November can feel like something of an anti-climax after the excitement of the autumn migration period and shorter days along with colder weather brings its own challenges for birding. However, November can turn up some excellent birds in Herts and trends observed in autumn can continue to throw up unexpected gems – maybe a lingering Yellow-browed Warbler, Hawfinch or Short-eared Owl – as, come November, migrants may decide to over-winter rather than keep moving.
If you missed ‘autumn vismig’ then it’s not too late as
the passage of pigeons, finches, buntings and thrushes continues into early November. Redwings followed by Fieldfares will continue to pour into the country and among them a chance of a late Ring Ouzel remains. Other birds also continue to move in numbers with big influxes of Starlings from the continent. This in turn makes November a great time to find a Starling roost and with it the chance of a spectacular murmuration. Reedbeds are a favourite roost site.
Reedbeds also play host to Bitterns arriving back from their breeding grounds and there’s always a chance of finding some Bearded Tits – keep your ears alert for their ‘ping ping’ calls. Common Snipe will also be back in force at reedbed margins and in any flooded areas and with them their rarer cousin: the Jack Snipe. Unlike the Common Snipe, Jack Snipe are apt to sit tight and when flushed only fly a short distance and without calling. This behaviour, together with their smaller size and shorter bill can help pin down this master of camouflage.
‘Bad’ weather is a feature of the winter months and, from November, can bring new arrivals as birds are forced to move. Cold easterlies or storm-force westerlies can both deliver. Storms have been known to deposit unfortunate auks or skuas into the county or push a Great Northern Diver or Grey Phalarope inland. The first cold snaps usually see the arrival of flocks of Golden Plover along with Lapwing and checking large arable fields can turn up mixed flocks hunkered down in the crop. Farmland is also a good place to keep an eye out for a hunting Short-eared Owl, Merlin or, if you’re lucky, a Hen Harrier.
November establishes the rhythms of winter with the key feature being flocks of birds – whether it is the daily passage of gulls on a north-south trajectory, the movement of thrushes between fields and hedgerows, the flocks of ducks on waterbodies, the mixed groups of larks, finches, pipits and buntings in the fields or the busy-ness of foraging tit flocks in the bushes. All these flocks enliven the month and are worth checking for the ‘odd one out’ – maybe a Firecrest with the tit flock or a Brambling with the Chaffinches.
November has produced some rarities over the years and something completely new is always possible – surely a Dusky Warbler must visit Herts soon! November is a good month to look for them…
Great Skua – Tring Reservoirs (2015 & 2019)
Grey Phalarope – Amwell (2016 & 2021)
Little Bittern – (2019)
Richard’s Pipit – Tring Resevoirs (2019)
Rough-legged Buzzard – Braughing (2014)
Sabine’s Gull – Amwell (2022)