01-23-2015, 03:06 AM
This was shown on BBC's 'Winterwatch' programme last night and apparently it is the first time such an event has ever been caught on camera.
Knots are a European wading bird and they often engage in massed flight in formation (known as 'murmuration').
This has only been recorded previously during the hours of daylight. On this occasion, a BBC Natural History film crew, armed with military grade infra-red camera equipment, set out to film these charming birds during the hours of darkness.
In this clip, thousands of Knots are feeding on the mud flats. The incoming tide comes in more quickly than expected and takes them by surprise. Their response - they take off and almost immediately form a murmuration.
Remember, it's night time and pitch black, and the birds here are in full flight i.e. travelling at speed. And you'll notice that the twists and turns of their aerial 'dance' are pronounced. How they avoid colliding with each other is a mystery.
Astonishing footage ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hbm1l
Knots are a European wading bird and they often engage in massed flight in formation (known as 'murmuration').
This has only been recorded previously during the hours of daylight. On this occasion, a BBC Natural History film crew, armed with military grade infra-red camera equipment, set out to film these charming birds during the hours of darkness.
In this clip, thousands of Knots are feeding on the mud flats. The incoming tide comes in more quickly than expected and takes them by surprise. Their response - they take off and almost immediately form a murmuration.
Remember, it's night time and pitch black, and the birds here are in full flight i.e. travelling at speed. And you'll notice that the twists and turns of their aerial 'dance' are pronounced. How they avoid colliding with each other is a mystery.
Astonishing footage ...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02hbm1l
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