A Return to an Old Haunt and a Spectacular Starling Murmuration.

 We had been to an interesting exhibition in 20:21 Art Grallery in Scunthorpe and were heading to the Ropery Hall in Barton for a folk concert so decided to fill the time in between at my old haunt of Far Ings National Nature Reserve to see if the starlings were still murmurating.  I had been meaning to go for some time, but thought that I had left it too late for this year.  It was mild but dull with threatening rain but on the horizon looked as though it might be a good sunset if the starlings did appear.  It was good to be back and once settled in the hide felt like returning home.  There were plenty of birds about (27 species all told) so a lot to watch while I waited.  At one point a superb female marsh harrier drifted in and eventually settled down in the reeds where they had nested before.  I was pleased to hear a cetti's strident song a couple of times and also a couple of booming bitterns.  

I was just about to call it a day at 5.45 and return to Heather in the car not wanting to get locked in when I noticed a few starlings begin to gather and preform their mesmerising pre roost ritual of murmuration.  The patterns they were making were fabulous and I managed both video on my phone and still shots on the camera.  Eventually I had to drag muself away and so pleased I did as once on the way back to the car they were displaying overhead and pooping on the car to boot.  Sharing the experience with reserve Simon Wellock, we also heard a fourth boomer.  What an amazing hour or so.   

The View from Ness Hide, Far Ings.

Starling Murmuration at Wolla Bank.

Unable to get to Leighton Moss for the starling murmuration there, because of Covid, we opted to try on the Lincolnshire coast at Wolla Bank just north of Chapel St. Leonards.  The day before Lockdown 3 was instigated we headed south after lunch arriving at Wolla Bank about 2.30.  We pottered down onto the beach for some photography for a while and then returned to the car for some hot chocolate.  By 3.00 pm the sun was beginning to sink and the sky was colouring nicely.  Apart from a marsh harrier which headed our way and came very close there was not much other activity.  We walked south through the dunes on the England Coastal path Nationa Trail until we found an elevated spot with good views.  We then settled down to wait for a while enjoying the slide show of colour change as sunset approached.  We had just about given up and began to head back towards the car when we suddenly noticed a small group of starlings fly past us heading south, then another and then another.  Looking towards Chapel we realised thaty a mumruration was building up.  It wasn't huge but there were several hudred birds wheeling in the sky against the sunset tinged sky.  We enjoyed the spectacle for 15 mins or so and then in unison they dived down into the reeds and it was all over.  What a fabulous evening though.  Returning to the car we headed back to Grimsby expecting to find road blocks out.

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