Recently, in the evenings, we have been treated to a mumuration of starlings as they come to roost on the tall poplars down by the river. They don't always stay there for that long, but they make a loud chattering as they settle down.
I'm not sure those branches look terribly strong!
Then all of a sudden, they swoop off again...
...and may or may not come back. Unfortunately, we haven't seen the really amazing swooping shapes the mumuration makes, as the houses all get in the way, but we have seen smaller groups of birds as they come in to join the others. There are lots of videos online, such as this one on Youtube
here. However, we have enjoyed seeing them over the last couple of weeks.
What a fabulous thing to see. I have only seen mumurations on video, and would be transfixed to see one for myself.
ReplyDeleteThanks, EC. It would be wonderful to see a big murmuration, like the ones on Youtube, but we feel lucky to have seen the mini versions!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Oh wow! What a wonderful thing to see Ellie. How lovely they look temporarily perched in those poplars too. Beautiful pictures. I remember seeing an murmuration between the two piers on Brighton seafront (well, one pier has since burned down) x
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lulu. From a distance, they looked a bit like flowerheads on ornamental grasses! Mumurations are hypnotic to watch, aren't they?
DeleteBest wishes
Ellie
When the starlings come spring is near :-))
ReplyDeleteYes, it is fascinating to watch flocks of birds. It's so nice that you had the opportunity to do this. Thank you for your photos, I can almost hear the chirping and singing... fantastic.
Greetings from Viola
Thank you, Viola. It is certainly nearly Spring although the weather here has been very wet. The chattering of the birds was really loud!
DeleteBest wishes
Ellie
Sometimes there are so many together they blacken the sky. The light on our power lines and make a terrible racket, so I'm always happy to see them fly away. With that many all together, they make a mess, rather dirty birds. The Crows like to chase them away, but then the Crows aren't pleasant to have around either. Lots of activitiy though to watch.
ReplyDeleteSandy's Space
Thanks, Sandy. Yes, they can make a real mess and in another area of the city, people had been complaining about the mess on the cars. It is still an amazing thing to see.
DeleteBest wishes
Ellie
What a breathtaking scene to take in. Seeing large groups of birds flying together is a mesmerising experience.
ReplyDeleteNew post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2023/03/red-one-shoulder-ruched-midi-dress.html
Have a lovely weekend
Thank you, Melody. Yes it is and not something we see that often.
DeleteBest wishes
Ellie