Saturday 15 November 2014

Starlings at sundown

The Safari didn't get out until late today, but we did make a makeshift bird-table for the nature reserve's Feeding Station.
We'd arranged to go back to the pier with CR for another look at the Starling murmuration - and why wouldn't we! He txtd to say he would pick us up on the way and while we were waiting for him we saw these really bright Cotoneaster berries by our garden gate.
Only a few minutes later we were on the promenade waiting for the Starlings to arrive. There were only a couple hundred already swirling round.
Flocks of varying sizes began to arrive and swell the ranks.
After a totally grey day the cloud began to break but not really enough for a Blackpool spectacular, there was some colour though which is always good.
Numbers built to about 6000, as best we could tell by counting the flocks as they came in.
Tonight though there were far more Starlings murmurating over Central Pier but from where we were standing it was impossible to get even a guessimate of how many were there.
 OK only one thing to do - walk a bit nearer. We walked onto the pier but the main deck was closed. The windows were very dirty with salt spray but the noise coming through them was really loud. One thing we did notice was that a huge number were sat down on the deck in a rough circle - just as they do on the beach, The reason for this is ???? You tell us!




We still could get any better idea of the numbers over Central Pier. Between us and them we could hear the band playing for the rehearsals for tonight's Strickly Come Dancing show from the iconic  Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
By the time we'd walked back to our original vantage point most of 'ours' had gone in as the light was fading rapidly.
Again it was good to see so many others watching and enjoying/photographing/filming.
As ever many thanks to CR for the lift.
Where to next? At the nature reserve tomorrow being the 'Guide in the hide' again
In the meantime let us know who's throwing the best dance moves in your outback


1 comment:

cliff said...

Not as many starlings but the ones that were there pulled some great shapes. It was interesting to see them settled on the pier like that too, a terrific way to spend an hour!