Ham Wall Murmurations
I imagine that anyone who likes a good fire, also likes a good bit of nature too. For those of us near Bristol, now is the time to start thinking of the wonderful spectacle of the murmurations that occur just south of here, near Glastonbury.
You can see these amazing flying spectacles at Ham Wall, an RSPB wetland nature reserve. The sight is really breathtaking – if you are lucky enough to catch it – and occurs towards the end of the day just before dusk, when the starlings are getting ready to roost for the night. Millions of birds fly in unison, swirling and diving in hypnotic patterns.
These amazing events usually start in November through to February, though some begin as early as September. The starlings begin to gather as the weeks progress, sometimes building up to numbers of around 100,000.
Although these seem like massive numbers, they are just a fraction of what they used to be. Starling populations have fallen by over 80% in recent years and are now considered at critical risk in the UK.
You can do your bit by supporting the RSPB who can help provide the kind of nesting sites that the birds need.
NB Ham Wall is open at the time of writing, but please check their website for the latest information. https://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/reserves-a-z/ham-wall/
Here you can see a YouTube video of the starlings in action.