Video
WATCH: Huge flock of birds spotted over coastline - but why?
Hundreds of sea birds were seen flocking over Overstrand in north Norfolk. Picture: Jim Keenan - Credit: Archant
A huge flock of gulls were seen darkening the sky above Overstrand.
Hundreds of the birds, which were joined by other species including swifts and terns, were seen circling up into the sky above the rooftops and shoreline of the north Norfolk village just before midday on Friday, July 17.
Sophie Barker, Norfolk Ornithologists Association warden, based in Holme-next-the-Sea, said flying ants were the likely cause.
She said: “It’s quite common to get a big, mixed flock of gulls go up in a spiral, and when you get a lot of them you get terns join in as well.
“This is the time of year when we do tend to get a lot of flying ants - they take wing as they reach a certain temperature.
“The birds use thermals and they expend almost no energy as they’re going around, and they’re able to pick off the ants as they go up.”
The behaviour is called the ants’ ‘nuptial flight’.
Most Read
- 1 Swap shop for women's clothing opens in Cromer
- 2 Food review, The Crawfish Inn, Thursford: ‘Massive value for money'
- 3 Lily, 13, 'excited' as first novel hits book shops
- 4 People come 'from all over the country' to try this Norfolk seafood platter
- 5 New boss hopes to put his own stamp on Sheringham cafe
- 6 School celebrates being Norfolk's first to gain LGBTQ+ inclusion award
- 7 Weather warning as strong winds set to hit parts of Norfolk this weekend
- 8 10-year-old town centre deli announces sudden closure
- 9 Tribute paid to much-loved dad who died in cycling accident
- 10 Warning after dogs left 'limp or lifeless' by mystery illness
During the flight, virgin queen ants mate with males and then land to start a new colony.
Have you seen a similar phenomenon? Email your photos and video to stuart.anderson@archant.co.uk
