Blackpool, Lancashire, UK Weather. 1st February 2017. Sunset & Starlings over the Irish Sea and North Pier. Tens of thousands of starlings appear at dusk to roost in the shelter of the ironwork in the Victorian Pier where they are safe from predators. In calm conditions and low tide they alight on the beach, (an extraordinarily rare phenomenon), in a great black group waiting for the opportune moment to collectively go to roost. Credit; MediaWorldImages/AlamyLiveNews.
On windy days, the huge flocks of mumurating starlings whose numbers are estimated at 20,000 plus take to resting momentarily on the beach at low tide. The noise they make can be described as a mumur or chatter, but is quite intense and is thought to form part of a communication of sorts. The interaction between the huge numbers is amazing and is thought to be formed on the single principal of maintaining a defined distance to nearest the neighbour. In this close knit formation they then appear to form, what are in effect, random shapes depending on the viewer's viewpoint.
Size: 3600px × 2400px
Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK
Photo credit: © MediaWorldImages / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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