Went down to Newport Wetlands RSPB Reserve yesterday evening. We were at a bit of a loose end, so Mrs Cyclops threw me in the car, and said "come on, lets going see if the starlings are down in Newport.."
We had been tipped off by another visitor that large numbers would probably start arriving last week, as the weather conditions were favourable.
We got there about half three, so a good hour of daylight remaining, and wandered onto the reserve.
I took a few shots of various wildfowl and swans in the diminishing light. All very nice. Finally, we clocked the starlings starting to arrive on the pylons at the reserve.
As we stood and watched, a number of smaller flocks joined the roost on the pylon.#
As I said, we visited the reserve the week before, and saw a murmur of about 500 birds, which was pretty impressive. More and more birds continued to arrive, enough now that you could here the chatter between the birds, and the sounds of their wings, when they rose and settled a few times.
As you can see from the above picture, we were rapidly approaching that number now! Then a large flock arrived at once, on the adjacent pylon, and doubled the numbers in an instant!
It was only a matter of time now, before they took off for their night roost in the reeds or the nearby woodland.
Rather disappointingly they took off in two separate groups. Which was spectacular enough as you can see below, but there must have been touching a 1000 starlings on the two pylons now.
But our night was not finished, as we approached the visitor centre, way off in the distance, towards Goldcliff lagoons, our murmur had obviously joined forces with others, what happened next took my breath away!
And to think, when I woke up Sunday morning, I thought my day couldn't be topped by the sparrowhawk that landed on my feeding station!
If you are in the vicinity of Newport Wetlands, I would recommend you get down there just before sunset, keep an eye on the pylons, and sit back and watch one of natures incredible shows.
This was a massive tick in my book of things I wanted to try and see this year, probably second only to the Chinese Water Deer at Strumpshaw Fen (and they weren't even on my list!).
I just had to share this with you! ;o)
Ant
"IT IS SAID THAT LIFE FLASHES BEFORE YOUR EYES BEFORE YOU DIE. THAT IS TRUE, IT'S CALLED LIVING."Death - Terry Pratchett (The Last Continent).
Pylons have their uses! :)
"He had softly and suddenly vanished away---For the Snark was a Boojum, you see." The Hunting of the Snark, Lewis Carroll
;o)
One comment on the Newport Wetlands, the ones at WWT Welney in Norfolk have big orange balls on them to stop birds (notably the swans), killing themselves by colliding with them. Just wondering why the Newport ones don't?
Thanks for sharing that with us Ant - great pics! Must try and get down there soon!
Dai
Made it down there today and it was a good show. Managed to get a few pics.
Hope I can still see them the week after next - have to spend some time relative spotting : )
I was there yesterday as well! ;o)
The funniest thing about yesterday was I finally met Gideon. He came up to me and said "Ahh .. Mr Ponty Cyclops I assume ...", this made my partner ask me on the way home .. I wonder how many other people he went up to and said "Ahh .. Mr Ponty Cyclops I assume .." to until he got the right one!
I can't have been the only 6ft 3" beardy welshman to wander in on Sunday? ;o)
Was lucky enough to get down there again today. The light was a little bit better because it had been such a fine day. Another great show, hope they stay around for a bit longer
I like the colours of the sky!