"Spectacular skies of small birds over a seaside structure" Waking up to a dry, cold day a trip to my home town of #blackpool seemed a sensible excursion for yesterday. Unsurprisingly, the weather forecasts of a clear, sunny day were inaccurate, but at least it wasn't raining. A short trip to the coast made perfect sense, plus there was always a chance of catching a murmuration over the #northpier I first saw this several years ago, capturing it just as it was about to end, this time catching the whole event was the aim. Deciding to arrive at the #northpierblackpool an hour before the sun went down, I was still taken by surprise. There were already two flocks probably consisting of several thousand birds flying in formation above and around the pier. The North Pier murmuration is now becoming recognised as one of the best places to see these wildlife spectaculars in the UK. There was a small group of photographers and spectators enjoying the mesmerising spectacle, there was even a video unit. These displays are breathtaking, many thousands arriving in smaller flocks to perform in huge swarms. Twisting, swirling masses of starlings performing balletic manouvres at twilight over the beaches of North Shore. The birds seem to move as a single being, their movements almost synchronised, coming together then splitting temporarily like pizza dough being torn in half. Eventually, the birds settle down to their roosts among the supports of the pier, occuring quite quickly once the first birds touch down. The only sign of the horde of starlings is the roar of the twittering, within the dark shadows beneath the pier. TIP: A long lens and quick shutter speed is useful for catching murmurations, but this quality glass can become heavy when used for extended periods; a murmuration can last up to an hour. Make use of a tripod, don't tighten the locking handles, allowing freedom to follow the action, but with the benefit of support. Watch the blog for a post about the murmuration later today, link in my bio. (at Blackpool North Pier)