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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Starling Murmurations (1 Viewer)

rachk116

rachk116

Well-known member
England
Hi all,
After watching Autumnwatch this week, I was wondering if anyone can tell me of any Starling Murmurations near to the Hull area. I remember about 3 years ago of one near to a large farm just north of Bridlington (Martonian Inn??). If anyone knows of any I'd be really grateful of any info.

Thanks in advance
Rachel
 

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rachk116 said:
Hi all,
After watching Autumnwatch this week, I was wondering if anyone can tell me of any Starling Murmurations near to the Hull area. I remember about 3 years ago of one near to a large farm just north of Bridlington (Martonian Inn??). If anyone knows of any I'd be really grateful of any info.

Thanks in advance
Rachel
Click to expand...

Last year Potteric Carr was the place to be. Only 45 mins from Hull, but I'd check with the reserve first
 
rachk116 said:
Hi all,
After watching Autumnwatch this week, I was wondering if anyone can tell me of any Starling Murmurations near to the Hull area. I remember about 3 years ago of one near to a large farm just north of Bridlington (Martonian Inn??). If anyone knows of any I'd be really grateful of any info.

Thanks in advance
Rachel
Click to expand...

If you can't find Starlings locally, there's always a similar spectacle with added colour just outside Hull. Thousands of Golden Plovers at Paull Holme Strays. Can be absolutely stunning when a predator sends them up into the air.
 
The sound of these flocks in flight must be spectacular, but for some reason everyone who puts a video on Youtube wants to play music or talk over it. Can anyone direct me to a video or recording of Starlings flocking that has good sound?

Apologies for hijacking the thread.
 
pshute said:
The sound of these flocks in flight must be spectacular, but for some reason everyone who puts a video on Youtube wants to play music or talk over it. Can anyone direct me to a video or recording of Starlings flocking that has good sound?

Apologies for hijacking the thread.
Click to expand...

I have a video with sound. It was taken in my garden, at the 2 minute mark the swooshing noise you hear is them taking off from the conifers, they came out in waves. They were only 10 feet away from me so the noise was deafening. Hubby was covered in poo, I only had a few spots LOL!

http://youtu.be/Uo5Kh74ImBc
 
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Im waiting to see one in the LDV, there is a huge number in North Duffield at the moment and we get a mini murmuration when over 100 are devouring my fat balls!
 
Saphire said:
I have a video with sound. It was taken in my garden, at the 2 minute mark the swooshing noise you hear is them taking off from the conifers, they came out in waves. They were only 10 feet away from me so the noise was deafening. Hubby was covered in poo, I only had a few spots LOL!

http://youtu.be/Uo5Kh74ImBc
Click to expand...
Thanks for that, I think it's the best I've found so far. Is there some kind of machinery running in the background in most of the scenes? And water trickling in the last one?
 
Pshute, there is no machinery running but I do have a fountain. I have listened again, I can hear my breathing, the shutter of hubby's camera and about 3/4 of the way through there could be a helicopter.
 
Saphire said:
Pshute, there is no machinery running but I do have a fountain. I have listened again, I can hear my breathing, the shutter of hubby's camera and about 3/4 of the way through there could be a helicopter.
Click to expand...
Perhaps it's the hum of the fountain pump. It vanishes at 3:02 and is replaced by the water. I assume you moved away from the pump towards the fountain.

But enough of that, it still gives a better impression of what the flocks sound like than anything else I've found on YouTube. I don't know why people feel they have to "fill in the gaps" with music when the sound is so spectacular.

I was sent this link to a recording made with a shotgun mic:
https://audioboo.fm/boos/553531-flock

That one's interesting because it's a dawn recording, so it includes the sudden silence after the flock departs.

Peter Shute
 
I keep listening now, I turned the volume right up, at first I thought it was the camera motor, I was using the 7D but I still think it is a helicopter in the distance, we do get a lot going over. They may have kept there distance for a while the last thing they want to do is get caught in the middle.
 
Not in Yorkshire I admit but in a neighbouring county; currently in excess of 50000 birds roosting at Middleton Moor, Derbyshire and giving a tidy display. For those who have been to the site before the birds are not roosting at the more familiar lagoon (with the bird hide). Rather access from A623 west of Eyam, turning south at Housley along Thunderpit Lane (signposted Cavendish Mill). Keep left where the road forks. Park by gate at SK 20126 75104. Climb gate and walk short distance until beyond trees. The reedbed where the roost is can be observed from the bank. Obviously don't approach too closely so as not to disturb the roost. Alternatively a good view point to watch the flocks forming pre-roost is from Moisty Lane; continue along Thunderpit Lane and turn right at Cavendish Mill. The road goes under the overhead pipes, continue until clear of the small wood on the right. This lane is pretty rough but passable. The journey can be made from various locations by public transport via Stoney Middleton. How long the roost remains is debatable; a good freeze of the Derbyshire Peak District fields is likely to move them on.
 
The Middleton Moor roost currently appears to have begun to decline after peaking at c120000. Still an impressive 40000+ last weekend though. Occasional updates can be found at http://sbsg.org/sightings/recent-news

Some great photos here; darleydalewildlife.blogspot.com

Evening gives a more protracted display but to appreciate the sheer volume of birds a visit at dawn is better with virtually the entire roost leaving within a minute as demonstrated in this video by the same author http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAU3tTltPj0

Also 11000 still roosting in the Dearne valley

http://barnsleybirds.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/sunday-1-12-13.html
 
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There were a good number just over alkborough flats the other evening viewed from singleton hide at Blacktoft, we were all watching them when the hen harrier flew in!
 
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