So many

I haven’t seen a starling murmuration for several years. We used to go to Orton and watch the fabulous displays there, but then the birds moved on. We had been wondering whether to go up to Gretna, but there were always so many people there.

Then yesterday our neighbours called by and told us starlings had started gathering in Long Marton, which is only a few minutes away from us. So off we went and - wow! what an experience. Just a few people about but so many starlings. 

The amazing displays of a murmuration that we used to see were wonderful, but this was something else entirely. This was, not watching from afar, this was being right there amongst the birds. They were everywhere, above and around and in every direction. They swirled around and seemed to fill the sky. I have never seen so many birds in one place. And they kept coming. It was an eerie feeling, as it was so quiet. All you could hear was the fluttering of wings and then the whoosh! as they swirled in a huge wave above your head. Absolutely mesmerising. It was getting cold and there was a little rain, but no one moved - unable to believe what they were seeing and experiencing, not wanting it to stop. 

We were going to go along again tonight, but it is cloudy and wet, so we will try again tomorrow. I am using a photo from yesterday. My camera settings were not quite right to capture the movement, but I think this one gives an idea of the experience. I didn’t take many photos - I just wanted to watch. 

And I have managed to include a tree for Joe Tree Day . . . thank you.