I've been stuck in the office all day, and was just beginning to feel pleased that I've got through a lot of work, when one of our volunteers phoned me.
The news was frustrating - I've missed another superb flying display! Perhaps as many as 5000 birds put on a brilliant performance, with a beautiful sunset behind them (the office window faces to wrong way to even be aware of the sunset). After the flock funnelled down into the reedbed to roost, more and more birds kept arriving. The late arrivals all dropped straight into the reeds - no swirling for them, as they are guided by the chattering of the starlings that are already roosting.
The best views are from the car park. I've been told that occasionally people try to get close to the reeds, which risks disturbing the roost. That would be bad for the starlings, as well as the other people who have come to watch.
I prefer to watch without binoculars - the sight is most impressive when I can see the whole flock. There's also the chance of spotting a bittern when you have the wide view - and we've had a couple of bitterns roosting there recently.
I'll be out there on Sunday afternoon, hoping to see another great show by starlings, and who knows what else?
You can watch a video of the Fen Drayton Lakes starling roost at www.rspb.org.uk/.../roosting.aspx