In view of murmurations

Each day now I watch the starlings begin to group and gather in flocks overhead, swooping in their timeless ballet of the air in ever changing patterns. With the change of the season maybe they scent of winter ahead and they have begun to seek the marshes in Marazion each evening for their nightly roost the very best spot to see the fabulous murmurations.

There is a wonderful atmosphere beside the reed beds as regular viewers gather each night to watch the nightly spectacle and as I waited I heard some interesting anecdotes about the starlings behaviour

When can I see the murmuration?

Ah late autumn and throughout the winter – this is the season to watch the fabulous murmurations played out against the sunset.

By day in Cornwall as I ride Danni along the Cornish lanes, I sometimes watch intrigued as the starlings swoop and circle above a fallow cornfield – stark black shapes against the deceptively bright with fresh green growth. In the evening they have become part of the nightly ritual as they start to flock in a joyous throng – occasionally they pass directly over the house (and that alone is supposed to bring good luck) but alas I never have the camera handy

Marazion marshes

Of course I haven’t got anything that remotely looks like a good shot of them as yet – the joyous, jostling birds with the rhythmic beat of their wings as at tangible sound in the air. . Their evening destination of Marazion marshes would be a great spot to stand and a mecca for bird watchers of course. The marshes are no more that five minutes drive down through the next coast village of Marazion and lay cut off from the sea now by the coastal road and already there have been reports of over 12,000 birds massing for the nightly ritual.

This morning I had a perfect view from my kitchen window as the starlings arrived en mass to my garden. The glorious excitable rabble that swooped and swung in the air, with a bright flash of their wings as they twisted and turned, before settling to feast on the rich berries in the Cordylines Australis that line the bottom of the garden – the marshes will be magnificent tonight I think!

Mumaration Update from February 2017

The reeds glowed golden in the closing light of the day as I waited for the murmuration to arrive feeling slightly nervous that this would be the evening that they suddenly chose an alternative roost. One year they chose St Michael’s mount itself as their safe haven and another a gentleman told me they chose Pendeen watch. But as the regular cognoscenti gathered so too did the first birds start to arrive.

The first few smaller groups of Starlings arrived flying low and fast and dropped into the marsh on the Marzion side of the railway bridge. And then suddenly the sky was filled with the larger flocks arriving to twist and turn above me as I stood thrilled by their power and intense presence. Group after group arrived until the final flock dropped into the reeds on the smaller ponds on the Long rock side of the railway bridge where the swans glide majestically throughout the day. They hung for a moment, an amorphous cloud reflected in the water before dropping in a chattering mob into the reeds whilst the swans glided on apparently oblivious to the raw passion of the arriving birds.

From our facebook page

An Update from our “Ednovean Farm Luxury bed and Breakfast” facebook page when I at last, I arrived in time to see the Starlings settling fro the night with the evening mumaration.