A Murmuration of Starlings

There is a startling amount of starlings around the croft at the moment, hundreds and hundreds of them chattering and calling, preening themselves and calling out to the greater group.

The noise from the trees by the house is eerily similar to Hitchcock's 'The Birds'. 

Having a huge amount of feathered friends round also means having to provide a huge amount of food while they are staying with us. It seems that every part of grass on the croft has been pock-marked by a sharp beak, which in turn is doing a fabulous job of aerating the soil, but is unusual to find afterwards.

But for being hosts to this concert audience, we are rewarded with a hypnotic display, especially magical on a sunset evening, when they are spooked from their roosts and they curl into the sky to make enchanting patterns. Truly one of nature's simple pleasures.