'mysterious, unpredictable and completely unforgettable': Starling spectacular sends visitor numbers soaring at RSPB Fairburn Ings
RSPB Fairburn Ings has seen a dramatic rise in visitor numbers this winter, as thousands of people have flocked to the nature reserve to witness one of nature’s most breathtaking sights — the swirling Starling murmurations.
The spectacular aerial displays, created by thousands of Starlings gathering at dusk during the colder months, have drawn record crowds to the reserve.
During the week between Christmas and New Year, more than 2,800 people visited Fairburn Ings – over seven times more than the same week the previous year, when around 400 visitors were recorded.
Now RSPB Fairburn Ings is staking its claim to be one of the best places in Yorkshire to see a Starling murmuration.
Part of the Roy Taylor Trail, named after an inspirational RSPB colleague who was sadly lost to Motor Neurone Disease 2018, the watchpoint takes visitors into the heart of the reserve, where visitors are immersed in nature and yet just a stone’s throw from the city.
Lydia Tague, Reserve Manager at RSPB Fairburn Ings, said: “There’s something truly magical about watching a Starling murmuration — no two displays are ever the same, and people often leave completely awestruck.”
Starling murmurations take place towards dusk, when the light begins to fade and arriving an hour before sunset offers the best chance to see one.
Keiran Bull, Visitor Experience Manager at RSPB Fairburn Ings said: “Seeing a murmuration is a real moment of anticipation.
“You’re cold, it’s getting dark, and you’re wondering whether the birds will show at all. Then suddenly they appear, small groups at first, then thousands coming together, moving as one.
"You realise you’re just an observer in something much bigger. You can hear their wings beating in unison, see them twist and turn across the sky, and for a few minutes everything else just stops.
"It’s mysterious, unpredictable and completely unforgettable.
Alongside the Starlings, visitors can also spot flocks of wintering wildfowl, birds of prey and other star birds of the reserve such as Kingfisher and Cattle Egret.
Lydia said: "Right now is a great time to see Grey Herons building their nests, Great Crested Grebes beginning to develop their breeding plumage and start displaying plus our Bitterns have just started booming!”