Nature-lovers from across the UK have flocked to Ripon in North Yorkshire to see the magnificent starling murmurations.
The striking sight of thousands of starlings gliding through the sky and making eye-catching shapes has brought seasoned bird-watchers and first-time twitchers together.
Against the backdrop of picturesque Ripon City Wetlands, the natural wonder has certainly been a talking point among locals.
Matt Cross, Nature Reserve officer at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said, “We are absolutely delighted with the incredible, whirling and waving displays the thousands of starlings at Ripon City Wetlands are currently treating us to.
“The murmurations this year are a testament to the hard work the team and volunteers have been carrying out on the reserve and its golden reed beds, to create a wilder wetland for wildlife.”
In this video by Helen Hays, the starlings can be seen making beautiful shapes through the sky, almost moving as one.
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There have been between 150,000 and 250,000 starlings ‘putting on a show’ for locals over the last few weeks.
James Forster, wildlife support officer from the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s been absolutely mesmerising, I really just couldn’t take my eyes off them. It’s an amazing sight.
“There have been as many as 250,000 starlings which is hard to even comprehend really. I feel lucky to have witnessed the murmurations and it’s something people in the area should see if they get the chance.”
Plenty of people from the local area have taken advantage of the beautiful surroundings to see the murmurations on their doorstep.
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Jo Morrell from Masham: “I had no idea that the Ripon Wetlands existed. What a fantastic place to visit to experience the murmuration. Nothing could have prepared me for this spectacle! I had seen murmurations on nature programmes on the TV, but being there with a crowd of others watching in absolute silence felt like a religious experience. The starlings flew in groups from all directions to congregate over the wetlands, forming one vast flock of undulating shapes.
“It was truly awe-inspiring. As the form twisted and waved above us like a fine gossamer cloth creating the most staggeringly beautiful shapes, the groups of people watched in absolute silence. The only sound was that of the birds' beating wings. Then suddenly without warning the huge flock dropped silently into the reed beds. Such a wonder of nature and something that will stay with me for life!”
Sandra Morgan from Northallerton said it was the noise as much as the visual beauty of the murmurations which made the whole experience so dramatic.
She said: “When so many birds swoop over your head, it affects so many of your senses, you feel a part of it. The sounds of their wings are like the incoming tides.”
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Ruth Campbell, from outside Ripon, said: “This was one of the most amazing starling murmurations I’ve seen. There were hundreds of thousands of them and it was simply mesmerising to watch the shapes they made in the sky, against the dramatic backdrop of the setting Sun.
“When some of them swooped down into the reed beds in front of us and then suddenly rose up again, it sounded like a tidal wave. At one point, huge numbers went right over our heads, the sky seemed to turn black and the noise was overwhelming, a totally immersive experience. Better than any firework display I’ve ever seen!”
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The murmurations have attracted people not just from the North East, but from all over the country.
Having only opened in 2019, the site on which Ripon City Wetlands lies was once a working quarry.
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Since the Ripon City Wetlands opened, the murmuration has attracted more and more starlings so much so, that the mini events at Staveley Wildlife Reserve have moved to Ripon.
The starling murmurations are thought to last only until early March, so you will have to be quick if you want to catch them.
If you would like to watch a murmuration at Ripon City Wetlands please check the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust website first for advice about accessing the reserve safely.
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