What a great way to end a busy day in the visitor centre.
At 3.45 pm I headed down to North Hide to check out the growing starling roost. After a gorgeous sunny late autumn day, it was becoming a bit overcast and misty, but the sunset was still impressive, if short-lived. Small flocks of starlings, varying from 150 to 500 strong, arrived from the west every couple of minutes. Each flock circled, then settled on the Scrape islands for a preen, bathe and general starling chatter.
As the sun disappeared, the first seven Bewick's swans flew in calling and settled to roost on South Scrape. Another six arrived five minutes later, but there had been 24 this morning so not sure whether the others were late returning or simply stayed on the Scrape for the day. A male sparrowhawk zipped past the hide, causing alarm among the lapwings and wigeons. A little egret flew up from West Scrape, it's plumage almost gleaming in the fading light.
Then suddenly a flock of maybe 2000 starlings began to circle above the reeds behind behind West Hide. Further back, almost invisible against the fading light, a much larger flock circled with a marsh harrier. The birds on South Scrape eventually joined them, adding at least another 3000 to the flock. The gathering now numbered at least 10k, maybe as many as 15k, and put an impressive display for a few minutes. I'm sure anyone in West, South and Bittern hides had equally impressive views until, suddenely, the sky was empty. The third sparrowhawk I'd seen during my 30 minute vigil arrived perhaps 30 seconds too late and simply cruised overhead.
Starlings, Bewick's swans and sunset. A perfect end to the day. Sparrowhawks, marsh harirers and whistling wigeons just added to the spectacle.
(PS: For gull enthusiasts, the large roost on East Scrape probably included one or two yellow-legged and Caspian gulls, while three avocets, ten dunlins, a knot, a spotted redshank, a bar-tailed godwit and 50+ black-tailed godwits were all seen on the Scrape today and a peregrine was reported over the Levels. Kingfishers and bitterns were seen from Bittern Hide too. No waxwings though.)
Starlings gathering to roost at Minsmere last year by Jon Evans