Stunning photographs show a flock of stars forming a giant bird shape as they fly in shape over an Irish lake.
Taken on Tuesday afternoon (March 2) by photographer James Crombie, the photographs show a flock of fully synchronized birds flying over Lake Ennell, Co. Kildare. Northwest near the village of Mullingar.
As you can imagine, the images are pretty amazing.
Photographer Crombie has traveled to Lake Ennell in about 50 hours, trying to find the right place to take pictures of the birds.
Crombie, who was recently named news photographer of the year by the Irish Association of News Photographers, told the Irish Times: time to think about other things.
“I saw they were making shapes. I kept going back, to get the image I had in my head.”
It took Crombie months to get the images he wanted, with the photographer claiming to have burned between 400 and 500 frames to find the perfect images.
He said: “A friend of mine, Colin Hogg, lives near the loch, and he told me last year that the drafts would paint a good picture.
“They nest in the reeds around the lake, and they move every four or five days, towards sunset, and when they move they make shapes. ”
The images show the stars sweeping and diving together, in a process known as ‘murmuration’.
Also known as swarm behavior, this occurs when hundreds or thousands of animals or groups move together as one.
Murders in the past have seen the stars take on the shape of love hearts and even Christmas stockings.
The large stock was captured on camera by photographer Ed Sykes, of Halifax, West Yorkshire – and just weeks before Christmas.
He said: “I have visited the site to photograph the stars a number of times over the last few weeks.
“As we move into December and pick up for Christmas it’s great to catch on.
such an appropriate picture. “
Stars gather together as a form of protection against predators, as well as staying warm and even communicating.
Unfortunately, the creatures are on the list of the most endangered birds in the UK, with the population falling by more than 80 per cent in recent years.