Paul Farley on the Starling episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 7, 2025 · 1 MIN

Paul Farley on the Starling

from Tweet of the Day · host BBC Radio 4

In the season where starlings gather to murmurate in our winter skies, poet Paul Farley is admiring this dazzling bird up close. Every spring a pair of starlings used to nest in a hollow wall in the house where Paul grew up, and he never got tired of studying its dark iridescent plumage. Laying in bed at night Paul would hear the starlings' impressive mimicry, and remembers the sound of a radio being tuned and even human voices, imagining that these intelligent birds have been curiously studying us.Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.This programme features a recording by Oliver Swift from Xeno-Canto (XC710439 - Common Starling)

In the season where starlings gather to murmurate in our winter skies, poet Paul Farley is admiring this dazzling bird up close. Every spring a pair of starlings used to nest in a hollow wall in the house where Paul grew up, and he never got tired of studying its dark iridescent plumage. Laying in bed at night Paul would hear the starlings' impressive mimicry, and remembers the sound of a radio being tuned and even human voices, imagining that these intelligent birds have been curiously studying us.Presented by Paul Farley and produced by Sophie Anton for BBC Audio in Bristol.This programme features a recording by Oliver Swift from Xeno-Canto (XC710439 - Common Starling)

NOW PLAYING

Paul Farley on the Starling

0:00 1:37

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Tweet of the Day?

This episode is 1 minute long.

When was this Tweet of the Day episode published?

This episode was published on December 7, 2025.

What is this episode about?

In the season where starlings gather to murmurate in our winter skies, poet Paul Farley is admiring this dazzling bird up close. Every spring a pair of starlings used to nest in a hollow wall in the house where Paul grew up, and he never got tired...

Can I download this Tweet of the Day episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!