Starlings over Brighton

One of my favourite things about Brighton, and it’s free, is the return of the starlings to the Brighton Pier, the derelict West Pier and the West Quay in the Marina. Up close they’re aggressive, ugly birds – really greasy looking – but in a flock they act as one mass.

At dusk this dark cloud of thousands of birds wheels and spins above you creating an infinite number of different shapes – globes, funnels, long streaks like black smoke across the sky. After 10 or 15 minutes one bird breaks cover and swoops beneath the pier to their roosting place and all the others follow in one great streak. An evening sky full of birds empties in seconds.

Amazing.

Brian Snow
Avalon Hotel Brighton
brian@avalonbrighton.co.uk
www.avalonbrighton.co.uk