When can you see starlings in Brighton?

From November to February, this amazing sight can be seen across Sussex and the rest of the UK. Brighton and Eastbourne are well known for their dramatic displays, but other costal towns such as Bognor, Chichester and Hastings can occasionally host magnificent displays too.

What time of year do starlings Murmuration?

Starling murmurations happen when the birds start to roost. The RSPB say this can be as early as September in some places, and as late as the end of November elsewhere, with more birds joining the nightly displays during this time.

Where is the best place to see a murmuration of starlings?

During the day however, they form daytime roosts at exposed places such as treetops, where the birds have good all-round visibility. Several of our reserves make great viewing spots for murmurations. Other popular sites to see starlings include Gretna Green in Dumfries and Galloway, and Brighton Pier, Sussex.

Why are starlings swarming?

Mysterious murmurations Why European starlings circle the sky in such gigantic flocks for so long is a much more perplexing question. The most common explanation—sometimes known as the “safer together” hypothesis—is that the swarms are a protective response against predators.

When do starlings come to Brighton West Pier?

Large numbers of starlings arrive from as far away as Scandinavia to join their native cousins as they roost for the winter. The flocks, which can swell to as many as 40,000 birds at the peak in December, used to be seen each evening over West Pier as they performed their spellbinding aerial show known as ‘murmuration’.

Where did the Murmuration of starlings take place?

An amateur photographer captured the remarkable moment thousands of starlings flocked together to form the image of the Loch Ness Monster emerging from the sea in Brighton. The stunning murmuration was captured by Bill Brooks, who decided to make a detour to Brighton Palace Pier after attending a photography course in East Sussex.

When do the Murmuration birds appear on West Pier?

The flocks, which can swell to as many as 40,000 birds at the peak in December, used to be seen each evening over West Pier as they performed their spellbinding aerial show known as ‘murmuration’. These days they appear only from time to time through the winter months and in far smaller numbers than before.

When do starlings fly to their winter roost?

Starlings feed up to 20 miles from their winter roost, returning each evening. In late afternoon feeding flocks join together to form large pre-roost gatherings in places where the birds can get one last meal before nightfall. At dusk, birds from these gatherings fly, often in a swirling cloud-like formation, to the roost.