NOVEMBER
Hello again ... Well this "bonkers" weather pattern continues to defy logic. One day we can vividly remember was when the temperature crept up to a massive 3 degrees above freezing at mid-day .. followed by rain overnight and 16 degrees centigrade the very next day at lunch time .. well above the usual figures for November!!! Just extraordinary and now seemingly impossible to predict accurately by many of the national forecasters.
Much of the natural world has or is in the process of shutting down but there are still some expected happenings and some quite amazing sightings as well. In my suggestions of things to look out for in my October notes .. the Starling Murmurations are always a draw for the bird watcher and did not disappoint. On the 21st of the month I was an attendee at the AGM of Suffolk Wildlife Trust held this year at Lackford Lakes. Following a guided walk with a staff member we assembled just outside the visitor centre and with hot coffee in hand waited and watched the sky. Around 15.30 hours with the light beginning to fade; the first small groups started to flood in from all directions. The small groups soon started to merge with others and the display was magical .. left and right at high speed making patterns of flight and extraordinary shapes in the sky. Short but thrilling with lots of whoops and wows from the gathered members. At 15.54 they all decided to dive down into the reedbed (the starlings... not the members!) in a matter of seconds and immediately went quiet. Such a joy to witness and an easy drive from Sapiston & Honington.
Other fully expected happenings were a first sightings of Redwings just in to winter here from Scandinavia on the 4th of the month and on the 10th 20+ Fieldfares flew over whilst I was cycling near Coney Weston .. another very smart winter visitor with a loud diagnostic "chack" call that is unmistakeable. The Redwing will come to gardens .. so keep a lookout .. but the Fieldfares are very wary and can quickly be flushed as they gather in flocks to feed in the surrounding arable fields and orchards. I have watched them closely in their native Scandinavian countries where they are common in local gardens but here they are difficult to photograph unless you have a hide of some sort. The next day .. the 11th of November is memorable .. even for a lifetime birder and almost on our doorstep!! It was one of those nice warmish late season sunny days and my wife and I were starting out for a local walk. We stopped to talk to a neighbour and then a 100 metres further on our attention was drawn to a hovering Kestrel in a field close to our track. As often happens the Kestrel will gradually reduce height to get a closer view of some form of prey that had first been noted . .almost certainly a mouse or vole .. but on this occasion seemed to be frustrated and was likely getting tired and on the point of looking for breakfast elsewhere. Suddenly in very fast level flight a raptor appeared from behind us and flew directly at the Kestrel .. seemingly interested in stealing whatever the kestrel had found. The Kestrel was naturally concerned at the size of the onrushing bird of prey and veered off across the field twisting and swerving to get away as quickly as possible. I always carry binoculars and could immediately see the relative much larger size of the incoming raptor and thankfully it lost interest in the Kestrel and turned back directly towards us; still in low level flight. I could not believe what I was watching .. a HOBBY FALCON, here in Sapiston and in November. These magnificent falcons are regular visitors to the UK and do breed in parts of the country but normally would already be in southern Spain or North Africa where they spend the winters. We all know how strangely warm it has been in the second half of the year .. almost a perfect Indian summer .. at least in feel during September and October and this amazingly late sighting record is of national importance. The bird was almost certainly fledged in the UK quite late .. compared to previous years .. and was still here and very hungry. They usually time their migration to coincide with the southerly movement of late breeding Swallows and House Martins .. often young inexperienced birds .. and catch them in flight with superior speed and aerial abilities. Climate change in spades!!
Other late interest was the sighting of a female Common Darter dragonfly basking in warm sunshine on wet leaves in our garden flower bed. This again a totally unexpected record for November.
A couple of days in Derbyshire visiting Chatsworth for the annual Christmas display and that was it for the month .. and yes it was covered in 8 inches of snow. Wishing you all a very joyous Christmas and a happy new year. Not many of these in Suffolk .. although they have been seen in Bury in a nativity scene .. wild Reindeer that I photographed in Lapland in 2018 .. Well I always like to add some photographs and Christmas is coming soon !!!
Brian Taylor
Hello again ... Well this "bonkers" weather pattern continues to defy logic. One day we can vividly remember was when the temperature crept up to a massive 3 degrees above freezing at mid-day .. followed by rain overnight and 16 degrees centigrade the very next day at lunch time .. well above the usual figures for November!!! Just extraordinary and now seemingly impossible to predict accurately by many of the national forecasters.
Much of the natural world has or is in the process of shutting down but there are still some expected happenings and some quite amazing sightings as well. In my suggestions of things to look out for in my October notes .. the Starling Murmurations are always a draw for the bird watcher and did not disappoint. On the 21st of the month I was an attendee at the AGM of Suffolk Wildlife Trust held this year at Lackford Lakes. Following a guided walk with a staff member we assembled just outside the visitor centre and with hot coffee in hand waited and watched the sky. Around 15.30 hours with the light beginning to fade; the first small groups started to flood in from all directions. The small groups soon started to merge with others and the display was magical .. left and right at high speed making patterns of flight and extraordinary shapes in the sky. Short but thrilling with lots of whoops and wows from the gathered members. At 15.54 they all decided to dive down into the reedbed (the starlings... not the members!) in a matter of seconds and immediately went quiet. Such a joy to witness and an easy drive from Sapiston & Honington.
Other fully expected happenings were a first sightings of Redwings just in to winter here from Scandinavia on the 4th of the month and on the 10th 20+ Fieldfares flew over whilst I was cycling near Coney Weston .. another very smart winter visitor with a loud diagnostic "chack" call that is unmistakeable. The Redwing will come to gardens .. so keep a lookout .. but the Fieldfares are very wary and can quickly be flushed as they gather in flocks to feed in the surrounding arable fields and orchards. I have watched them closely in their native Scandinavian countries where they are common in local gardens but here they are difficult to photograph unless you have a hide of some sort. The next day .. the 11th of November is memorable .. even for a lifetime birder and almost on our doorstep!! It was one of those nice warmish late season sunny days and my wife and I were starting out for a local walk. We stopped to talk to a neighbour and then a 100 metres further on our attention was drawn to a hovering Kestrel in a field close to our track. As often happens the Kestrel will gradually reduce height to get a closer view of some form of prey that had first been noted . .almost certainly a mouse or vole .. but on this occasion seemed to be frustrated and was likely getting tired and on the point of looking for breakfast elsewhere. Suddenly in very fast level flight a raptor appeared from behind us and flew directly at the Kestrel .. seemingly interested in stealing whatever the kestrel had found. The Kestrel was naturally concerned at the size of the onrushing bird of prey and veered off across the field twisting and swerving to get away as quickly as possible. I always carry binoculars and could immediately see the relative much larger size of the incoming raptor and thankfully it lost interest in the Kestrel and turned back directly towards us; still in low level flight. I could not believe what I was watching .. a HOBBY FALCON, here in Sapiston and in November. These magnificent falcons are regular visitors to the UK and do breed in parts of the country but normally would already be in southern Spain or North Africa where they spend the winters. We all know how strangely warm it has been in the second half of the year .. almost a perfect Indian summer .. at least in feel during September and October and this amazingly late sighting record is of national importance. The bird was almost certainly fledged in the UK quite late .. compared to previous years .. and was still here and very hungry. They usually time their migration to coincide with the southerly movement of late breeding Swallows and House Martins .. often young inexperienced birds .. and catch them in flight with superior speed and aerial abilities. Climate change in spades!!
Other late interest was the sighting of a female Common Darter dragonfly basking in warm sunshine on wet leaves in our garden flower bed. This again a totally unexpected record for November.
A couple of days in Derbyshire visiting Chatsworth for the annual Christmas display and that was it for the month .. and yes it was covered in 8 inches of snow. Wishing you all a very joyous Christmas and a happy new year. Not many of these in Suffolk .. although they have been seen in Bury in a nativity scene .. wild Reindeer that I photographed in Lapland in 2018 .. Well I always like to add some photographs and Christmas is coming soon !!!
Brian Taylor