Starling murmuration madness
November has gone and what a fantastic month for starlings! If you’ve not had chance to marvel at one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the world, time is running out so stop what you are doing and come to Newport Wetlands, at about 3:30pm of course. Last year was good, we witnessed murmurations of up to 30,000 strong and don’t get me wrong, 30,000 is an incredible thing to behold but this November, on a good day we have seen somewhere in the region of 100 to 120 thousand starlings. At the beginning of November the murmuration was taking place near the visitor centre and they were roosting on reedbed 8, which is the one on the left of the path out to the lighthouse. At this point they are gathering nearer to the copse where the hide is and roosting on reedbed 11 beyond the copse. As December progresses the numbers of starings will reduce and we expect them to have all moved on by January. So like I said, get down to the Wetlands and pick up a Starling Survey sheet for a bit of fun and something serious as well.
Starling murmuration by David Kjaer (rspb-images.com)
Full sightings list November 26 to December 1
Bar-tailed godwit, Bearded tit, Black headed gull, Blackbird, Blue tit, Bullfinch, Buzzard, Carrion crow, Cetti's warbler, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coot, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Gadwall, Goldcrest, Golden plover, Goldfinch, Great spotted woodpecker, Great tit, Greater black-backed gull, Green woodpecker, Greenfinch, Grey heron, Herring gull, House sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Kestrel, Lapwing, Linnet, Little egret, Little grebe, Long-tailed tit, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh harrier, Meadow pipit, Merlin, Moorhen, Oystercatcher, Peregrine, Pheasant, Pied wagtail, Pintail, Raven, Redpoll, Redwing, Reed bunting, Robin, Shelduck, Shoveler, Siskin, Snipe, Song thrush, Sparrowhawk, Spotted redshank, Starling, Stonechat, Teal, Treecreeper, Tufted duck, Water rail, Wigeon, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals and believe it or not, butterflies and dragonflies
Bank vole, Otter, Peacock butterfly, Rabbit, Red admiral, Ruddy darter.