shapwick Heath, Somerset, UK. ID 824_6866

From the bridge near the Avalon Centre we walked up the track that runs west between Canada Farm to the south and Westhay Heath to the north. We expected the birds to roost in Canada Farm so we used the time to check for gaps between the trees where we hoped to get views of the starlings.

Canada Farm – Shapwick Heath, Somerset, UK. ID 824_6922

Large flocks of starlings started to fly in over Canada Farm.

Starling Murmuration – Canada Farm, Somerset, UK. ID 824_6931

However, they ignored Canada Farm and circled around to the north over Westhay Heath.

Westhay Heath

This is an area of wet fields, small patches of woodland and reedbeds but little open water.

Starling Murmuration – Westhay Heath, Somerset, UK. id 824_7146

The starlings gathered behind a group of cattle grazing the fields of the heath.

Starling Murmuration – Westhay Heath, Somerset, UK. id 824_7156

Starling Murmuration – Westhay Heath, Somerset, UK. id 824_7100

Huge numbers arrived and started to descend in to the reeds. The cows were more interested in the people taking pictures than the million or so starlings behind them.

Starling Murmuration – Westhay Heath, Somerset, UK. id 824_7259

Smaller groups arrived even when it getting pretty dark.

Starling Murmuration – Westhay Heath, Somerset, UK. id 824_7422

And Finally…

The birds dropped into the reeds just on the other side of the canal. This did not seem like to good spot to overnight and it was no surprise when the birds lifted and flew further up into the reeds where there there is more open water surrounding the reeds.