This incredible video shows a tens of thousands of starlings take to the skies in Derbyshire to produce one of the most magical sights in the natural world.
The event, known as a murmuration, took place above Middleton Moor.
Early evening, just before dusk, is the best time to see them across the UK as they perform their aerial dance and choose their communal night-time shelter. They roost in places that are sheltered from harsh weather and predators.
They tend to roost in woodlands, but reedbeds, cliffs, buildings and industrial structures are also used. During the day, however, they form daytime roosts at exposed places such as treetops, where the birds have good all-round visibility.
Autumn roosts usually begin to form in November, though this varies from site to site and some can begin as early as September. More and more birds will flock together as the weeks go on, and the number of starlings in a roost can swell to around 100,000 in some places.
The huge gatherings are at their largest in winter, as they are boosted by thousands of migrant birds visiting from Europe for Britain's milder Atlantic climate.
