VIDEO: Watch the spectacular footage of 250,000 starlings in murmuration at Ripon City Wetlands

With videos spreading across social media, crowds of up to a hundred gathering, some travelling from as far as Leeds, Sheffield and Hartlepool.

Locals and visitors alike watched the starlings as they appeared to suspend the senses and momentarily, transcend reality.

People gather early in the evening at around 4pm to watch the swooping mass of thousands of birds swirling in the sky, better known as murmurations.

Jo Morrell from Masham said: “I had no idea that the Ripon Wetlands existed, nothing could have prepared me for this spectacle!

"I had seen murmurations on nature programmes on TV, but being there, watching in absolute silence felt like a religious experience.

“It was truly awe inspiring. As the form twisted and waved above us like a fine gossamer cloth creating the most staggeringly beautiful shapes, the only sound was that of the birds' beating wings.

“Such a wonder of nature and something that will stay with me for life!’

Ruth Campbell, who lives near Ripon, said: “There were hundreds of thousands of them. It was mesmerising to watch the shapes they made in the sky, against the dramatic backdrop of the setting Sun.

“They were roosting right in front of us in the large reed bed, and came down right over our heads!”

Known as one of nature's extraordinary sights, the starlings’ ‘uncanny’ coordination was once a thing of wonder.

RCW’s have an estimated starling population of around 250,000 and continues to grow in proportion to the land which offers sanctuary for roosting.

The wetlands are on the outskirts of Ripon and were formed in 2019 to encourage the return of wildlife and strengthen biodiversity.

Yorkshire’s Wildlife Trust (YWT) transformed the exhausted mineral quarry into a wetlands as part of the ‘Wilder Wetlands’ project protecting wildlife across Britain.

Jonathan Leadley, North Regional Manager Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: “The mosaic of habitats at Ripon City Wetlands has been carefully designed to work the very best for wildlife.”

A spokesman for YWT, James Forster said: “As you imagine things take time to grow and mature, it’s not the finished article yet.”

RCW has only been open for a short period of time and has already shown a remarkable increase in diversity.

“It just shows if you provide habitat for wildlife, how quickly it all moves in.

“After we lost some species and others got very low, it became important to get them back.

“Biodiversity is obviously necessary to the planet, we need to correct and rectify that.”

Yorkshire, in particular rural areas like Nidderdale, have been playing an impressive part in the recovery of species, Mr Forster said: “We tend to be good at increasing habitat and biodiversity across the county.

“But generally around the country we are starting to see a change and action being done.

“It’s important to educate people and help them understand more.

“If it wasn’t for our generous members we wouldn’t be able to do these things. It’s really important they know this and we continue to grow and encourage incredible species to these habitats.”

For more information visit https://www.ywt.org.uk/nature-reserves/ripon-city-wetlands

Video credit: Helen Hays