Starlings dancing over Blackpool tower
Taken with a Canon 50D, Sigma 17-70 lens at 53mm, F5.6, shutter speed 1/60 second, ISO100, tweaked in Photoshop
Last night I experienced a wildlife spectacular I have always wanted to see. This shot is of thousands of Starling dancing in the sky before they settled down to roost in the reedbeds at Marton Mere (Blackpool, Lancashire). There were many more starlings than this at the end of the night maybe 40,000!!! Blackpool Tower is in the distance.
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Lee-Anne Raffe... 28 days ago
wow
Richard Veal 28 days ago
Instant fave Shaun.
Really superb photography.
Well done.
Andrew Widdowson 28 days ago
That’s awesome Shaun!
Kate Adams 28 days ago
Wow Shaun!! this looks like one huge bird – fantastic capture!!!!
Scott d'Almeida 28 days ago
outstanding,
gothgirl 28 days ago
what a shot – the birds in the shape of a bird! This is a classic fave – wow is about right
Sarah Pett-Noble 28 days ago
Incredible capture Shaun!!! Amazing!!!
kathy s gillen... 28 days ago
this is so awesome Shaun
TFFDavid 28 days ago
Fantastic shot Shaun.
Lori Peters 28 days ago
Shaun, this is an incredible shot. Great timing! xo
Martina Fagan 28 days ago
Amazingly beautiful shot.
Martina Fagan 28 days ago
Amazingly beautiful shot.
Paul Manning 28 days ago
cool, what a great capture! cheers Paul
Catherine Veal 28 days ago
this is absolutely amazing Shaun, an instant fave.x
EvaBridget 28 days ago
I saw this spectacular scene on Autumn Watch about a week ago on BBC. What an amazingly beautiful scene!
Anna Shaw 28 days ago
Unbelievable!! Even more – that you were in the right place at the right time. This is a total winner Shaun, and deserves every accolade possible.
xx
Jay Lethbridge 28 days ago
Just fantastic Shaun. An amazing piece of photography my friend. Outstanding. Faved for sure :)))
Jessica Jenney 28 days ago
Yes, it does look like one giant bird! Fabulous capture!
Sue Smith 28 days ago
What a catch Shaun. It’s brilliant.
Finbarr Reilly 28 days ago
Fantastic capture Shaun.
Maureen Maliha 28 days ago
Interesting that the formation in itself, looks like a bird flying… beautiful work
Pam Moore 28 days ago
Excellent! Love it!
x- pose Klaus ... 28 days ago
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Béla Török 28 days ago
Fantastic capture, my friend!
Isa Rodriguez 28 days ago
magnifico!.. a pleasure to see .. perfect capture of the beauty
Lynne Morris 28 days ago
Wow from me too, this is an awesome capture.
Lois Bryan 28 days ago
Oh SHAUN!!!!! How FUN!!!! We have starlings here … and as much of a nuisance as they are … it is an extraordinary sight when they “dance” and you’ve captured it sooooo perfectly!!!!!!!! LOVE it!!!!
Hertsman 28 days ago
WOW – that is some shot.
Gouzelka 28 days ago
Wonder shot, excellent image Shaun!
babibell 28 days ago
wow! in the shape of a bird too! excellent shot! :D
Jason Connolly 28 days ago
Amazing shot Shaun..
palegirl 28 days ago
Wow Shaun what a spectacular view of nature at is its best, enhanced I think with the local landmark,well done this is fab!
David Bradbury 28 days ago
fantastic chot. We have seen these but never had chance to capture this specatcle. Wonderful :-))
Mabs 28 days ago
Wow fantastic capture – always wanted to see this natural spectacle but never managed to – stunning !!
29Breizh33 28 days ago
Stunning shot. Right place, right moment.
JacquiK 28 days ago
Absolutely fantastic Shaun
joak 28 days ago
brilliant ..as ye can tell by aw the comments!
naturelover 28 days ago
WoW Brilliant photography Shaun – !
FelicityB 28 days ago
My favourite of all your pics so far – well done!!
Jeff Stroud 28 days ago
Wondrous ! great job !
Paul Thompson ... 28 days ago
Amazing mate = Fave
PhotogeniquE IPA 28 days ago
blimey – how’d you get them to form up like that(!)
a stunner of a shot!
Rachel Davison 28 days ago
AMAZING!
rodeorose 28 days ago
Totally amazing catch – you have done so well!
jesika 28 days ago
Brilliant and I’m envious! I’d love to see the Starling Dance.
Great shot, and it fully desreves all the attention it has had.
j
WatscapePhoto 28 days ago
Great capture of a stunning spectacle. Brilliant catch, Shaun. I’ve seen ‘em do this in the city and it really takes your breath away. Of course you had the benefit of hearing them as well.
Kendra Taber 28 days ago
amazing shot..there all together to form a bird figure
Diane Schuster 28 days ago
Wow! The flock creates the image of a bird in it’s flight, how cool this is! Dee
Anthony Evans 28 days ago
Well done, perfect composition.
Barry Norton 28 days ago
Fantastic capture Shaun
lorilee 28 days ago
Wow – - – a fabulous capture, Shaun!!!!!
vanian 28 days ago
brilliant shot,
LynnEde 28 days ago
One of the best starling shots i’ve seen.
Larry Trupp 28 days ago
Just a wonderful capture Shaun, you were at the right place, at the right time..This looks like it was straight out of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds”...inst fave
Kathy Reid 28 days ago
Incredible sight….brilliant shot!
trueblvr 28 days ago
That is amazing, they are makeing one big bird. I love to watch the flow of birds flying together…..makes me think of schools of fish…..only birds, in the sky
Randall Spencer 28 days ago
Hey, a flock of birds that look like a bird.
Great shot, timing, light, action, and a strange shot all in one.
Dinni H 27 days ago
thsi is stunning! birds making a bird!!
bobculshaw 27 days ago
Shaun this is absolutely amazing!
John Kowalski 27 days ago
Great shot Shaun, amazing capture!!
dawndavies 27 days ago
wow outstanding shot, you should send this into the national geographic, its perfect,dawnx
dawndavies 27 days ago
oh i forgot to add, a celver shot, they ahve also made the shape of a bird too, send this to as many people you can, including the tv channels,dawnx
Karen Betts 27 days ago
this is just wonderful you can feel the movement and the colour in the sky is perfect. Saw a group of birds having a great time mucking about in the strong wind shereyesterday wish i could of pulled over and watched them. A Fav
Brian Mellor 27 days ago
Fabulous shot…!!
Svetlana Sewell 27 days ago
wow – Excellent work! they are in the shape of a bird!!!!!!!!!
Tania Birch 27 days ago
Nature at it’s best these little birds giving you a silhoette of one big bird. Fantastic capture.
ldeiter78 27 days ago
Awesome capture!! Right place at the right time!!
LeighN 27 days ago
Fantastic capture!
Larry Llewellyn 27 days ago
Want some more, we have enough to go around! Great shot..
Fran0723 27 days ago
WOW!! Excellent!
Caroline Gorka 27 days ago
No wonder you have got so many comments in such a short time …fabulous !
jeffrae 27 days ago
Amazing capture…had a flock here but a barking dog scattered them before I could grab my camera…so I will have to enjoy your beautiful shot and beautiful it is!
jules572 27 days ago
I have to agree with Larry. He forgot to mention the Canada geese, when they come in (hundreds at a time) for a landing, you run for cover.
Antanas 27 days ago
great capture
JudyBJ 27 days ago
AMAZING !
artwhiz47 27 days ago
This is a scene we see regularly in the open spaces around here, but as so many before me have mentioned, the bird-like shape of the flock is unique! Right place, right moment. Great shot!
Krys Bailey 27 days ago
Amazing sight, Shaun! Great capture!
BarbaraManis 27 days ago
OMG, Shaun! What a brilliant capture! Awesome!
Jens Helmstedt 27 days ago
Stunning capture! Excellent!
Tom Gomez 27 days ago
Super capture Shaun …
traveller 27 days ago
Great capture Shaun, I can’t believe the shape that they have made!
Rinkydink 26 days ago
superb spectacle – well captured
Trish Woodford 26 days ago
Wow, what a spectacular capture Shaun, amazing :)
Deirdre Brockl... 26 days ago
Stunningly beautiful and amazing.
lilian marshall 26 days ago
Stunning . In the right place at the right time .
pljvv 26 days ago
Great picture.
Ryan Davison 26 days ago
stunning capture, excellent
dinghysailor1 26 days ago
superbly captured ! what an amazing sight!
JennyMac 26 days ago
Wow! What an amazing capture!! : ))
Cheryl Lunde 26 days ago
What a site to capture! Instant fave :)
Brandie1 26 days ago
Awesome capture.
triciamary 26 days ago
Incredible shot and a definite “right place, right time” moment!
kibishipaul 26 days ago
I used to see this so often when I was a kid. Sadly, this is a rare sight nowadays. Fantastic capture, well done!
Jellybean720 26 days ago
It is formed like one huge bird… I just love these birds when they do this.. it is amazing.. GREAT CAPTURE :))
Steve & Lesley 25 days ago
brilliant
kathy s gillen... 25 days ago
Danangib 25 days ago
Amazing shot !
Joanne Bradley 25 days ago
Wow, perfect shot, perfect timing!
Peter Lusby Ta... 25 days ago
Shaun this is beyond belief and should have real commercial value -
Gerardo Sánchez 25 days ago
Awesome shot man!
Rachel Leigh 25 days ago
Wow,very cool!
Phil Threlfall 25 days ago
Looks like one big bird. Great shot
bobculshaw 25 days ago
Congratulations on the feature Shaun, richly deserved!
Heloisa Castro 25 days ago
excellent
Lachlan Kent 24 days ago
Wow!
Arrowman 24 days ago
Superb Shaun
A1000WORDS 24 days ago
Impressive…
Rosej 24 days ago
Stunning capture – I love the fact that they have formed the shape of a large bird in their migration…
lilian marshall 24 days ago
Congrats on your feature . Well deserved . There is a similar photograph in Daily Mirror today but not half as good as yours .
Anne McGinn 24 days ago
this brought a smile to my face – nature is so perfect and this is so beautiful
UnEasy 24 days ago
What can I add that hasn’t already been said? Only that a flock of starlings is called either a ‘chattering’ or a ‘murmuration’ of starlings .
mikebov 24 days ago
Brilliant
GraceNotes 24 days ago
Absolutely amazing, Shaun. And they do resemble a large bird…moving in unison. It must have been wonderful to witness!
hamidsart 23 days ago
welldone a lot of congratulations
BigD 23 days ago
Michael Rowley... 23 days ago
love the way they have formed the shape of one massive bird in flight !!!
great capture
David Silsbury 23 days ago
Great image, popular too, well done and congratulations on being featured.
David
fortner 23 days ago
I would have commented earlier Shaun but it took me a while to get to the bottom of this list . Great shot , a favourite for me !!!!!
Angie McKenzie 23 days ago
wonderful shot!!!
sendao 23 days ago
Amazing shot Shaun!....
hopelilly 22 days ago
Wonderful Shot, Shaun. Reminds me of when I was living in Denmark and saw all the swallows getting ready to leave.I felt a huge wrench seeing them fly away.
garts 22 days ago
Wonderful capture.
walela 22 days ago
Wow! Looks like one big bird!
Roddy Atkinson 21 days ago
Fabulous capture Shaun, something I’ve always wanted to witness too!
richman 21 days ago
yep, its an amazing sight to watch innit
nice capture
Marie-Louise A... 21 days ago
That’s a brilliant shot – the perfect moment
JayneLogan 21 days ago
i n c r e d i b l e !! What a shot@!
Gary Kenyon 20 days ago
Fantastic photo, I have seen this on TV and always wanted to see it myself so you must have been over the moon not only to see it but to get this lovely photograph as a permanent reminder of the starlings dancing. Superb.
Carlie Hensley 19 days ago
Absolutely Fantastic capture Shaun! Wow!!!
Tibby Steedly 19 days ago
AMAZING and beautiful capture!!! Congratulations on your features!
Jolie 19 days ago
incredible sight to see & beautiful colourfilled composition!
tori yule 19 days ago
Magnificent Capture!!!
Liane Pinel 19 days ago
Fantastic capture!
Linda Bianic 19 days ago
Fabulous,, a once in a lifetime capture,,,, well seen!! instant fav!!
Kim McClain 19 days ago
SusanAdey 18 days ago
What? You didn’t count them individually! :) Great shot, nice colour. Congrats on your feature.
Carlie Hensley 18 days ago
NikonJohn 18 days ago
Amazing! Great capture!
inkedsandra 18 days ago
I used to see this often too. This is spectacular
Bezay 18 days ago
O O O I just gotta feature this image, it is amazing and exactly what the group is about
CLICK HERE
ANNABEL S. A... 13 days ago
unimaginably beautiful
IndraniGhose 9 days ago
Stunning image!
Great shot!
Siju Doniston 4 days ago
Excellent capture.