2 weeks Ago
A stunning sunset was the perfect backdrop for an incredible starling murmuration. The fire-tinged sky threw the swirling starlings into silhouette over the glistening sea in Brighton this week. Rose Jones captured the magnificent sight which saw many people, and other birds, watching on.
The awe-inspiring displays see the birds dancing and whirling across the sky for protection as they prepare to settle down for the night. Starlings perform a murmuration for protection (Image: Rose Jones) Starlings group together in these magnificent spectacles across Sussex but the murmuration between the Palace Pier and the West Pier in Brighton is arguably the most famous in the county. Autumn roosts tend to start to form in November, although they have been known to begin as early as September and October, and continue through to early spring.
As the weeks go by, murmurations swell as more and more starlings join the roost. Palace Pier lit up for the evening (Image: Rose Jones) The best time to see their aerial displays is in the early evening, just before dusk. Although starling numbers look vast within the murmurations, they are dwindling due to habitat loss and the use of pesticides.
Sussex Wildlife Trust said the species has lost half its breeding population in the last 30 years..
