My Darling Starlings...

A Great Reminder to Keep Looking Up - You Never Know What You Might See!

This week I was very blessed to witness the murmuration of the starling birds in a local lake not far from me. The Starling bird is a native bird to Ireland but at this time of the year ahead of migration season taking place, the Irish Starling bird is joined by other Starlings from Russia, Finland and Estonia and ahead of the flight of the Starlings back to their native lands, we the Irish people get to witness what I would call quite the miracle of nature. And of course for me, their magic fits in perfectly with my phrase to ‘keep looking up’ in this life as you just never know what you will see.

***I have recorded a personalised voiceover for this piece so please feel free to hit play as you read or maybe I might be your company in the car or out for a walk. I also make great company if you want to clean out the fridge or just lie on your bed. I hope you enjoy listening if that might be something you would enjoy x

Each evening before the Starlings return to roost just after the sun sets, they deliver what can only be described as a ‘dance in the sky’. Like synchronised swimmers they perform moves that cannot be imagined but instead must be witnessed to be believed. The imagery presented is similar to what you would see as witnessing a shoal of fish in the sea yet this is in the sky…. These darling little birds join together to perform something very special and I felt very honoured to have witnessed it.

I had travelled to one viewing point last Friday week but unfortunately they appeared at a different side of the lake. I then made my move to another location just on the Friday gone, and I was so blessed to see the starlings or the ‘darlings’ as I like to refer to them now do their thing. The location was packed and in recent times, the starlings have become quite a tik tok trend and are making headlines all over the country and the world. I’m sure someone of their friends have surely ‘tweeted’ them about their rising fame - a little punny joke there haha ;) or maybe a little birdy has at least informed them of their raging success…and of course that is why so many people are being drawn to them right now.

They are indeed lighting up the skies and our lives all in one at the moment, and it is great to see people getting out and looking up. I do hope that people might remember that it is not Tik Tok nor social media posts or even the internet that makes nature amazing but instead the fact that we can access this magic at anytime in any place and this is why we should be looking up without direction or instruction whenever we need inspiration or hope.

The gift that is nature is that it never leaves our side. It never looks down at us nor judges us. It never expects us to change for it nor does it want us to put on a show. Instead it is just itself and it is beautiful. It is natural and it is innately being itself at all times and we can look towards it, be inspired by it and be at one with it in every breathe we take.

I’ve included a little video down below of the kind of experience that is the murmuration of the starlings at Lough Ennell in County Westmeath and I hope you enjoy it. The murmuration lasted about fifteen to twenty minutes. If you might live near Westmeath I would really recommend you making the trip. Soon the birds will depart from this beautiful location and this ritual will fade from our sight. The moving on of the seasons is a true sign that spring is moving along and the bright light of the summer is beginnning to move our way.

The word murmuration comes from the sound they make as they swoop in and around you. There is a murmur as they pass over your head and then as the groups of birds move in from all directions to become one, it really becomes a miracle of the sky.

I feel very lucky that I got to witness the birds and I am so grateful to them for reminding me that we are not alone in this world, instead we are all part of the one universe, the one planet, the one sky, the one community and if we stay focused on being together instead of being apart, we will always have a reason to look up :)

Thanks for being my darling starlings here Substack readers :)

Lou x

I’ve included a little poem I was inspired to write about this very moment - I just wrote it now as I was putting together this Substack and I really hope you enjoy it x

. Keep looking up my dear friends. Also a big thanks to all who read/listen to my words and for supporting my work as a fulltime writer. Also a big hello and welcome to the many new readers that have found me in recent weeks.

I am so honoured to call you all my friends x

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My Darling Starlings

By Louise Coghlan

The world is troubled but I am not,

The sky is blue but I am not.

Countries are at war but I am not,

Leaders are lost but I am not.

I stand with nature in its view,

I look right up and I see you.

My darling starlings as you gather,

We move closer, it’s what really matters.

The crowd settle in as you move side to side,

Birds flocking together,  at ease in a glide.

You’re a sight to behold, a dance that is special,

Nature is at work, Gods messaage as your vessel.

It all becomes very still as the people slowly realise

The true leaders of this world live with you in the skies,

From the ground we look up and only see part of the story

When nature is at work, it’s earth’s finest glory.

And in a matter of minutes, you’re gone from my view.

The light it is dulling, the day is gone too. 

My time on this earth is short and you are that reminder.

Our aim should be simple, to be soft and gentle and at all times even kinder.

You arrive without notice and leave the same way.

Just like in life, we never know when it will be our final day.

I look up to the sky in the hope that you might return,

But just like my heartbeat, your exit is firm. 

There’s no coming back from this life when we’re gone,

But the bonus to note, is that we have tomorrow's dawn.

My starlings you have given us so much, 

Looking up, looking out, you’re heavens first touch.

For now I will rest, as you take your well earned break.

A synchonised dance in the sky, a memory to wake.

Thank you dear starlings, for my soul it feels rested.

A relief from the worlds chaos was what I had manifested.

Lough Ennell you are beautiful from dawn until dark,

The seasons -my company; never failing to ignite my spark.

Tonight I’ll sleep soundly as my soul catches the moon fall,

Thanking nature as always, you answered the call.

Just to mention if you might enjoy my thoughts, words, ramblings and my all round love and joy that I so want to share with you, be sure to know you can find me being very active on: www.facebook.com/livingandlaughingwithlou

I would be so thrilled if you might leave me a comment down below as it’s so great to know you are here and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your words keep my words flowing x Thank you x

**I have begun working on my next book and words like this letter including the poem is the type of writing I will be including. I’d love to know your thoughts on the poem and if you might enjoy contributions like this. You are my community and what encourages me most to write is that I am helping you to keep looking up and I hope that I am always leading with the light when you might feel like you are in the dark :) Your opinions, views and feelings really matter to me so I love to hear them x

PS. you are so good to have read down to here - VIP friends you are x