A Murmuration of Starlings (at Stoney Middleton)

[belboid]

104,000 (dont ask me how they counted - I only got up to 12) starlings gather at dusk to find places to sleep and a final snack before bed. And just swoop astoundingly for the next half an hour or so. Quite a sight, that really isn't well represented in my photo's, but it's well well, worth going to see if you can. Even better as it's just where the marvellously naked Moisty Lane joins onto the equally good Thunderpit Lane. the only down side is you might well get somewhat covered in bird shit.

 

[DotCommunist]

marvellously naked Moisty Lane

sigmund!

 

[belboid]

sigmund!

 

[butchersapron]

Have you nicked all our starlings? I knew this rain would cause trouble.

 

[fucthest8]

I'm very jealous, would love to see that. Any chance you can stick the video up on youtube so we can all see it? Currently:

Video unavailable
This video has either been removed from Facebook or is not visible due to privacy settings.

 

[belboid]

This guys is a good film - bit poncey, not as many birds as at toher times, but its darned well shot -

So is this guy's, not sure if his music is more or less annoying -

 

[Orang Utan]

I gawped in wonder at this on Springwatch once. Awesome sight

 

[belboid]

Have you nicked all our starlings? I knew this rain would cause trouble.

apparently, they are mostly Russian and Eastern European.

I'll leave it to you to make up your own joke.

 

[Stanley Edwards]

apparently, they are mostly Russian and Eastern European.

I'll leave it to you to make up your own joke.

I was going to do it

Huge flocks here in Southern Spain at certain times of year. I always understood they migrated from Africa. There is a small plaza (Plaza de Trinidad) that is fucking amazing in late Spring evenings. Tens of Thousands of starlings flock in to roost amongst a small clump of trees and almost vanish. If you disturb them at night the plaza goes all Alfred Hitchcock. You need an umbrella.

 

[newbie]

Leicester Square used to be like that, before they all cleared off to Somerset.

 

[_pH_]

Beautiful

I've often watched the starlings come in to roost on Brighton pier, spectacular stuff!

 

[_pH_]

This guys is a good film - bit poncey, not as many birds as at toher times, but its darned well shot -

So is this guy's, not sure if his music is more or less annoying -

That's the same film?

 

[belboid]

Oops. I only skipped thru the second one, times were different so I assumed...

 

[fredfelt]

.

 

[StoneRoad]

The largest tree in our local church yard is home to a small flock of starlings. Watching them "skydance" just before roosting is enough to give you neckache.
Murmuration is very apt as a coolective noun for them, the sound is interesting If loud) - I wonder what they are all gossiping about, most likely where they found a load of tasty leatherjackets or similar. The grassed areas in the local park get well perforated by hunting starlings every two or three days.

 

[Aladdin]

Murmuration in West Meath that actually looks like a flying bird.

 

[bcuster]

 

[Ming]

You get those in Aberystwyth quite a bit. I think they nest under the pier.