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Journalism of Courage
Stunning photographs capturing thousands of starlings in the dazzling whale-shaped aerial display have recently surfaced on social media.
Starlings are rare birds in the list of endangered species. They fly together forming a murmuration as they swirl, twist and swoop across the sky during the colder months.
Birdwatcher David Cousins managed to capture the amazing display at the Leighton Moss nature reserve near the Lancashire village of Silverdale on Sunday, as per a BBC report. He shared the photographs on the RSBP Birders Facebook group.
In the backdrop of the picturesque sky with different hues, murmuration in the shape of a whale captured in the photographs makes viewers doubt if those are birds.
Netizens have gone wow over the photographs. “That’s the best one I’ve seen. Amazing!” commented a user.
The 61-year-old birdwatcher, Cousins, told the BBC that he had followed the flock’s movements across winter. He added that a peregrine falcon and marsh harriers had forced the group into a tight formation.
“Sunday night was a particularly large murmuration,” added the man who works as a farmer in Kendal, Cumbria. He also told the BBC that he was “delighted” with the photographs.
As per The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire Manchester and North Merseyside, scientists believe murmuration offer them protection from predators like falcons. Usually, starlinks form murmuration over their communal roosting site.
The group also huddle together for warmth during the colder months. As the daylight begins to fade and the number of birds reach its peak, they move to the ground in unison with one last sweeping motion and swift movement of wings.
