Lowestoft Bird News - February 2008

A couple of new links for the New Year (both will open in new windows)

Birdline East Anglia - Suffolk February 08 review

Suffolk Birding with BINS

Please visit the BTO webpage (link below) giving details of how everyone can take part in this project. Be it by sending in casual "Roving Records" from your everyday birdwatching or by making Timed Tetrad Visits.

BTO Bird Atlas - taking part

RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 1st (4 N, 1 S), 2nd (388 N, 23 S), 3rd (4 N, 14 S), 4th (5 N, 30 S), 5th (2 S), 6th (5 N, 6 S), 7th (49 N, 8 S), 8th (1 N, 1 on sea), 9th (2 N, 3 S, 1 on sea), 10th (6 N), 11th (6 N, 3 S), 12th (1 N), 13th (1 S), 14th (5 N, 1 S), 15th (8 N, 1 S), 16th (9 N, 8 S, 1 on sea), 17th (100 N, 9 S, 1 on sea), 19th (10 N, 6 S, 11 on sea), 20th (15 N, 1 on sea), 21st (3 S, 1 on sea), 22nd (4 N, 7 S, 4 on sea), 23rd (28 N, 6 S, 5 on sea), 24th (6 N, 1 S), 25th (26 N, 5 S, 2 on sea), 26th (2 N), 27th (5 N, 4 S, 4 on sea), 28th (20 N, 24 S, 9 on sea), 29th (18 N, 50 S, 5 on sea).
Ness Point - 2nd (large numbers in flight and settling on the sea well offshore), 3rd (11 N, 5 S).

BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
Hamilton Dock/Lake Lothing - Still present 1st to 27th at least, and on the 7th and 9th it was also seen along Lake Lothing between ASDA and the bascule bridge. On the 16th it was along Lake Lothing just east of the railway footbridge.
Kessingland - 2nd (1 N), 9th (1 on sea), 27th (1 S), 28th (1 N).

Black-throated Diver - Lowestoft - December 2007 © Peter Ransome

GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer
One flew south past Ness Point on the 9th.

DIVER sp.
Kessingland - 2nd (1 N), 3rd (1 S), 7th (1 N, 1 on sea), 8th (1 S), 10th (1 N), 15th (1 N), 17th (2 N), 20th (1 on sea), 22nd (1 N), 23rd (1 N), 25th (1 S, 1 on sea), 28th (1 N), 29th (1 N, 2 S).

LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis
One was at Fritton Lake on the 10th.

GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 4th (1 S), 7th (1 N), 10th (1 on sea), 11th (2 on sea), 12th (3 N, 6 on sea), 13th (1 on sea), 17th (27 on sea), 19th (1 N, 2 S, 3 on sea), 21st (1 N, 1 S), 24th (2 N), 25th (1 S), 26th (1 N), 27th (2 S), 28th (4 S, 16 on sea), 29th (3 S, 4 on sea).
Ness Point - 3rd (3 S).
Fritton Lake - 10th (14).

FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Kessingland - 14th (1 N), 15th (14 N), 16th (2 N), 20th (1 N), 21st (1 N), 22nd (3 N), 24th (1 S).

GANNET Morus bassanus
Kessingland - 1st (26 N), 2nd (37 N), 3rd (5 N), 4th (2 N, 1 S), 6th (6 N), 7th (28 N), 8th (14 N), 11th (1 N), 14th (2 N), 15th (31 N), 16th (35 N), 17th (1 N), 19th (10 N), 20th (1 N), 21st (24 N), 22nd (12 N, 1 S), 23rd (7 N, 4 S), 24th (46 N), 25th (31 N), 26th (9 N), 27th (4 N, 1 S), 28th (4 N), 29th (52 N).
Ness Point - 2nd (6 N), 3rd (4 N, 1 S).

CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 1st (4 S), 2nd (1 N, 1 S), 3rd (2 S), 4th (6 N), 5th (1 S), 6th (5 S), 7th (1 S), 8th (5 S), 9th (1 S), 14th (1 S), 16th (1 N), 17th (3 N, 3 S), 21st (2 N, 2 S), 23rd (2 N, 2 S), 24th (1 N), 27th (1 N), 28th (1 N), 29th (3 N).
Ness Point - 2nd (2 S), 3rd (3 S), 17th (30+ on the sea).

SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
One was in Hamilton Dock on the 7th.
Two, an adult and a second winter, were roosting on the Kittiwake Wall in the harbour on the 24th.

[ BITTERN Botaurus stellaris
The Birdguides reports that one was present at Carlton Marshes, Suffolk, on the 25th and 26th appears to be erroneous and should actually be Carlton Marsh, South Yorkshire, where there has been a Bittern present recently ! ]

GREY HERON Ardea cinerea
Two were along Kirkley Brook, beside the Lowestoft south relief road, on the 2nd.
Nine were at Carlton Marshes on the 5th.
Five were at Fritton Lake on the 10th.

LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
One was again along Kirkley Brook, beside the Lowestoft south relief road, on the 2nd.
Three were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th.
Two were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 23rd.
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BEWICK'S SWAN Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii
Kessingland - 6th (32 flew east out to sea)
67 were on Gapton Marshes along the south wall at Breydon on the 22nd.
Two were at Shipmeadow Marshes on the 24th.

BEAN GOOSE
One was at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th. Whether it was Tundra or Taiga was not reported but Tundra is the more likely despite the relative proximity of the Yare Valley Taigas.

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons
Three were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th and 23rd.

GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser
51 were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th.

CANADA GOOSE Branta canadensis
Four were at Leathes Ham on the 17th.
Four were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th.

DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE Branta (bernicla) bernicla
Kessingland - 4th (9 S), 6th (4 N, 11 N), 7th (4 S), 8th (12 S), 9th (5 S), 10th (2 S), 14th (20 N, 17 S), 15th (1 N, 9 S), 16th (3 S), 27th (1 N, 11 S).
Ness Point - 3rd (1 S), 9th (6 S).
One flew north over Lowestoft North Denes on the 22nd.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiacus
Seven were at Herringfleet Marshes on the 19th.
A pair with six newly hatched young were at a roadside pond between Hulver and Sotterley on the 29th. Perfect timing to be recorded on the last day of the winter period of the BTO Atlas.

SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 3rd (4 S), 10th (1 S), 15th (1 N, 3 S), 19th (3 N), 20th (1 S).
Ness Point - 3rd (4 S, same past Kessingland).

WIGEON Anas penelope
Leathes Ham - 2nd (2).
Fritton Lake - 10th (95).
Kessingland - 10th (14 on sea), 14th (42 S), 15th (5 S), 24th (2 S).
Lound Waterworks - 23rd (5).

TEAL Anas crecca
Kessingland - 5th (3 S).
Blundeston - 9th (3).
Fritton Lake - 10th (21).

MALLARD x RED-CRESTED POCHARD Anas platyrhynchos x Netta rufina
A female hybrid between these two species was at Leathes Ham on the 2nd. It was the same individual seen on Oulton Broad at the end of December.

PINTAIL Anas acuta
Leathes Ham - 2nd (10), 7th (17), 9th (14).

SHOVELER Anas clypeata
A flock of five were on the sea off Kessingland on the 12th.
A flock of 13 were sitting on the sea off Lowestoft North Beach on the 13th.

TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Fritton Lake - 10th (12).
Kessingland - 11th (1 S).

POCHARD Aythya ferina
Leathes Ham - 2nd (1), 16th (3).
Fritton Lake - 10th (3).
Gunton (runoff pond) - 20th (1).

COMMON EIDER Somateria mollissima
One flew north past Kessingland on the 29th.

COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Kessingland - 7th (3 S), 9th (6 S), 10th (44 N, 40 S), 11th (11 N, 34 S), 12th (6 S), 13th (1 S), 14th (1 S), 28th (9 N, 80 on sea).
Ness Point - 3rd (1 N, 1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (65 N).

GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Fritton Lake - 10th (7).

GOOSANDER Mergus merganser
One was at Fritton Lake on the 10th.

MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus
One was at Carlton Marshes on the 2nd.
One flew south at Kessingland on the 4th.
One was at Ashby on the 10th.
One was at Carlton Marshes on the 16th.
One was at Barsham Drain, near Beccles, on the 17th.
One was at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 17th.
One was at Herringfleet Marshes on the 23rd.

COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo
Two were seen at Lound on the 10th.
Two were seen at Herringfleet Hills on the 20th.

GREY PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix
Two were at Ellough airfield on the 7th.

WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus
2 or 3 were heard at Barsham Drain on the 17th.
One was heard at North Cove on the 17th.

OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus
Kessingland - 10th (1 N), 11th (1 S), 13th (1 S, 2 N), 14th (1 S).
Lake Lothing - 16th (1).

RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula
Hamilton Dock - 2nd (1), 16th (1).
Kessingland - 27th (3 N).

GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Henstead - 1st (c.50, then flew off in Ellough direction).
Kessingland - 3rd - 4th (300+ in fields by the church), 12th (c.150).
Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville - 16th (c.300).

SANDERLING Calidris alba
Hamilton Dock - 2nd (1), 7th (1), 16th (1).
Ness Point - 3rd (1).
Lowestoft South Beach - 24th (5).
Kessingland - 27th (1 N).

PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima
Ness Point - 2nd (7), 3rd (5), 7th (8), 9th (8), 10th (7), 14th (7), 16th (7), 17th (7), 20th (7), 24th (2).
Hamilton Dock - 2nd (3), 16th (2).

SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Kessingland - 3rd - 4th (15 in fields by the church).
Barsham Drain - 17th (5).
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 17th (10).
Corton - 28th (3).

WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola
One was flushed at Ashby on the 19th.
Five were seen in flight from one Mutford garden at dusk on the 16th.
One was seen at North Cove reserve on the 24th.

CURLEW Numenius arquata
One was feeding in fields opposite Hopton Hall on the 19th.

GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus
One was along Kirkley Brook on the 2nd.
Two were at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 17th.

Kirkley Brook collage © Derek Beamish
Grey Wagtail, Green Sandpiper & Little Egret.

TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Ness Point - 2nd (8), 3rd (2), 7th (10).

The Dutch leg flagged Turnstone first seen at Ness Point on 25th October and seen again there in December and January was still present on the 3rd.

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
At Ness Point on the 3rd a dark immature arrived from the south chasing Kittiwakes before being lost to view as it headed back southwards. One was later seen off Kessingland chasing after a Common Gull and 20 minutes after that a dark immature again flew in from the south at Ness Point, just as a Great Skua appeared from the north!

One flew south past Kessingland on the 4th.

One was off Kessingland on the 26th. It mugged a Herring Gull and then settled on the sea, apparently to digest its ill gotten gains.

Just how many are lingering off the coast of Suffolk this winter is hard to say, but up to three have been seen together on more than one occasion.

GREAT SKUA Stercorarius skua
One was offshore at Lowestoft North Beach on the afternoon of the 3rd. It was settling on the sea in between bouts of Kittiwake chasing.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Hamilton Dock - 2nd (adult).
Ness Point (sewage outfall) - 3rd (4 at least, 2 adults, 2 2nd winters), 17th (1 adult).
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (1 adult), 20th (2 adults, one the green ringed individual).
Lowestoft South Beach - 20th (1 adult).
Kessingland - 22nd (1 S).

LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
One first winter was seen feeding at Ness Point sewage outfall on the 3rd.

KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 1st (89 N, 67 S), 2nd (95 N, 7 S), 3rd (47 N, 80 S, 300+ feeding), 4th (200+ feeding), 5th (1 N, 1 S), 6th (1 N), 7th (31 N), 15th (27 N), 16th (6 N), 19th (1 N), 21st (4 N), 23rd (3 N), 24th (3 N).
Ness Point - 2nd (2 N), 3rd (abundant).

The gale force southerly winds that lasted most of the day on the 3rd brought huge numbers of Kittiwakes inshore; several hundred were in view most of the time, and several thousand must have passed south during the day. Given their abundance it was hardly surprising that they seemed to be the main target of the Skuas present at the same time.

GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
One flew north past Lowestoft North Beach on the 10th.

AUK sp. Alcidae
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 2nd (1 N), 3rd (8 N, 2 S), 4th (3 N, 1 S), 7th (176 N), 8th (256 N), 15th (11 N), 16th (6 N), 21st (1 N, 3 S), 22nd (1 N, 1 S), 24th (11 N), 29th (3 N).
Ness Point - 3rd (27 N, 2 S).

BARN OWL Tyto alba
One was seen at Carlton Marshes on the 2nd.
One was hunting over fields east of Oulton Road near Parkhill on the 7th.
Four were at Carlton Marshes on the 9th.
One was at Somerleyton on the 9th.
One was at Ashby on the 10th.
Five were at Carlton Marshes on the 10th.
Four were seen at Gapton Marshes on the 12th.
Three were at Carlton Marshes on the 16th.
Two were at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 17th.
One was seen at Flixton on the 27th.

LITTLE OWL Athene noctua
One along Corton disused railtrack on the 28th was being mobbed by other birds, including a Firecrest.

TAWNY OWL Strix aluco
One was calling at Herringfleet Hall on the 20th.

SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
One was seen at Carlton Marshes on the 2nd.
One was seen at Gapton Marshes on the 12th.
Just out of our area one was noted south of Benacre Pit on the 28th.

KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
One was along the River Hundred at Kessingland on the 3rd and 4th.
Two were at Fritton Lake on the 10th.
Two were at Lound Waterworks on the 19th and 23rd.

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos minor
One was heard calling near the reserve at North Cove on the 21st.

SKY LARK Alauda arvensis
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (18).

MEADOW PIPIT Anthus pratensis
Barsham Drain - 17th (30+).
Denes Oval - 22nd (29).
Lound Waterworks - 23rd (25).

ROCK PIPIT Anthus petrosus
Hamilton/Waveney Dock - 2nd (2), 24th (1).
Ness Point - 2nd (1), 16th (1).
Lowestoft North Beach - 21st (2).

GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
One was seen at Kessingland sewage works on the 3rd, 12th and 27th.
One was at Blundeston on the 9th.
One was at Lound village pond on the 26th.

PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba
30+ were at Kessingland sewage works on the 12th and 27th.
Morrisons roost (Gisleham) - 19th (c.200), 22nd (200+), 24th (178).

BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
One was in gardens between Maidstone Road and Hervey Street in central Lowestoft on the 21st.

It may be a previously undetected wintering individual, or could just a s easily be one of the first spring migrants.

STONECHAT Saxicola torquata
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (4), 5th (7), 9th (1), 10th (2), 17th (3).
Gapton Marshes - 12th (1).
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 17th (2).
Beccles Marshes - 16th (1).
Corton-Hopton - 28th (2).
Gunton Warren - 28th (1).

BLACKBIRD Turdus merula
A Blackbird trapped twice at Mutford, on the 4th and 21st December 2007, had initially been ringed at Filey in North Yorkshire in November 2003.

FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (16), 10th (40).
Lound - 9th (149).
Barsham Drain - 17th (110).

The large flock at Lound on the 9th included a partially leucistic individual, pictured below.

REDWING Turdus iliacus
Kirkley Brook - 2nd (6).

CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
North Cove - 17th (2), 21st (1).
Carlton Marshes - 17th (2).
Kessingland sewage works - 27th (1).

BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
One was at Ash Farm, Mutford on the 26th.

Only the third report locally this winter. They certainly used to be a commoner sight in winter around here, but presumably the milder winters mean more are stopping short of crossing the North Sea nowadays. Such a trend has already been noted amongst waterfowl and waders at least.

CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 7th and 10th, with three there on the 12th.
One was singing at Belton Common on the 27th.
Two were at Kessingland sewage works on the 27th.
One was singing at Beach Road, Gorleston on the 28th.

FIRECREST Regulus ignicapillus
One was still around the Kessingland sewage works area on the 2nd to 20th at least.
One was seen again in Corton Wood on the 24th.
One was found freshly dead at Beacon Park, Gorleston at 21:00 on the 24th. It had not been there 15 minutes earlier.
Two were seen in Corton Wood on the 28th.
One was along Corton disused railtrack on the 28th.

HOODED CROW x CARRION CROW hybrid Corvus cornix x Corvus corone
Single individuals were noted near Hopton Hall on the 9th and at Ashby on the 10th.

BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla
A Brambling that was ringed at Corton in October 2006 was retrapped in northern Norway in September 2007. As this is during the main autumn migration period it had probably started out from a location further north than that. The map below shows the ringing and control locations.

View Larger Map

SISKIN Carduelis spinus
Two were along Sprats Water Lane, Carlton Colville on the 2nd.
One was at a garden feeder in Mutford on the 16th and 18th, with two there on the 29th.
Lound Waterworks - 23rd (30+).

Not a bumper year for this species this winter locally.

LINNET Carduelis cannabina
Lowestoft North Denes - 22nd (25).

BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Two were along Sprats Water Lane, Carlton Colville on the 2nd.

YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Barsham Drain - 17th (2).

REED BUNTING Emberiza schoeniclus
One was at Carlton Marshes on the 7th.
Two were at Kessingland sewage works on the 12th.
Two were at Carlton Marshes on the 17th.
Three were at Kessingland sewage works on the 27th.

NON-BIRD NEWS

GREY SEAL
Ness Point - 3rd (1).
Kessingland - 19th (1), 20th (1), 23rd (1), 24th (1).

COMMON SEAL
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (1).

RED DEER
Ashby - 10th (5).

CHINESE WATER DEER
Carlton Marshes - 16th (1).
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 17th (1), 21st (1).

GRASS SNAKE
One was seen at Lound on the 9th. The glorious weather on the 9th had also coaxed out several bumblebees and a Peacock butterfly.


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