Starling Murmuration near Newcastle
I had heard reports of a large starling murmuration taking place near Gosforth, just off the A1 north of Newcastle. A local photographer had shared some incredible images online and living relatively close by I knew I had to go and witness it for myself.
Starling Murmiration near Great Park
To capture good photographs of a murmuration a clear sky helps enormously so that the birds stand out against the background. As luck would have it, after weeks of heavy cloud cover we were finally given a small window of blue sky. I knew this was the evening to head out.
The starling murmurations around Gosforth are thought to be some of the biggest in the North East
I parked in a nearby housing estate and made the short walk to the viewing spot. For anyone wishing to visit, I’ve attached a map of the location below. Park in the blue circle and stand in the red circle for a good view of the display.
Site of the starling murmuration near Gosforth, Newcastle. Just over from the A1 at Great Park
The time was 5:40pm, about five minutes before sunset, when the first few starlings began to appear. At first there were only small groups arriving from different directions. I started taking photos straight away before another onlooker pointed out that this was only the beginning, the real show was still to come.
As the sun dropped below the horizon more and more birds began to arrive, swirling and weaving through the sky above our heads. These gatherings happen just before the birds go to roost for the night. By flying together they gain safety in numbers, making it harder for predators to single out an individual bird.
Sure enough, we soon spotted a few birds of prey circling nearby, hoping to pick off an easy meal. When a predator approaches the starlings tighten their formation and twist rapidly through the sky, creating the incredible flowing shapes and patterns that murmurations are famous for.
With wildlife you never quite know what you’re going to get, so I moved around the edge of the lake a few times to experiment with different angles for my photos. As the flock continued to grow, the display became truly spectacular. The birds moved like a living cloud, constantly shifting shape as thousands of individuals reacted instantly to the movements of their neighbours. At times I found myself lowering the camera and simply watching. I stood in awe, gazing up at the patterns unfolding in the sky.
As darkness began to fall, the starlings finally dropped down into the reed bed to roost for the night. After all the swirling chaos above us, the descent happened surprisingly quickly, the birds pouring into the reeds in wave after wave. It was an incredible experience to witness and one I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in wildlife or photography.
Key Information
Arrive around 15 minutes before sunset.
There is plenty of off-street parking in the nearby housing estate.
Wear a waterproof coat with a hood, thousands of birds overhead means you might become a target!
The display usually peaks around 10–15 minutes after sunset.
If birds of prey are present you have a good chance of seeing the flock create some amazing shapes as they twist and turn to avoid them.
Once the birds drop down to roost, head back to your car fairly quickly to avoid traffic.