“How 40,000 starlings go to bed in less than a minute” – amazing moment huge flock drops from sky

By Paul McGowan -

February 20, 2018

A REMARKABLE video shows the moment a murmuration of 40,000 starlings evaporates as they drop out of the sky at the same moment.

Retired water worker Simon Waters, 61, captured the stunning scene at the RSPB Minsmere Nature Reserve, in Suffolk.

His footage shows the birds create incredibly dense shapes at one moment and seem to fill the sky the next.

But the clip is really notable for how the starlings suddenly and in unison land to roost for the night.

Readon and watch video 

Murmuration of 1,000 clay starlings 'flown' across Bristol Downs

17 October 2015 

A flock of 1,000 clay starlings on wooden poles has been "flown" across the Downs in Bristol.

The Bristol Murmuration was sculpted by people from Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Westbury-on-Trym to highlight the dramatic decline of the species.

Zoe Camron, the artist leading the project, said the "wonderful array" of birds included "very exotic-looking starlings" as well as green finches.

The murmuration will be on display on Durdham Downs until 25 October.

Once a common garden bird, starling numbers have fallen dramatically since the 1970s.

Despite the declining population, thousands of the birds can be spotted each winter flying together and creating mesmerising patterns called 'murmurations'.

Continued ...

Watch: Starlings swoop and loop in a breathtaking bird ballet

Welsh winter weather often involves descriptions of dark clouds forming over the fields, woodlands and reedbeds of Wales.

But these clouds filmed this week over Cardiff Bay are no ordinary clouds. They take your breath away!

Thousands of starlings come together at this time of year to provide one of the most breathtaking wildlife spectacles..

This congregation or murmuration was seen over the Cardiff Bay Wetlands Reserve

The reason for the extraordinary spectacle is not definitively known, with theories ranging from a defence mechanism against predators to attracting more birds to join their roost.

Read on and watch video .....

Rare bird phenomenon swirls in Israel's sky

Huge flocks of synchronized starlings created what's known as a murmuration in Israel this weekend. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.

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http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbcnews.com/50618504/#50617086

Ham Wall RSPB - Starling Murmuration, 17th January 2013

Video: (Best viewed in 1080p HD, full screen)

Posted by wildliferob 

Hi Everyone :)

Just wanted to share a video I filmed yesterday evening of the Starlings at Ham Wall RSPB in Somerset. I had been meaning to pop down over the last couple of years to see the birds but for one reason or another I didn't get round to it. Thankfully yesterday this changed.

An early start of 7am was needed as it was a couple of hours drive down from the Midlands, arrived after 9am and started by visiting Shapwick Heath. Spent a few hours here early in the morning, not a lot on offer out of the ordinary but still we enjoyed the walk & fresh air.

After lunch (in the warmth of the car!) we headed over to Ham Wall itself. I was surprised to find that there were no hides (does anyone know if there are any plans to put any in?) but several viewing screens and a couple of viewing platforms. I had a Kingfisher fly by which was one of my highlights along with sightings of usual woodland birds. Out on the water I couldn't locate a Great White Egret - which was one of my target birds for the day! - but I did pick up the usual suspects.

Overall to be honest it was a quiet day on the wildlife front but with the cold / damp weather I wasn't too surprised and I was just waiting the arrival of the Starlings, essentially what I had traveled down for.

Continued:  http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/wildlife/f/13609/t/94139.aspx

Stunning murmuration of starlings above Gretna captured on film

Whale of a time: A murmuration of starlings put on an a display over the town of Gretna (Picture: PA)

The spectacular display, known as a murmuration, is seen when the birds visit south-west Scotland twice a year in February and November.

Starlings congregate for added security and to share warmth and their numbers are boosted by migrant birds from Europe, the RSPB reports.

This group appeared just before dusk on Saturday in Gretna.

The RSPB said while there are only up to 300,000 breeding pairs of starlings in the summer around Gretna, in the winter that number increases to three million.

'When the breeding cycle is over for the year, starlings come to Britain from the continent because it is so cold on mainland Europe,' said Neil O'Donnell, of the RSPB in south and west Scotland.

'They form these special flocks in the sky if predators are around. The birds are better off being in a massive flock, as this confuses the predators and also there are more eyes to look out for danger.'

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/917593-stunning-murmuration-of-starlings-above-gretna-captured-on-film#ixzz2C0xod4y0