What to look out for in November...
Starling murmurations
Starlings will be gathering in large numbers to protect themselves from predators. The enormous flocks fly in spectacular sequences called murmurations. It is thought that starlings form murmurations to visually confuse birds of prey who hunt them.
It's best to view the starling murmurations as dusk falls and they come in to roost, usually in a reedbed.
Good places to see starlings are Lackford Lakes, Redgrave & Lopham Fen and Hen Reedbeds. Check our facebook page for reports of starling murmurations.
Winter waders
Wading birds visit Suffolk's estuaries in vast numbers at this time of year. Best viewed at high tide, when they are jostling for space to feed on invertebrates in the mud. Trimley Marshes, Dingle Marshes, Mickle Mere, Alde Mudflats, Levington Lagoon and Lackford Lakes are good places to spot waders. Species to look out for are:
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Lapwings travel from Northern Europe |
Dunlin travel from Scandinavia |
Knot travel from Canada |
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Oystercatchers travel from Iceland and Norway |
Redshanks travel from Iceland |
Grey plovers travel from the Arctic |
Be a beach detective
A blustery walk along the coast will turn up a variety of sea-life treasures. Use this spotter sheet to help identify what's been washed up. Click to enlarge and print:
More species to spot in November
Print out our november spotter sheet to take on your country walks. Click to enlarge and print:
