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most recent update
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Tree Sparrow - Benacre - December - © Mike Parker
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A couple
of new links for the New Year (both will open in new windows) |
RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 1st (5 N, 13 S, 6 o/s), 2nd (9 N, 12 S, 1
o/s), 3rd (7 N, 19 S, 3 o/s), 4th (21 N, 19 S, 1 o/s), 5th (98 N, 24 S,
9 o/s), 6th (10 N, 37 S, 4 o/s), 7th (2 N, 21 S, 4 o/s), 8th (3 N, 19
S, 2 o/s), 9th (5 N, 11 S, 1 o/s), 10th (6 N, 8 S), 11th (1 N, 15 S),
12th (21 N, 4 S), 13th (96 N, 18 S, 5 o/s), 14th (48 N, 7 S), 15th (36
N, 13 S, 4 o/s), 16th (78 N, 1 S, 2 o/s), 17th (3 N, 18 S, 2 o/s), 18th
(2 N, 2 S), 19th (8 N, 14 S), 20th (1 N, 4 S), 21st (4 N), 22nd (2 S),
25th (1 N, 3 S), 26th (6 N, 5 S), 27th (21 N, 2 S, 1 o/s), 28th (63 N,
7 S, 2 o/s), 29th (109 N, 2 S, 1 o/s), 30th (54 N, 2 S), 31st (17 N, 1
S).
Ness Point - 6th (2 S).
Hamilton Dock - 20th - 28th (1).
BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
Kessingland - 7th (1 N), 14th (1 N), 15th (1 o/s), 29th
(1 on sea).
GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer
Kessingland - 7th (1 N), 21st (1 N), 29th (1 N).
Two first winter birds were on Lake Lothing early morning on the 1st,
and none could be found Oulton Broad so one of them was presumed to be
the bird from there having been displaced by the previous night's barrage
of fireworks!
This was pretty much confirmed when one of them took off and flew westwards
high along Lake Lothing back towards the Broad. It seemed to prefers fresh
water food, but was back on Lake Lothing from the 3rd.
One was still on Lake Lothing on the 2nd, and on the 3rd to 7th they were
both there, with at least one still there on the 30th.
One was again on Oulton Broad on the 25th, the white spotting on the neck
sides indicating it was different to the one on Lake Lothing on the 24th.
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Great
Northern Diver - Lake Lothing - January 2007 - ©Andrew Easton
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DIVER
spp.
Kessingland - 4th (1 S), 24th (1 N), 27th (1 N), 28th (1
o/s), 31st (1 N).
GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Lake Lothing - 1st (1), 7th (1), 15th (5 S, 6 o/s), 17th
(2 S), 19th (1 S), 26th (1 S), 28th (2 N), 30th (1 S), 31st (1 S).
Kessingland - 1st (1 on sea).
Oulton Broad - 25th (3).
LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis
Lake Lothing - 24th (8), 25th (9).
GANNET Morus bassanus
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 4th (1 N), 6th (2 S), 7th
(1 S), 8th (1 S), 9th (1 S), 11th (1 S), 12th (1 S), 13th (8 N, 1 S),
17th (2 N), 18th (1 N), 20th (4 N), 31st(4N).
CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 1st (1 N, 2 S, 1 o/s), 4th (1 N, 1 o/s), 6th
(2 S), 7th (1 S), 8th (1 S), 9th (1 S), 11th (1 S), 12th (1 S), 13th (2
S), 14th (1 S), 19th (1 S), 27th (1 N, 1 S), 28th (1 S), 29th (1 N), 30th
(1 N).
SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Hamilton Dock - 1st (1), 8th (1), 28th (1).
Lake Lothing - 1st (1 possibly same as above as it flew
off in that direction), 28th (1).
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White
Stork - Lound Waterworks - January 2007 - ©Andrew Easton
On one of the occasions it managed to avoid the power lines. |
WHITE
STORK Ciconia ciconia
One was reported from Lound Waterworks on the 12th via the bird information
services. Still present on the 13th and 14th, it proved to have colour
rings on both legs (yellow with black code 306 on the right tibia and
blue, apparently plain, on the left tibia. Hopefully it's origins will
be traceable, though many recent records of ringed storks have apparently
been untraceable to date.
It spent most of it's time on the tree covered island in the eastern most
lake, though it did fly off south westwards twice before returning again.
On the 13th it had a few close calls negotiating the power cables that
pass over the waterworks, twisting and turning between the wires on a
couple of occasions. Unfortunately on the 14th having again avoided them
a couple of times it collided with them severely breaking both lower legs.
It proved difficult to catch as despite being unable to stand it could
still take off surprisingly easily from laying flat on the ground. It
was taken into care but due to blood loss and the severity of the breaks
it had to be humanely destroyed.
To our eyes powerlines seem such obvious features that many find it hard
to understand why birds fly into them so frequently. This is because we
rarely if ever see them as birds do, from above
against a cluttered background of woodland, grassland, forest, ploughed
fields. From this point of view a few thin straight lines just do not
register as their eyes are focussed beyond them looking for places to
feed or land. Only when they get close do they suddenly register the presence
of an obstacle in their path; smaller birds are usually maneuverable enough
to avoid them but large birds such as Storks, Cranes and large raptors,
whilst masters at soaring and gliding, cannot turn on a sixpence and frequently
suffer the consequences.
We for the most part view cables against plain skies with no background
to distract the focus of our eyes; only with hilly or mountainous terrain
behind them do we get a similar impression, but in these situations we
have the distinct advantage of knowledge of power transmission and know
that the presence of pylons means there are wires in between.
Deflectors present coloured or irregularly shaped targets for the eye,
which once focussed upon automatically draws attention to the wires in
between in the same focal plane, simply and effectively providing earlier
warning of their presence. To be truly effective though their fitting
needs to be universal, not just as a palliative over nature reserves and
National Parks. Surely a much better way of spending a few million quid
to protect birds than trying to cull Ruddy Ducks or Ring-necked Parakeets!
A very sad end to a beautiful bird; but regrettably not an unusual one
throughout Europe as you can read about by following the links below:
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The first
link also highlights the similar problems faced by Sandhill Cranes
in the USA. |
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White
Stork & Egyptian Geese - Lound Waterworks - January 2007 - ©Andrew
Easton
Almost like being in Africa! |
PINK-FOOTED
GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus
Around 1000 were seen distantly from Lound Waterworks on the 14th, they
were flying south somewhere in the vicinity of Belton.
A single bird was seen with five Greylag Geese at Leathes Ham on the 22nd.
BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis
27 were at Lound Waterworks on the 13th, accompanied by a Red-breasted
Goose and a Canada x Barnacle hybrid.
c.450 were on the Kessingland Levels on the 28th.
DARK-BELLIED BRENT
GOOSE Branta (bernicla) bernicla
Kessingland - 3rd (1 N), 4th (1 N), 6th (2 N), 9th (1 S),
10th (2 N, 1 S), 11th (2 S), 14th (5 N, 4 S), 16th (1 S), 19th (1 S),
20th (1 S), 21st (2 N), 22nd (5 S), 23rd (14 N), 24th (1 S), 25th (2 S),
30th (1 N), 31st (1 S).
[ RED-BREASTED GOOSE
Branta ruficollis
One adult with less than perfect primaries in the right wing was with
Barnacle Geese at Lound Waterworks on the 13th.]
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen
aegyptiacus
Blundeston Marshes - 1st (2).
Lound Waterworks - 13th (2).
Leathes Ham - 22nd (2).
Oulton Broad - 27th (4).
Lake Lothing - 28th (2).
SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 8th (2 S), 11th (1 S), 15th (2 S), 20th (1 S),
22nd (9 N, 11 S), 28th (1 S).
Gunton Warren - 22nd (5 S).
WIGEON Anas penelope
Kessingland - 11th (8 S), 13th (35 S), 14th (25 S),
15th (3 N), 17th (1 S), 22nd (21 N), 24th (1 N) 25th (2 S), 30th (8 N),
31st (41 o/s)..
GADWALL Anas strepera
Lound Waterworks - 13th (37).
PINTAIL Anas acuta
Kessingland - 5th (3 S), 15th (2 S).
SHOVELER
Anas clypeata
Leathes Ham - 1st (10), 21st (15), 24th (29).
TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Kessingland - 3rd (1 N).
COMMON EIDER Somateria mollissima
Kessingland - 22nd (2 N), 23rd (5 N).
LONG-TAILED DUCK Clangula hyemalis
A female was seen in the dykes near Share Mill at Carlton Marshes on the
27th. It now seems that one was first seen in the same area near the Share
Mill pump on December 30th 2006.
COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Kessingland - 2nd (1 N), 4th (1 N), 11th (2 S), 12th (3
N, 72 S), 13th (2 N), 15th (107 N, 138 S), 16th (3 N, 90 S), 17th (15
N), 18th (4 N), 19th (10 N), 20th (1 N), 21st (3 N), 23rd (1 N), 26th
(3 o/s), 29th (12 N), 31st (4 N).
VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca
One flew south past Kessingland on the 17th.
GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Kessingland - 8th (2 S), 23rd (2 S), 29th (1 S).
Oulton Broad - 25th - 30th (1 drake).
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Kessingland - 16th (1 S).
MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus
A female was at Carlton Marshes on the 21st.
One flew south over Mutford on the 22nd.
One was over the marshes at North Cove on the 27th.
Six were seen in the air at one time over the Kessingland Levels on the
28th.
HEN HARRIER Circus cyaneus
One adult female flew west over North Cove marshes on the 27th.
COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo
One was seen over Lake
Lothing on the 1st.
OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus
ostralegus
Lake Lothing - 1st (2), 7th (2), 24th (2), 25th (2), 30th
(2).
GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
20 sere seen in fields at Ellough on the 1st.
c.60 were in fields off Pinbush Road, at the south Lowestoft Industrial
Estate on the 23rd.
LAPWING Vanellus vanellus
Kessingland - 11th (2 S).
Henstead - 26th (40).
Carlton Marshes - 30th (37).
SANDERLING Calidris alba
Pakefield - 21st (1), 28th (3).
PURPLE SANDPIPER
Calidris maritima
Ness Point - 1st (4), 5th (4), 6th (7), 7th (7), 9th (7),
13th (4), 19th (3), 21st (6), 24th (7), 26th (5), 27th (2), 28th (1).
Hamilton Dock - 1st (1).
Gorleston Pier
- 28th (1).
JACK SNIPE Lymnocryptes minimus
Four were flushed from a field at Mutford during ploughing operations
on the 15th. Two were later trapped and ringed there.
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Jack
Snipe - Mutford - January 2007 - ©Jon Warnes
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COMMON
SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Five were flushed from a field at Mutford during ploughing operations
on the 15th.
WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola
One was flushed at Gunton Warren on the 22nd.
CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 17th (1 S).
REDSHANK Tringa totanus
Kessingland - 19th (1 S).
Lake Lothing - 24th (16), 25th (11).
GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus
One was feeding in dykes alongside the River Waveney between Carlton Marshes
and Barnby on the 30th.
TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Hamilton Dock - 1st (23).
Kessingland - 11th (1 S), 19th (60 N), 23rd (1 S), 24th
(3 S), 26th (3 N), 29th (1 S), 30th (3 N).
POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
At 9:20 on the 10th a juvenile Pom flew south past Kessingland. At 9:50
what was probably the same bird returned north and settled on the sea
before flying southeast to hover above and finally join two more Skuas
on the sea. Unfortunately these were about 2 kilometres from the beach
but were almost certainly also Poms.
GREAT SKUA Stercorarius skua
One flew north past Kessingland on the 16th.
MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Pakefield - 1st (2 adults), 28th (1 adult, 1 first winter).
Lowestoft North Beach - 6th (1 adult, green ringed).
Mutford - 15th (1 following a plough).
Kessingland - 14th (1 S), 16th (1 S).
Oulton Broad - 25th (1 first winter).
Gunton Beach - 22nd (1).
LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
An adult was feeding in Hamilton Dock on the 1st, 2nd, 20th, 21st,
23rd and 25th. A first winter bird was also present on the 20th.
KITTIWAKE
Rissa tridactyla
Hamilton Dock - 1st (2).
Kessingland - 1st (1 N, 4 S), 2nd (4 N, 6 S), 3rd (1 N,
2 S), 4th (25 N), 5th (7 N, 1 S), 6th (1 N), 7th (13 N, 2 S), 8th (6 N,
9 S), 9th (124 N, 10 S), 10th (8 N, 4 S), 11th (190 N, 116 S), 12th (5
N, 6 S), 13th (35 N), 14th (1 N, 3 S), 15th (5 S), 17th (3 N, 11 S), 18th
(70 N, 10 S), 19th (2 N), 20th (18 N, 3 S), 21st (4 N), 23rd (1 N), 24th
(2 S), 25th (2 N, 1 S), 26th (2 N, 1 S), 27th (13 N), 28th (7 N), 29th
(5 N), 30th (19 N, 5 S), 31st (3 N, 6 S).
GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
Kessingland - 1st (several N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 13th (1 partially oiled, and rather
waterlogged, bird was just offshore).
RAZORBILL Alca torda
Kessingland - 1st (1 N).
Ness Point - 25th (1 drifted past on the sea just offshore).
AUK sp. Alcidae
Kessingland - 1st (17 N), 2nd (13 N), 3rd (1
N), 4th (4 N), 5th (3 N), 6th (2 N), 7th (1 N), 8th (3 N, 1 S), 10th (2
N), 11th (4 S), 12th (10 N, 6 S), 13th (4 N), 15th (7 N, 4 S), 16th (3
N), 17th (1 N), 19th (2 N), 20th (3 N), 25th (1 N), 27th (1 N), 28th (10
N), 31st (84 N).
BARN OWL Tyto alba
One was hunting over Somerleyton Marshes on the 1st.
One was at Carlton Marshes on the 27th.
One has been seen hunting at Henstead on four dates this month.
One was seen at Lound Waterworks on the 28th.
LITTLE OWL Athene noctua
Lound Waterworks - 14th (1).
KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
Lake Lothing - 1st (1), 7th (1), 24th (1), 25th (2).
Hamilton Dock - 7th (1).
Leathes Ham - 20th (1).
Lound Waterworks - 28th (1).
GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos major
Somerleyton - 1st (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (1).
ROCK PIPIT Anthus petrosus
Ness Point - 1st (1), 24th (1).
Hamilton Dock - 21st (1).
GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
Kessingland sewage works - 1st (1), 7th (1), 21st (2).
PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (60), 28th (66).
BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
One was seen by Hamilton Dock on the 1st, 5th, 8th, 21st, 23rd and 25th.
With two there on the 19th, 24th, 26th, 27th and 28th.
FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris
Henstead - 27th (15).
REDWING Turdus iliacus
Lound Waterworks - 28th (1).
MISTLE THRUSH Turdus viscivorus
Somerleyton - 1st (5).
CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
One was heard at Carlton Marshes on the 27th.
Six were along the River Waveney between Barnby and Carlton Marshes, and
one was at Whitecast Marsh on the 30th.
YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER Phylloscopus inornatus
One was reported on the pagers on the 1st on land with private access
near Fen Cottage at Lound Waterworks.
CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Kessingland sewage works - 1st (1), 21st (2), 28th (3).
Lowestoft North Denes - 6th (1).
Ness Point - 27th (1 in bushes by the sewage pumping works).
NUTHATCH Sitta europaea
One was heard calling at North Cove on the 27th.
JACKDAW Corvus monedula
One was caught and eaten by a Stoat at Ash Farm, Mutford on the 21st.
BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla
One was by the pond in Gunton Wood on the 5th.
SISKIN Carduelis spinus
Somerleyton (Waddling Lane) - 1st (8).
Lound Waterworks - 14th (2+), 28th (several).
North Cove - 27th (several heard).
LESSER REDPOLL Carduelis cabaret
Somerleyton (Waddling Lane) - 1st (1).
Lound Waterworks - 14th (5+), 28th (2).
BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Lound Waterworks - 28th (2).
SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis
Kessingland Beach - 1st (15), 2nd (17), 8th (17 o/b), 10th
(16 o/b), 11th (16 o/b), 20th (16 o/b), 26th (16 o/b).
YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Mutford - 1st (10).
NON-BIRD NEWS
COMMON SEAL
Lake Lothing - 1st (1), 7th (1).
Kessingland - 16th (1), 17th (1), 26th (1).
GREY SEAL
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (1).
HARBOUR PORPOISE
Kessingland - 2nd (2 S), 3rd (1 N), 5th (1 N), 9th (1 S).
