Murmuration

I had lived many years just off the Shannon and have witnessed the starlings often although never quite like that. That looks like Lough Derg in County Clare/Tipperary and I clearly picked the wrong time of year to go boating.

 

Was the scenery a bit different when you went boating then?

I would very much like to see something like this.

 

Nope just the same absent the starlings. That being said my guess is because it is out over widest part of the river with nowhere to touch down the site of them flying like that must be as cool as it looks there.

I lived close by but they would land in the trees, still watching them fly in these "formations" is still pretty exciting even in smaller numbers.

 

Midges!!

OK what has midges got to do with it?

Those very tiny flying vampires that make life miserable if not covered in insect repellent are a possible explanation for why starlings do such amazing manoeuvres in their masses.
During early evening at certain levels of humidity in fine weather, midges fly in massive clouds at fairly high altitudes, not sure why but it could be due to mating rituals amongst insects or some other reason. However, as far as the starlings are concerned it is dinner time, all zapping around in some sort of formation, mouth or should I say beak, open and hoovering midges out of the sky.

Well, it is only my theory as to why they do it, but you gotta admit it is good one.