May 2003

Sabine's Gull - Lowestoft Harbour - May 31, 2003 - ©Robert Wilton

RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 12th (S), 16th (S), 24th (2 N, 2 S), 27th.



BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
Kessingland - 7th (1 N @ 06:50).



GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer
Kessingland - One flew north @ 06:15 on the 14th.



GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Kessingland - 10th (1 S).



FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Ness Point - 10th (40+ N), 15th (1 'blue' phase S @ 16:31).
Kessingland - 2nd (7 N, 4 S), 3rd (3 N, 3 S), 4th (2 N, 6 S), 5th (1 N), 6th (1 N), 7th (4 N), 8th (1 N), 9th (4 N, 3 S), 10th (3 N), 11th (2 N), 12th (1 N), 13th (4 N), 14th (1 N, 1 S), 15th (3 N, 2 S), 16th (27 N, 5 S), 17th (8 N, 1 S), 18th (2 N), 19th (1 N, 1 o/s), 20th (1 N, 1 S), 21st (2 N), 22nd (5 N, 3 S), 23rd (5 N, 6 S, 1 lingering), 24th (4 N, 4 S), 25th (2 N, 6 S), 26th (1 N, 4 S), 27th (6 N, 2 S), 28th (5 N, 1 S), 29th (8 N, 3 S), 30th (6 N, 3 S).
Highest Day Count = 32 (27 N, 5 S) on the 16th.
Monthly total = 180 (121 N, 57 S, +2).

GANNET Morus bassanus
Lowestoft - 15th (2 N).
Kessingland - 1st (32 N), 2nd (18 N, 4 S), 4th (20 N, 1 S), 5th (1 N, 1 S), 6th (4 N, 3 S), 7th (5 N), 8th (49 N), 9th (42 N, 2 S), 10th (131 N, 6 S), 11th (79 N), 12th (20 S), 13th (15 N), 14th (17 N), 15th (38 N, 3 S), 16th (49 N, 1 S), 17th (17 N), 18th (19 N), 19th (8 N), 20th (64 N), 21st (27 N), 22nd (20 N, 1 S),
23rd (28 N, 5 S), 24th (18 N, 16 S), 25th (9 N, 3 S), 26th (29 N, 17 S), 27th (33 N, 2 S), 28th (9 N, 5 S), 29th (19 N, 6 S), 30th (20 N, 3 S).
Highest Day Count = 137 (131 N, 6 S) on the 10th.
Monthly total = 911 (812 N, 99 S).



CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 3rd (3 N), 7th (4 N, 1 S), 8th (3 N, 4 S), 9th (2 N), 11th (1 S), 12th (1 S), 15th (1 N, 1 S), 16th (1 N), 18th (1 S), 20th (1 N, 1 S) 21st (1 N), 24th (1 N), 27th (1 S), 30th (2 N, 1 S).
Monthly total = 33 (20 N, 13 S).



NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax
The first addition to the Lounge Lizard List wasn't twitchable unfortunately. An immature Night Heron flew north at St. Olaves at 17:15 on the 11th heading towards the St. Olaves bridge. Subsequent searches of the Fritton Marsh area proved unsuccessful.



SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia
Three flew south over Gunton Warren at 15:55 on the 9th.

Spoonbill - Gunton Warren - May 9, 2003 - ©Robert Wincup

WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons
Oulton Broad - An unseasonal record concerned an individual with a damaged wing from the 3rd-21st.



SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 1st (7 S), 2nd (2 S), 3rd (2 N, 7 S), 4th (4 S), 5th (2 S), 6th (3 N, 1 S), 8th (3 N), 7th (2 N, 2 S), 9th (1 S), 10th (5 N), 11th (4 S), 12th (2 N), 13th (3 S), 14th (1 S), 15th (2 N, 1 S), 20th (2 S), 23rd (2 S), 25th (1 S), 26th (4 N, 1 S), 28th (2 N), 30th (2 N).



SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Kessingland - 3rd (2 S).



SCAUP Aythya marila
Kessingland - 10th (4 o/s).

TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Lowestoft - 18th (5 S).
Kessingland - 4th (2 S), 5th (4 S), 7th (2 S), 13th (3 N), 16th (2 S), 17th (4 S), 19th (2 S), 20th (2 S), 22nd (2 S), 26th (2 S), 27th (5 S).



EIDER Somateria mollissima
Lowestoft - 18th (3 S).
Kessingland - 24th (1 S).

COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Lowestoft - 10th (7 S), 15th (7 on sea).
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 2nd (1 N), 4th (12 N), 5th (40 N), 6th (33 N, 1 S), 7th (10 N), 10th (16 N, 12 o/s), 11th (1 N), 12th (2 N), 13th (1 N), 14th (1 S), 15th (2 N, 1 S), 16th (7 N), 19th (14 N), 20th (9 N), 22nd (12 N, 2 o/s), 23rd (80 N, 10 S, 2 o/s), 24th (5 N), 25th (18 S), 26th (1 S), 27th (10 N).
Highest Day Count = 92 (80 N, 10 S, 2 o/s) on the 23rd.
Monthly total = 304 (257 N, 33 S, 14 o/s).

HOBBY Falco subbuteo
Noted at Gunton - 1st (1 S); Carlton Marshes - 4th (1); Oulton - 2nd (1) Holly Road; Herringfleet - 11th (2); Lowestoft - 14th (1) over Northfield's School; Corton - 22nd (1 S); Oulton Marshes - 25th (1). On the 11th one was watched arriving in off the sea at Kessingland at 07:35 before continuing west over the beach.



GREY PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix
Corton - 10th (2) at the new sewage works.



OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus
Kessingland - 1st (6 S), 2nd (1 N, 1 S), 3rd (3 S), 4th (1 S), 5th (4 S), 7th (1 S), 8th (2 N, 12 S), 9th (1 N, 3 S), 10th (3 S), 11th (6 S), 12th (3 S), 14th (2 S), 18th (1 N), 19th (2 S), 20th (1 S), 21st (3 N, 1 S), 22nd (3 N, 2 S), 23rd (5 N, 1 S), 25th (3 N), 26th (1 N, 3 S), 27th (2 S), 29th (2 N, 4 S), 30th (3 N, 1 S).

AVOCET Recurvirostra avosetta
Kessingland - 2nd (2 S), 5th (2 S), 8th (1 S), 15th (1 N).

GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
Kessingland - 4th (1 S), 17th (2 N), 18th (4 S).



TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
A lingering bird was on groynes along Lowestoft North Beach on the 10th with three at Ness Point on the 17th.
Kessingland - 20th (1 N), 21st (9 N), 24th (6 N).



DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Kessingland - 20th (10 N), 26th (3 N).
One present at Ness Point/Lowestoft North Denes on the 21st may have been of the race alpina. As well as the long bill other features such as the rufous cap and scapulars point towards this. The Collins bird Guide does suggest that only extreme individuals are identifiable.

Dunlin - Ness Point - May 21, 2003 - ©Robert Wincup

CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 6th (1 N), 7th (1 N, 1 S), 18th (1 S), 23rd (2 S), 26th (1 N).



WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Pakefield - 1st (1 S).
Kessingland - 1st (2 N), 6th (2 N), 11th (1 N), 13th (1 N), 14th (2 N), 17th (1 S), 21st (1 N), 26th (1 N), 30th (1 S).



BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Kessingland - 9th (1 S), 17th (1 S), 30th (1 N).



COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
One was at Lound Waterworks on the 24th.



GREAT SKUA Catharacta skua
One flew north past Kessingland at 09:25 on the 16th approximately 2 kilometers from shore, another flew north there on the 29th at 10:10.

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
Kessingland - A fantastic adult complete with tail 'spoons' north @ 09:35 on the 2nd; a pale phase bird lacking tail 'spoons' flew north @ 14:00 on the 24th.



ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
Kessingland - The first skua attack of 2003 involved an ambush on a sandwich tern on the 3rd @ 17:45; 10th N @ 14:10; 29th N @ 10:45.
Ness Point - Three northbound birds were noted on the 10th @ 13:45, 14:20 and 14:35; 18th one N @ 13:05.

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Lowestoft North Beach - 9th (1st-summer), 21st (1).
Kessingland - 22nd (ad. S).

LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
One first summer was seen in Lowestoft Harbour on the 31st.

SABINE'S GULL Larus sabini

Sabine's Gull - Lowestoft Harbour - June 4, 2003 - ©Robert Wincup

The month ended with the surprise appearance of this much sought after gull swimming around in Lowestoft Harbour on the 31st. Although this species acquires breeding plumage during a complete moult between December and April this individual has failed to replace any of its flight feathers before making the long trek north to the species Arctic breeding grounds. The lack of white tips to faded brown primaries gave this away, and in flight it proved to have extremely worn, almost absent, secondaries and inner primaries. As a result of this the flight action is rather rapid and weak as a result.
As breeding plumage is attained in the second summer in this species it seems likely that this individual is late moulting from second winter plumage, though it is possible that it is an adult that has failed to moult correctly. Hopefully it will stay a while to complete the wing moult.

During the morning it spent most of its time feeding in the Lifeboat station corner of the harbour. It later flew to the rock groyne extending south from the pier to sleep. Late evening it fed with other gulls offshore from the South Beach before settling on the north side of the harbour entrance near the Kittiwake wall for a while. It then flew back offshore to feed with Black-headed Gulls and Terns.

YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Larus michahellis
A 2nd-summer was on Oulton Broad with other large gulls late evening on the 24th.



KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 1st (3 N, 1 S), 2nd (31 N, 3 S), 3rd (2 N, 15 S), 4th (5 N, 8 S), 5th (8 N, 3 S), 6th (12 N, 2 S), 7th (6 N, 2 S), 8th (2 N, 3 S), 9th (8 N, 1 S), 12th (1 N, 1 S), 13th (4 N, 15 S), 14th (12 N, 4 S), 15th (7 N, 1 S), 16th (1 N, 8 S), 17th (5 N, 2 S), 18th (9 N, 15 S), 19th (8 N, 2 S), 20th (1 N), 21st (5 N, 9 S),
22nd (11 N, 4 S), 23rd (11 N, 3 S), 24th (22 N, 2 S), 25th (13 N, 7 S), 26th (19 N, 9 S), 27th (9 N, 35 S), 28th (5 N, 9 S), 29th (13 N, 3 S), 30th (22 N, 14 S).
Highest Day Count = 36 (22 N, 14 S) on the 30th.
Monthly total = 435 (254 N, 181 S).



SANDWICH TERN Sterna sandvichensis
Kessingland - 1st (4 N, 4 S), 2nd (2 N), 3rd (8 N), 4th (9 N), 5th (2 S), 6th (17 N), 7th (13 N, 1 S), 8th (12 N, 6 S), 9th (43 N), 10th (17 N), 11th (4 N), 12th (6 N, 5 S), 13th (11 N), 14th (4 N, 2 S), 15th (11 N) 16th (2 N, 1 S), 16th (2 N, 1 S), 17th (2 N), 18th (1 N), 19th (2 S), 20th (5 N, 1 S), 21st (6 N, 3 S), 22nd (11 N, 4 S), 23rd (7 N), 24th (19 N, 1 S), 25th (7 N, 2 S), 26th (15 N, 2 S), 27th (8 N, 2 S), 28th (3 N, 2 S), 29th (7 N, 7 S), 30th (9 N, 3 S).
Highest Day Count = 43 (43 N) on the 9th.
Monthly total = 429 (378 N, 51 S).

COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo
Ness Point - 1st (3 N).
Kessingland - 1st (4 S), 2nd (3 N), 3rd (2 N), 4th (7 N), 5th (1 N, 5 S), 6th (31 N, 1 S), 7th (17 N), 8th (3 N), 9th (10 N, 5 S), 11th (1 N), 12th (3 N, 1 S), 13th (2 N, 1 S), 14th (3 N), 15th (9 N), 16th (4 N, 3 S), 17th (4 N, 1 S), 18th (2 N, 3 S), 19th (2 N), 20th (2 N), 21st (5 N, 6 S), 22nd (5 S), 23rd (8 N, 4 S), 24th (16 N, 2 S), 25th (26 N, 15 S), 26th (4 N), 27th (10 N, 5 S), 28th (1 N, 7 S), 29th (17 N, 2 S), 30th (4 N, 10 S).
Highest Day Count = 41 (26 N, 15 S) on the 25th.
Monthly total = 277 (193 N, 84 S).

LITTLE TERN Sterna albifrons
Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 2nd (3 N, 5 S), 3rd (1 N, 2 S), 4th (9 N, 15 S), 5th (3 N, 8 S), 6th (19 N, 24 S), 7th (17 N, 22 S), 8th (7 N, 4 S), 9th (34 N, 15 S), 10th (29 N, 8 S), 11th (8 N, 9 S), 12th (11 N, 5 S), 13th (54 N, 46 S), 14th (45 N, 34 S), 15th (51 N, 49 S), 16th (37 N, 44 S), 17th (23 N, 121 S), 18th (30 N, 27 S), 19th (72 N, 72 S).
Highest Day Count = 144 (23 N, 121 S) on the 17th.
Monthly total = 957 (445 N, 512 S).



AUK sp. Alcidae
Lowestoft - 15th (2N).
Kessingland - 10th (1 N), 14th (1 N), 15th (2 N), 16th (15 N), 17th (1 N), 23rd (4 N, 3 S), 26th (3 S), 27th (1 N, 1 S), 30th (1 N).
Monthly total = 33 (26 N, 7 S).



TURTLE DOVE Streptopelia turtur
Once a familiar sight and sound during the summer this species is fast becoming a prized local rarity. One that flew northwest over Lowestoft North Denes on the 18th was only our second of the spring.



CUCKOO Cuculus canorus
Carlton Marshes - 4th (3), 17th (1).
Gunton - 23rd (1) one of the few migrants that turned up during the third week in May.



TAWNY OWL Strix aluco
Gunton - 23rd (1).



SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
Fisher Row - late afternoon 6th (1).



LITTLE OWL Athene noctua
Lound - 2nd (1).



KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
Lake Lothing - 10th (2).
Gunton - A bizarre record involved two flying around Dip Farm golf course on the 10th.



SWALLOW Hirundo rustica
Gunton - 17th (14 S).



HOUSE MARTIN Delichon urbica
Corton - 17th, 40 feeding over Corton Woods.
Lowestoft South Pier - One south over the sea on the 18th.



YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava
Such a poor showing for this species with only two reports. One touched down briefly on Lowestoft North Denes on the 18th before continuing south and another was at Corton on the 23rd..



GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
Leathes Ham - 17th, 1 feeding around the muddy area near the car park.



BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
Lowestoft - 10th singing in the Belvedere Road area.



NORTHERN WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe
Gunton - 1st (1).
Lowestoft North Denes - 1st (2 on net posts); 9th (2), 10th (1), 16th (1), 17th (3).
Kessingland Beach - 2nd (1), 3rd (2).



GARDEN WARBLER Sylvia borin
Corton disused railtrack - 2nd (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 4th (1).
North Cove - 8th (1).
Lowestoft - 17th, 2 Belle vue Park/Sparrow's Nest Gardens.
Carlton Marshes - 26th (1).



LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca
Lowestoft North Denes - 1st (1), 15th (1), 17th (1).
Lowestoft - Rotterdam Road 7th (1); Worthing Road 7th (1).
Gunton - 1st (2); 8th (1), 17th (2).
Corton - 7th (2), 25th (1).



WHITETHROAT Sylvia communis
Like most of the 'common' migrants numbers seem down on previous year.
Lowestoft North Denes - 15th & 16th (3 singing males), 17th (6).

Whitethroat - Lowestoft North Denes - May 16, 2003 - ©Robert Wincup

CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Oulton - Hall Road 4th (1) + 4 Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus (non-present in 2002).



SEDGE WARBLER Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Lowestoft North Denes- 21st one singing on the slope was the only notable migrant in Lowestoft.



REED WARBLER Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Corton Woods - One was singing at the southern entrance on the 5th.
Lowestoft - Noted singing in a garden, Laurel Road, South Lowestoft 4th and Warren House Woods 16th
Pakefield Cliffs - 27th (1).



SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa striata
Corton disused railtrack - 2nd (1); probably the same individual seen on April 30.
Kessingland - One in private garden 3rd.
Gunton - 8th (1), 10th (2); at northern end of disused railtrack feeding in trees by the bridge.
Lowestoft North Denes - 16th on slope (1).
Leathes Ham - 31st (1).

SISKIN Carduelis spinus
Leathes Ham - Two present by railway bridge on the 3rd.

CROSSBILL Loxia curvirostra
Lound Water Works - 10th (14), a flock of 50 were present at Dunwich the same day.
Ashby - 21st (15), 24th (30).



YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Long may they continue to brighten up our walks across Lowestoft North Denes in search of rarities. Three cheers for Yellowhammers!!!!!!!!!!

Yellowhammer - Lowestoft North Denes - Robert Wincup

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