Westhay Starling Roost near Glastonbury, UK
Somerset Wildlife Spectacle of Aerial Displays of Millions of Birds
Sep 21, 2009
The starling Sturnus vulgaris is a common bird in Britain and not usually thought of as a particularly remarkable bird. Millions of the birds migrate from Europe and as far away as Russia to take advantage of British winters, which are milder than those on the Continent. Starlings are social birds, and roost communally. Some of these roosts can build up to huge numbers when the conditions are right, and the reedbeds and old peat workings of the Somerset Levels offer conditions that they really like.
As dusk falls in the winter, particularly between November and January, the starlings come streaming towards the roost site in such masses that the sky darkens a little. Groups come from far and wide, massing into bizarre aerial displays and hundreds of thousands of birds wheel about the sky in fluid shapes, before funnelling down into the reedbeds, where they often circulate in a low flight pattern before dropping into the reeds.
As they settle, the air fills with the sound of their calls, reaching a crescendo. If a sudden impulsing sound is made, such as a car backfiring or a farmer's propane bird scarer goes off, a dread takes hold as the sound suddenly mutes, before slowly building up again.
The Peat Moors area around Westhay is one of the largest starling roosts in England, however the birds do not always settle in the same place - some years they roost at nearby reserves Ham Wall RSPB, and the Natural England reserve Shapwick Heath.
Visiting the Westhay Starling Roost
The starling roost begins to build up from the early Autumn, and persists through to February. The display is good later in the season but after around Christmas the guano builds up in the reedbeds. This does not affect the display, which if anything gets better later in the season, but the stench is truly revolting and all-pervasive.
Inquire from tourist information sources where the best place to observe the roost is, because of the variation year to year. Alternatively, from October there is a prerecorded phone message service available, the Avalon Marshes Starling Hotline on 07866 554142.
Car parking is always difficult in the region - there is modest car parking at Westhay, parking is available at the Peat Moors centre which is between Westhay and Shapwick villages (and can cope with coaches). It does get very busy in the starling season; if possible, avoid Fridays and weekends.
The best time of day to go is about an hour before dusk, and the display is usually more aerobatic when the weather is calm and the wind is not more than a gentle breeze, when the starlings often tend to group in large shapes containing hundreds of thousands of birds all moving in concert before plunging down to the reedbeds to roost.
Visitors should wear stout footwear and in some conditions Wellington boots may be advisable. The temperature drops soon after dusk, so suitable clothing should be worn.
Other Things to See and Do near Westhay
The mystical town of Glastonbury and the remarkable Isle of Avalon, Glastonbury Tor are nearby. The cathedral city of Wells is also in the region, and the cathedral is remarkable.
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