EarthShots.org Photo of the Day Contest

Monday, 14th March 2011

Giving the Bird

by Rob Wolstenholme

A classic starling roost site in the UK, the birds arrive before dusk and react to the presence of predators - in this case a sparrowhawk - by bunching and gyrating in unison, forming amazing and unpredictable shapes in the evening sky. Shapwick Heath National Nature Reserve, England, U

Equipment: Nikon D700

Rob Wolstenholme

UK based photographer and nature reserve manager

Website: Alamy

Giving the Bird by Rob Wolstenholme was photo of the day on Monday, 14th March 2011. It is tagged Birds. You can leave a comment below.

35 Comments

Marianne

14th March 2011 at 4:57 am

o.m.g. What are the chances?! What a shot!!

Duke Coonrad

14th March 2011 at 5:04 am

This is an awesome photograph … the shape of the swarm ot starlings …. looks like a giant bird

Anurag

14th March 2011 at 6:44 am

Speechless!!
I know of small fish forming a pattern resembling a big one to ward off sharks, but never before did I see such a pattern in birds.

Liubawa10

14th March 2011 at 8:27 am

Breathless! How it can be real?

Bettina

14th March 2011 at 8:31 am

Amazing! Nature is perfect… and leaves us speachless.

James Fougere

14th March 2011 at 8:58 am

WOW, the shape of a bird!! Unreal :0

HEIDI

14th March 2011 at 9:24 am

wonderful capture Rob ?

Pauline Jones

14th March 2011 at 9:28 am

Oh wow, a bird made up of birds. We get huge starling clouds here but I have never seen this shape.

amontanha

14th March 2011 at 10:47 am

original heh

Kathy Urbach

14th March 2011 at 11:43 am

great image….

Louise | Italy

14th March 2011 at 11:46 am

It’s a great image. When I was a child growing up in the centre of the UK, we used to see huge flocks of starlings like this, but I haven’t seen one for many a long year.

Alex Sharp

14th March 2011 at 12:03 pm

That’s an amazing photo, well done

Rajib Singha

14th March 2011 at 12:45 pm

Spectacular image!

Melissa S

14th March 2011 at 2:02 pm

Just amazing as to the thought patterns of our animal friends. Very wise indeed! What a great shot too.

Helen Hart

14th March 2011 at 2:07 pm

Incredible sight, so glad you could capture it!

Marie Dunphy Harding

14th March 2011 at 2:19 pm

They made their own Island of fellowship in the sky! Inspiring shot!

David Lazar

14th March 2011 at 2:50 pm

I understand coincidences can happen – but this just seems too much of one – to get a perfect bird outline like that and the shading on the chest and head, probably had to be conjured up in post.
Anway – it’s a clever piece of art.

Andrew

14th March 2011 at 3:43 pm

this… is… amazing. Birds form a bird pattern? Impossible .

Renato

14th March 2011 at 3:47 pm

Fantastic.
The power of the union …

Carol

14th March 2011 at 4:29 pm

OK it’s a great shot, but did you edit it to get this shape? I’ve seen swarms of starlings in the UK but never in shapes like this.

Flame

14th March 2011 at 4:50 pm

wonderful shot!

Blackmagdalene

14th March 2011 at 5:56 pm

Fantastico

Gouldkb

14th March 2011 at 6:04 pm

It reminds me of the scene in Finding Nemo with the school of fish. Great shot! Thank you for sharing

May Haga

14th March 2011 at 6:05 pm

Wonderful capture. Absolutely cool.
May

roxy johnstone

14th March 2011 at 7:29 pm

I love this! Nature is the best artist! Thanks for sharing….

E Mancuso

14th March 2011 at 8:55 pm

Great Shot! good caption, too.

art x

14th March 2011 at 9:46 pm

pretty impressive shot.

Ursula

14th March 2011 at 11:22 pm

This implies that the birds can communicate their intentions of a given form. Wouldn’t that be something?! And if this form happened by chance, it’s still incredible and serindipedous that you captured it.