Sick yobs blast fireworks at thousands of birds in skies over Doncaster

Sick yobs have blasted fireworks at thousands of birds in the skies over Doncaster during their nightly roosting ritual.
Fireworks are let off into the starling murmuration above Doncaster.Fireworks are let off into the starling murmuration above Doncaster.
Fireworks are let off into the starling murmuration above Doncaster.

The stunning starling murmuration, which sees thousands of birds swoop through the skies in dramatic patterns and formations shortly before dusk, has become a familiar sight in the area near Potteric Carr Nature Reserve over the last few weeks.

The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.
The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.
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But last night fireworks were blasted into the cloud of birds - causing them to scatter and drawing criticism from people living nearby.

One person, who witnessed the attack, but chose to remain anonymous, said: "There are some sick individuals around - those poor birds.

"The fireworks came from the Belle Vue area where the birds circulate each evening.

"All the cars and houses in the streets in that area are covered in bird poo - lots of it.

The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.
The cloud of starlings over Belle Vue.
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"I am assuming that someone is fed up of it and trying to move the birds with fireworks but it is wrong and evil. My own car and home are covered in it but I wouldn't do something as cruel as that."

Despite being among the most common garden birds the phenomenon of a murmuration of starlings still manages to captivate imaginations.

Swooping and soaring, the breathtaking sight is believed to be a form of protection from predators and murmurations tend to take place shortly before sunset.

Murmurations make it incredibly difficult for even the most sharp-eyed of predators to focus on a single bird.

They also gather to keep warm at night and to exchange information, such as good feeding areas.

They gather over their roosting site, and perform their wheeling stunts before they roost for the night.