The thrill of the chase

Having spent many evenings waiting eagerly on the pier in the freezing cold with little to show for my efforts, tonight my persistence was rewarded as the Aberystwyth starlings put on another fantastic display.

The starlings were late on this particular evening, with not a single starling spotted until shortly after 4pm, just ten minutes or so before the sun was due to set! With daylight rapidly running out, it looked like any hope of a murmuration would be lost yet again. Just as I was about to give up and pack away my camera, an eruption of starlings appeared in the sky as if out of nowhere, surging towards the promenade in a vast cloud.

Even better, they were not alone! Pursuing the flock and closing in fast, the unmistakable sharp winged silhouette of a peregrine falcon, the fastest predator in the skies!

There’s nothing like the arrival of a predator to spur the starlings into action and immediately they began to display, demonstrating their complex and beautiful murmuration behaviour, silhouetted against the faint golden glow of sunset.

The peregrine drove the starlings high in the sky where it would have the advantage. In typical peregrine behaviour it tucked in it’s wings and dived at the flock, a manouvere known as ‘stooping’. These high speed attacks aim to panic and disperse the birds, making it easier to single one out from the crowd.

In response the starlings merge into ever tighter formations, twisting and turning in unison to evade and confuse the peregrine. The effect is a mesmerising spectacle of shapeshifting, the starling flock transforming from one form to another in the blink of an eye and turning the sky black.

It’s nights like this which are exactly why I keep returning the starlings time and time again. I love the anticipation and exhilaration of witnessing this amazing spectacle, even if sadly it does come at the expense of a starling or two…

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All photographs copyright of Claire Stott/Grey Feather Photography © 2026 www.greyfeatherphotography.com

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