A small group of starlings (European starling, Sturnus vulgaris), assembled on a bush not far from their overnight roosting area, await their moment to join the throng of thousands heading past them and off into the surrounding fields for the day.

The sound on this video is entirely generated by the voices and wings of the flock, and was amazing to witness. The roar of the massed wingbeats sounded almost like a thundering of hooves at times. I was very fortunate, on this particular morning, that a good proportion of the roost had decided to briefly congregate near to one of the viewing screens (which they rarely do, in my experience) before they left the reserve for the day, around half an hour before sunrise. Thus I was able to stay hidden and not disturb them as they prepared to leave.

Location: RSPB Otmoor nature reserve, Oxfordshire, UK
Date: 05 Jan 2022

I've included a half-speed slomo version of the same clip after the normal-speed version.

Filmed using an #iPhoneXS attached to an Opticron field scope (technique sometimes known as 'phonescoping').

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