Starlings at Slimbridge photo gallery

Swarms of up to 20,000 starlings will be circling in the dusk skies above Slimbridge Wetland Centre throughout February 2009, SoGlos.com’s snapper joined the crowd to see this unique natural phenomenon.

Wrapped up in hats, scarves and multiple layers of jumpers, scores of bird watchers were braving temperatures in the minuses at Slimbridge Wetland Centre near Stroud at the start of February to catch a glimpse of a humble starling – and up to 20,000 of his friends.

As the sun set, flocks of thousands of the birds simultaneously took to the sky for their evening feed, grouping into swirling black balls and performing synchronised aerial displays for the craned-neck observers clutching cameras and binoculars below.

Despite some poo-splatterings, the excitement of the evening spectacle left onlookers of all ages open-mouthed, in what was has to be one of the annual highlights Gloucestershire plays host to throughout February each year.

Find out more about seeing the Starling spectacular at Slimbridge for yourself.