A "beautiful" murmuration of starlings has been captured flying over a seafront in Norfolk. 

Sheila Longstaff snapped the strong formation in the skies above Great Yarmouth at the weekend, saying it was the biggest she had ever seen. 

One Facebook commenter said she could see the birds from Breydon Bridge, more than two miles away.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: The birds were seen flying near the Marina CentreThe birds were seen flying near the Marina Centre (Image: Sheila Longstaff)

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said starlings perform the manoeuvre for safety, with predators such as the peregrine falcon finding it hard to target individual birds while they are flocking.

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Starlings also gather over their roosting site to keep warm at night and exchange information - such as good feeding areas.

Great Yarmouth Mercury: A murmuration is typically formed of 500 starlings but there can be thousands involvedA murmuration is typically formed of 500 starlings but there can be thousands involved (Image: Sheila Longstaff)

They perform their wheeling stunts in the early evening before they roost for the night.

A murmuration is typically made up of around 500 starlings but there can be thousands involved. 

A similarly "stunning" murmuration was seen above Great Yarmouth in February last year by Ipswich-based YouTuber Suffolk Air Adventures.