Starling roost

[Martin Beacon]

Hi to all here,
I have been birding in Suffolk for the past 16 years or so and wondered if anyone could report any good starling roosts for this year.
tks Martin
South Suffolk

[Forestknights]

Brighton pier was pretty good the other day I was down that way. I have been meaning to go down to Somerset and take a look down there.

[Martin Beacon]

Hi Forestknights,
Tks for the post. So what sort of numbers were at the pier,and for how long did you observe them?

[osinac]

Originally Posted by Martin Beacon

Hi to all here,
I have been birding in Suffolk for the past 16 years or so and wondered if anyone could report any good starling roosts for this year.
tks Martin
South Suffolk

I think there is a good one at minsmere viewable form the new hide on the way to the island mere hide. Best plan is to ring and ask.

Osinac
Ipswich

[osinac]

Further to my post about Starling roosts at minsmere. I've just got back from there and the starlings roost in the North marsh, which is a short walk from the Visitor centre. If you stand on the path from The visitor centre to the sea you get an excellent view of a pretty impressive gathering of starlings (estimate by Wardens @12,000). A local birder told me there was a bigger one at Southwold, Hen reedbeds, which apparantly are on the left when you turn off A12 at Blyburgh.

Osinac

[Martin Beacon]

Sounds cool up there Osinac.
Kep us updated as the numbers build.

[Perry Grin]

Originally Posted by Martin Beacon

Hi to all here,
I have been birding in Suffolk for the past 16 years or so and wondered if anyone could report any good starling roosts for this year.
tks Martin
South Suffolk

For anyone that can get to south Devon there is a large and growing starling roost at Slapton Ley.

I was there last week and saw around 20,000 birds coming to roost. That was pretty impressive and the flock is expected to grow to 70,000 and may be 100,000 by winter. That will definately be worth seeing if you get the chance.

Perry

[ron1863]

Welcome to WAB Perry Grin

[jdurbo]

Hi Martin welcome from me

jen xxx

[osinac]

Last year there was a good starling roost at Minsmere over the North Wall. Someone told me there was even better one at Hen Reed beds on the road to Southwold. Will be investigating later in November, just off for a weeks birding in Morocco. Funnily enough I was sitting in a meeting today in Ipswich and saw about 1000 starlings doing their stuff out the window. I'm also hoping to see the biggie down on the Somerset levels in December. A starling roost is one of nature's great sights. I'll try and post my progress on the site.

Osinac

[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.