Mesmerising Murmurations on the Mere

Last winter, during our visit to the RSPB Leighton Moss reserve, we were told that if we waited till dusk, we could get to see a very remarkable phenomenon called murmuration by the starling bird. We had to let go the opportunity then as we had to catch our return train around that time.

Then, a few weeks ago, I read on social media that the murmuration can be watched at the WWT Martin Mere. The Mere was hosting the North West Birding Fair during the 3rd weekend of November. So, if we attended the bird fair, figuratively, it would be killing two birds with one stone–have a look at the fair as well get another opportunity to witness the grand spectacle.

It was a very hectic Sunday at the fair, watching the Bird Ringing procedure, followed by some heavy-duty birding and bird feeding activity. The WWT staff advised us we should be at the Harrier hide shortly before sunset, around 4 pm, to get a good view of the starling murmuration.

Eurpoean Starling

Before talking about my experience, let me briefly introduce you to Starlings and murmuration. The European starling, or simply Starling in the UK, is a medium-sized passerine bird belonging to the starling family. From a distance, the European Starling (Starling) may look black coloured but as you get closer, their glossiness with sheen of purples and green will be clearly visible. They are highly sociable birds and move in large flocks. Just as a collection of crows is called Murder, a collection of starlings is called a murmuration!! And we were at the Mere to watch the starling murmuration in action.

Starling murmurations are typically seen at dusk throughout Europe between November and February. During the autumn/winter months, there are higher starling numbers in the UK due to the migration from the colder Northern Europe. Until 1980s murmurations were regularly seen across the UK, but due to the falling starling numbers, it is now restricted to few locations, specifically to the rural areas with reed beds. Though most murmurations comprise thousands or sometimes hundreds of thousands of starlings, there have been some massive numbers as well. In 1999-2000 at the Shapwick Heath National Reserve, a murmuration of more than 6 million starlings was recorded. That would have been something really spectacular!!

It being our first visit to the WWT Martin Mere, we were not aware of the location of Harrier Hide. It was easy to pick up the path as you just had to follow the mass of people who were walking towards it. By the time we reached the hide at 3.45 pm, it was already jam-packed and there was no way we could get a good view from the hide. So we walked out of the hide and went down to the open fields, which were also crowded and contained no less than 500 people. I could see the reed beds some hundred metres away and understood that this would be the roosting ground for the starlings.

Spectators watching the Murmuration 

Spectators enjoying the show - The Hide behind

The sun was going down quickly, and it was almost 4 pm when I spotted a flock of starlings converging from our left-hand side. Within the next few minutes, we could see the magnificent display of Starling murmuration taking place right in front of our eyes. As the autumn daylight faded away, small flocks of starlings coming in from all directions began to join up, twisting and turning in harmony forming a visual delight. Sometimes they split up and moved into smaller flocks to reunite. With each manoeuvre, we could see hundreds of starlings drop down to their roosting site, only to quickly re-emerge into the sky. A couple of times there were near mid-air collisions between the starlings and smaller flocks of Pink-footed Geese, which flew into their path. This did create some commotion, however, the starlings once again grouped together and went about their action. It was also funny to spot few laggards joining the formation very late in the show and adding to the count. It was a visual treat to watch 50,000 starlings demonstrate unpredictable patterns and acrobatics in the sky.

Formation of a pattern

Another pattern formation

Zoom view of the murmuration

There is still a lot of debate as to why do starlings form murmurations. The generally accepted theory is that murmurations are an indication or signal attracting all the starlings in the area so that they can roost together. This grouping together not only manages predation risk but also provide shelter and warmth from the harsh weather. But this process of accumulating huge numbers invariably attracts predators. As explained by selfish herd theory, an individual bird within a flock attempt to reduce its predation risk by moving continuously to the centre of the flock. But the centre never stabilises as each individual bird is trying to attempt the same and this perpetual motion leads to this unique phenomenon. To the naked eye, it looked like a swarm of bees. 

Is that a whale in the sky ?

The murmuration and the trees give a Dino formation

It is a marvel how thousands of birds know and decide when and where to turn together, in sync. Recent research shows that each starling while flying follows its six or seven immediate neighbours. And they don’t collide or bump into each other due to their lightning-fast reactions and strong spatial coherence. Thus, when a single starling changes direction or speed, the whole flock responds as if the information has spread in real-time across the flock. Beyond theories and conjectures, today hundreds of biologists, sociologists, mathematicians, physicists and scientists across the world are still researching to find the exact reasons behind this unique behaviour by using latest technologies.

The Milky Way formation

Starlings sending out love through the Heart Pattern formation

Throughout this awe-inspiring performance, which lasted 15 to 20 minutes, there were constant "Oohs" and "Aahs" from the thrilled crowd. The grand show ended, when, with a swoop all the starlings disappeared into the reed beds to get their well-deserved night break. Actually, I felt like clapping and giving a standing ovation to these beautiful birds for providing us with a humbling experience.

Check out the short video of the murmuration - Real action starts after 35 secs

The Legend of Liver Bird

One of the highlights of the apartment where we stay in Liverpool is the wonderful bird's-eye view we get of the town from the balcony. When I turn my head diagonally to the far right, I can see two statues atop the clock tower on the Royal Liver building at the Liverpool’s Pierhead on the banks of the River Mersey. I initially mistook this creature to be some kind of dragon or a seahorse, the handiwork of an overzealous medieval architect.

Later, while I was going through the council tax bill, my attention was drawn to the emblem of the Liverpool City Council (Council) which looked strikingly similar to the winged creature I get to see daily from my balcony. However, the winged creature on the council emblem looked like a bird to me.

During a casual chat with a colleague, I learned that the bird on that emblem was called the “Liver bird” (pronounced as Lyver) and the city took its name from this mythical bird. As I explored and read more, it dawned on me that the Liver bird was inseparable from the city, popping out and making its presence felt in all spheres of life. 

Royal Liver Building, Liverpool Pierhead

And indeed the birds atop the Royal Liverpool Building (built in 1911) are the most famous and photographed Liver birds – Bella and Bertie. As with most fables, nobody knows where the names and gender of the two birds originated from.  Folklore has it that the female bird is looking towards the sea to watch over the city’s seamen who are out working to provide for their families. And the male bird is looking inwards towards the city to watch over the families who have been left behind. It is also believed that the two Liver birds have been tightly chained to the building to ensure they don’t fly away. For, if it happens, there will be a natural calamity for Liverpool in the form of floods and the city may be destroyed forever.

The chained Liver Bird - Royal Liver Building

Liver Bird atop the Clock Tower - Royal Liver Building

The Liver bird has been associated with the city of Liverpool for at least 800 years. There are surviving Royal seal impressions from 1352, which depicted a generic bird with a plant sprig in its beak. Some historians say the bird on the seal was almost certainly intended to be an eagle, the symbol of John the Evangelist, who was the patron saint of King John, the then ruler of England. Others have theorised that the bird on the seal was a dove with an olive branch.

13th Century Liverpool Seal Impression
Source - Wikipedia

Liverpool City Council Coat of Arms
Source - Wikipedia

Though there have been pictorial representations of this bird in many historical documents related to the city, it is only in 1668 that it is referenced by a name – the “Leaver” bird. It seems that over the next few centuries the “Leaver” bird came to be called as the Liver bird. Some linguists suggest that “Leaver” can be a corrupted version of the Dutch word “Lefler” which stands for Spoonbill. As the legend around this bird grew, it seems that pictorial depiction also changed over the centuries. The historical references and representations from 16th and 17th century also suggest that this bird may indeed be a cormorant, which was a fairly common bird to the seafarers. Thus, in modern times, Liver birds have been commonly drawn as a variation of the cormorant and its representation can be found in more than 100 locations across Liverpool.

From the streets of Liverpool 

The Liver bird is now unofficially acknowledged as the symbol of Liverpool and it appears on all sorts of souvenirs, buildings, paintings, logos and in fables. It also appears on the masthead of the highly circulated local tabloid Liverpool Echo. The Liver bird was also the symbol of the Bank of Liverpool, which merged with Martins Bank in 1918, followed by its acquisition by Barclays Bank in 1969. When the Beatles mania was ruling the world in the 1960s there was an all-female rock band called “The Liverbirds” playing in the pubs of Liverpool. There was also a popular 1970s British sitcom aptly titled “The Liver Birds” on the lives of 2 women from Liverpool.

The liver bird is also associated with Liverpool’s biggest sporting icons - Liverpool Football Club (LFC) and Everton Football Club (Everton). And the city's  most famous bird takes prominence on the logo of LFC, one of the most identifiable football emblems in the world today. As branding and marketing became the buzzword in modern football, in order to stop fake club merchandise, in 2008, LFC attempted to trademark the version of the Liver Bird on its logo. This led to a bitter tussle between the Council and LFC on the legitimacy of the ownership of the Liver bird. Finally, in 2010, an agreement was reached between the two parties, LFC finally trademarked the Liver bird with the European trademark office, and the Council filed a trademark with the British Intellectual Property Office. Everton also featured the Liver bird prominently on medals and souvenirs until 1930 when it was replaced with the "Lockup". There is a sense of pathos amongst Evertonians that the Liver bird is now associated with LFC and they are no longer a part of this legend.

From what I have seen of the modern representation of the bird, it looks to me more like a cormorant than an eagle, or a dove or a spoonbill or any other bird of prey. And the most interesting thing is that each version of the bird is slightly different but every depiction is immediately identifiable as a Liver bird. It is truly a unique species - you'll never find a mention in any ornithology or birding books, or the birding lists of eBird or BirdTrack. But the legend lives on!!

As they say, you will never walk alone in Liverpool, the Liver bird always gives you company.