Despite the overcast sky, a discouraging weather forecast and depleted ranks due to illness, an intrepid group of walkers set out for Ham Wall on the Somerset Levels. They were to be rewarded with relatively pleasant weather and fine displays of starlings.
The walk itself, on a pathway between moor and water reserves, is flat and on a good hard surface, no more than two to three miles in total. It is a 'there and back' walk so people could control how far they wished to go. This made it very inclusive for those members who, for various reasons, are less able to tackle harder terrain.
Before the arrival of dusk and the starlings we enjoyed refereshments on a stand overlooking a large pool, with many species of bird including both the great and lesser egrets and the infrequent visitor, the glossy ibis. Gazing across the levels, we listened to the calls of the waterfowl.
Suddenly, with a eerie whirr, great clouds of starlings appeared swirling above our heads before diving into the reeds, The murmurations were spectacular. However, inpressive though the acrobatics are, the sound of thousands of beating wings is something you have to witness to appreciate.
The outing was unanimously declared to have been an outstanding success and fully worth the journey.
Report by James Foulds.
Photos by Malcolm Case.
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