starling murmuration

Thanks to the insight given by Bob20 earlier this week, Lesley drove to my work so we could get a quick get away to drive and see what is really one of the most amazing of wildlife spectacles.

A huge winter starling roost at Stoney Middleton in the Peak District.

We were so pleased to have come to witness this amazing murmuration, where the birds return from their daytime feeding grounds to roost in a reedbed. Starting with a small group, the birds are joined by other groups as dusk approaches to perform a breathtaking aerial display in their tens of thousands before descending to the reedbed for the night.

We stood for over an hour steadily getting frozen in the wind but totally mesmerised. The display was so good we wondered whether they would spell "the end" in the sky to signify roost time !!

Might just have to come back for more.