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Dana Thomas

Remember wildlife when planning bonfires and firework displays this week. We're urging people to mark Bonfire Night carefully to avoid harming animals and birds, but is also suggesting they make the most of a dramatic time in nature’s calendar by watching some of the UK’s favourite wildlife spectacles.

Bonfire makers are asked to look out for frogs, toads, newts, slow worms, common lizards and grass snakes, which all use log piles for shelter and sleep during the winter months. These animals tend to move slowly when the temperature is low and would have difficulty escaping a roaring fire.

To encourage people to watch a wildlife display as well as the fireworks this year, we've come up with a top 5 list of nature spectacles to enjoy:

  1. There are plenty of “oohs” and “aahs” as people look up to the skies for a spectacular seasonal display. Starling murmurations involve tens of thousands of birds wheeling and swooping in vast clouds as they settle into their evening roosts in trees, reedbeds or even under piers. Starlings form breathtaking patterns in the skies before swirling downwards to find a safe place to perch for the night. In Wales you can see murmurations at Newport Wetlands National Nature Reserve, Aberystwyth Pier, RSPB Conwy nature reserve and Cardiff Bay.
  2. Many of us will be creating a “fun Guy” for our bonfire, but there’s plenty of fascinating fungi popping up all over the place at this time of year. Visit RSPB Lake Vyrnwy to see the famous red and white fly agaric toadstools.
  3. Sparks fly as massive red deer stags battle over groups of hinds in parks and moors. The deer rut is a feast for the ears as well as the eyes: the bellows and roars of the stags carry for miles over open land. Watch from a safe distance and enjoy one of the most impressive wildlife displays in the UK.
  4. Who needs Roman candles when you can have ‘Roman noses’? The owners of these noses, grey seals, along with their relatives, common seals will all be raising their pups around the shores of Lincolnshire, and the Hebrides and Farne Islands.
  5. No flames are needed for the explosions of rust and bronze as trees such as beech, hazel and dogwood are ablaze with colour. At this time of year, leaves have switched from greens to reds as the green chlorophyll drains from the tree into the roots. Got to RSPB Ynys-hir to see autumn to its best.

To find out more go to www.rspb.org.uk