You find yourself out on a walk as winter dusk sets on when without warning, calm skies are suddenly filled with a whirling, liquid-like mass of birds, moving in stunning synchronicity. This is likely a starling murmuration, one of nature’s awe-inspiring spectacles.

Roosts usually begin to form in November, especially around wetland reedbeds, and last until early January. More and more birds will flock together as the weeks go on, and the number of starlings in a roost can swell to around 100,000 in some places. They’re a cacophonous experience, leaving flattened reedbeds in their wake – but truly something special.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust have a number of fantastic reserves to watch murmurations from. Ripon City Wetlands beside the racecourse is best known for its incredible murmurations just before dusk, but make sure to check out Staveley nature reserve nearby, North Cave Wetlands near Hull and Potteric Carr in Doncaster.

If you want to know more about starling murmurations and how to enjoy them, explore our webpage.

Starling murmurations

Wander through a woodland in late winter or early spring and you’re likely to hear bursts of rapid, resonant tapping echoing through the trees.

Whilst some birds sing to attract a mate and intimidate their neighbours, woodpeckers take a different approach. They hammer their beak against a tree trunk at incredibly high speeds – up to 40 strikes per second for the great spotted woodpecker. It’s not just trees that attract them – they’ll sometimes use man-made structures, including metal poles.

There are three species of woodpecker that nest in Britain, but you are mostly likely to hear the great spotted woodpecker. Great spotted woodpeckers are glossy black and white birds with a splash of red beneath their tail. Their drumming is a short, explosive burst of strikes that last less than a second.

Listen out at Moorlands nature reserve on the edge of York for great spotted woodpeckers, and later into the spring at Allerthorpe Common for green woodpeckers – as well as Hollinhurst Wood and Adel Dam in West Yorkshire, and Birch Wood nature reserve in the North York Moors.

Here in Yorkshire, we're lucky enough to be able to spot both grey seals and common seals up and down our coastline, bobbing around in the sea or resting on our beaches, and pupping season lasts from mid-September through to January. Their curious nature and cuddly appearance makes seals bewitching to watch, and winter is the perfect time to observe them as mothers and pups bask on beaches, sand banks and rocky outcrops.

When done correctly and respectfully, seal-watching is a magical experience. Do not approach seal colonies, and instead watch from a good distance – preferably up on the clifftop. Never get between a seal and its pup, or a seal and the sea, and keep your dog on a lead and away from the seals at all times. Disturbing seals can have tragic consequences for the pup, and disturbances use up energy reserves the seals are holding onto for other vital activities.

Spurn National Nature Reserve is a great place to safely seal-watch, as grey seals can be spotted all the way down to the Point either resting on the beaches or bobbing in the water. You can also spot them from the cliffs at Flamborough Head nature reserve, and down much of the Yorkshire coast.

How to seal-watch safely