Free Gift!

As we drove home from a sunny Valley lakes early last evening, my eyes were greeted with the sight of a mini-murmuration above the housing estate on which we live.

Now, I know I bang on about starlings a lot… I love them, it’s true! I often wonder how someone could not adore them when they look like this….

Starling by Ryan Mottram

As we neared home and I gazed skyward, I wondered at how many other passersby actually noticed this spectacle above their heads?? The birders of Holyhead certainly would, those interested in nature no doubt, but who else? Were people really walking by, driving through, cycling home and missing this? From a quick look around, I fear that they might have done.

After quickly getting my washing from the line (yes, it was actually sunny enough to dry it yesterday!) I watched the birds swirl and dance above the estate from the kitchen window. The mass wasn’t as plentiful as we can see elsewhere on Anglesey, but the sight was equally impressive and perhaps more satisfying as it was from my own home.

I felt compelled to write this blog after sharing this spectacle by text message of all things… I have been very lucky to witness the sun setting over the horizon of cardigan bay as thousands upon thousand of birds dance their way to roost under Aberystwyth pier. An unforgettable moment shared. We relived the joy of this moment by text yesterday evening when one of us in Aberystwyth and one of us in Holyhead watched each our very own starling show in unison.

Earlier this week, too, I received another text from a friend who has recently moved to Anglesey and who has been getting to know the bird life through me. “I saw the most amazing starling murmuration from my living room at lunchtime, there were that many starlings they completely covered the sky outside all the windows, it was amazing!”. I was thrilled to hear that she had found so much enjoyment out of this feat of nature and especially that she had discovered it herself from her own home. I wonder how many people didn’t notice?

Nature provides us with many free gifts and I fear people are missing out.

I am in a privileged position, I am lucky enough to work where I do and in the field that I do. I am a firm believer that someone could try equally as hard to be here and yet things conspire against them and so despite my hard work, I feel very lucky. I am also in a priviledged position because I have my health and enough free time to get out and see such things. When it comes to the free gift of nature though, you really don’t need to be here on Anglesey, down in Aberystwyth or anywhere in particular. As a recent tv programme showed me, nature abounds in even the most urbanised areas and what a gift to share this with someone?! Share it with a loved one, a friend, a child. If we all share our own mini -spectacles won’t we reach everybody? It’s free.

A philosophical Kathy x