[osinac]

Today I decided to follow up on starling roosts. Ian Banthorpe's Minsmere blog says the Minsmere roost returned for a few days over the New Year and then decamped to North Warren. Also appears to be a roost a Lackford lakes, and possibly Hen Reedbeds (SWT) near Southwold.
Anyway, North Warren was the nearest, so I drove up there this afternoon. Stopped at the reserve car park just out of Aldeburgh. Magnificent evening, setting sun over the reserve, lots of geese and ducks, wheeling about including barnacle and white fronted. Gulls doing their own imitation of a starling roost, but no starlings!! Drove up towards Thorpeness and there they were at the north end of the reserve. Initially there seemed to be only 5,000 or so, but a lot were flying low down near the water, and then the numbers started to build at least 25,000, maybe more. Marsh Harriers(3/4) present. Parked car just beyond sluice house, where there is a little car park. Local told me you get a better view by driving through Thorpeness and taking first turn on left after going through village and passing golf course on both sides down towards sewage works. Park car and walk down track towrds north side of reserve.