Wildlife Near Bristol 

Some of our favourite wildlife encounters close to Bristol and free to see.  If you fancy some company put up an Event on the Bristol Facebook Group and invite others to join you

Please send us your favourites and we'll add them to the list. 

STARLING MURMURATIONS

Every year between Autumn and February, Somerset starlings flock together over the Somerset Levels & Moors to create huge starling murmurations. One of nature's most magnificent sights, the starlings form into sweeping ball like shapes in their thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands before flying down and roosting in the trees. The starlings currently use two sites: Ham Wall and Natural England Shapwick Heath. For the latest information on the starling roost,  phone the Avalon Marshes Hotline on 07866 554142. There is a new car park at Ham Wall with 150 spaces and at Shapwick Heath with 25 spaces. You are more likely to see the starling murmuration on a clear and sunny day. The best time is just before dusk which varies throughout the winter and it is therefore advisable to be on site from around 3pm onwards. An equally impressive spectacle is at dawn when the starlings all take off at the same time which is around 7.30 am. (by Jim Starr) 

Photo of starlings by EC Bristol member Steve Flanagan www.steveflanagan.co.uk