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Little Tern - Minsmere - May 2005 - ©Andrew Easton
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GREAT CRESTED GREBE
Podiceps cristatus

A lone juvenile was on Oulton Broad on the 12th with two on the 14th. Two adults were on Lake Lothing on the 14th .
Kessingland - 21st (2 on sea), 23rd (1 o/s).

Great Crested Grebe  ©Andrew Easton
Great Crested Grebe - Oulton Broad - ©Andrew Easton


FULMAR
Fulmarus glacialis

Kessingland - 1st (31 N), 2nd (2 N), 3rd (5 N, 1 S), 4th (2 N), 5th (4 S), 6th (5 N, 3 S), 7th (7 N, 2 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (1 N), 10th (1 N), 11th (9 N, 2 S), 12th (4 N), 13th (2 N), 14th (1 N), 16th (1 N), 17th (2 N, 1 S), 18th (1 S), 20th (1 N, 1 S), 22nd (1 N), 24th (2 N, 2 S), 25th (2 N), 26th (3 N), 27th (1 N), 28th (4 N, 1 S), 29th (10 N), 30th (1 S).



MANX SHEARWATER
Puffinus puffinus
Two flew north past Kessingland on the 29th.



GANNET
Morus bassanus

Kessingland - 1st (157 N, 2 S), 2nd (70 N), 3rd (46 N, 4 S), 4th (64 N), 5th (47 N), 6th (70 N, 1 S), 7th (81 N), 8th (37 N), 9th (41 N, 4 S), 10th (18 N, 1 S), 11th (30 N, 4 S), 12th (45 N, 1 o/s), 13th (55 N, 2 S), 14th (22 N, 1 S, 1 o/s), 15th (59 N, 3 S, 1 feeding), 16th (31 N, 1 feeding), 17th (73 N, 3 S), 18th (32 N, 3 S), 19th (13 N, 1 S), 20th (24 N), 21st (14 N, 5 S), 22nd (7 N), 23rd (6 N, 1 S), 24th (15 N, 1 S, 1 feeding), 25th (5 N, 8 S), 26th (37 N, 3 S), 27th (49 N, 4 S), 28th (27 N, 1 S), 29th (33 N), 30th (16 N, 3 S).
Ness Point
-
11th (2 N).



CORMORANT
Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland -
1st (3 S), 9th (1 S), 10th (1 N), 11th (3 N), 14th (1 N, 2 S), 23rd (1 N, 7 S).
Leathes Ham - 14th (15 roosting), 16th (13), 21st (17), 23rd (14).



SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
One 2nd summer was roosting on Leathes Ham on the 14th, 16th, 17th, 21st and 23rd. During the day on the 17th it was on the jetty in Mutford Lock basin.



LITTLE EGRET
Egretta garzetta
One flew south past Kessingland on the 30th.



GREY HERON Ardea cinerea
On the 30th a group of nine circled northwards before returning south.



SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia
One flew south past Kessingland on the 2nd.



MUTE SWAN
Cygnus olor
One drifted south on the sea past Lowestoft North Beach on the 12th.
33 were on Oulton Broad on the 14th.



PINK-FOOTED GOOSE
Anser brachyrhynchus
An unseasonal record came from Leathes Ham on the 12th and 13th.

Pink-footed Goose  ©Andrew Easton
Pink-footed Goose - Leathes Ham - ©Andrew Easton


WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
Anser albifrons

The long staying individual was still present at Oulton Broad on the 12th, 14th and 17th. This bird turned up on 3rd May 2003 with an injured wing, presumably shot.

White-fronted Goose  ©Andrew Easton
White-fronted Goose - Oulton Broad - ©Andrew Easton

GREYLAG GOOSE Anser anser
Leathes Ham - 12th (34 most of these were moulting adults), 14th (31), 16th (24).
Oulton Broad - 12th (74), 14th (84).



CANADA GOOSE
Branta canadensis

Six flew south past Kessingland on the 3rd as did 20 on the 17th.
Three were on Kirkley Fen on the 12th.



EGYPTIAN GOOSE
Alopochen aegyptiacus

Oulton Broad - 17th (ad. + 5 young).



SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna

Kessingland - 3rd (1 N), 13th (1 N).



TEAL
Anas crecca

Kessingland - 17th (2 S), 30th (5 S).



TUFTED DUCK
Aythya fuligula

Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 6th (5 N), 11th (1 S), 18th (1 S).
Leathes Ham - 17th (pair).



COMMON SCOTER
Melanitta nigra

Kessingland - 1st (10 N), 2nd (5 N), 3rd (7 N), 4th (120 N, 4 o/s), 5th (4 N), 7th (7 N, 11 o/s), 8th (11 N, 8 S), 9th (22 N, 34 S), 10th (1 N, 1 o/s), 11th (5 N), 12th (2 N), 13th (20 N), 14th (25 N, 15 S), 15th (2 N, 2 S), 16th (5 N, 3 o/s), 17th (11 N), 18th (13 S), 20th (3 N, 6 S), 21st (11 N), 24th (6 N, 1 S), 25th (11 N, 15 S, 6 o/s), 26th (3 N, 9 S), 27th (60 N), 28th (4 N, 2 S), 29th (3 N), 30th (23 N, 8 S).



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
Mergus serrator
Three flew south past Kessingland and then settled on the sea.



RUDDY DUCK
Oxyura jamaicensis

Noted on Leathes Ham on the 13th (pr), 16th (male) and 17th (pr).



MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus

Carlton Marshes - 3rd (1), 9th (1).
Castle Marsh
- 12th (1).
Carlton Colville
- 17th (male west).
Henstead
- 19th (1 E), 23rd (1).

Marsh Harrier
Marsh Harrier - Any old motorway - May every year - ©Blind Bustard
N.B. In many local dialects referred to as Black Kite !!!


SPARROWHAWK
Accipiter nisus
Henstead
- 16th & 17th (1 over garden and alarming the martins - first sighting since early spring).
Corton
- 21st (one over village).



HOBBY
Falco subbuteo
Carlton Marshes
- 3rd (1).
Kessingland - 4th (1 south over the sea), 8th (1 N), 15th (1 at sewage works), 25th (1 S).
Henstead - 7th (1st ever record during June).
Corton disused railway line - 12th (1 flew south).
Oulton Broad - At 7pm on the 6th one flew east down Sands Lane then turned right into Chestnut Avenue, it obviously knows its Highway Code!
North Cove - 26th (1).
Castle Marshes (Barnby) - 26th (2).



OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 3rd (3 S), 7th (2 S), 12th (1 S), 14th (2 S), 28th (1 N, 1 S), 29th (1 S), 30th (1 S).
Kessingland sewage works - 15th (2).
Henstead water meadows
- 21st (1), 22nd (2 chasing), 23rd (1); 2.5 miles inland.



RINGED PLOVER
Charadrius hiaticula
Kessingland - 1st-24th (2).
Ness Point - 17th-18th (1 on jetty).



GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
One was on Kessingland Beach on the 3rd.



LAPWING
Vanellus vanellus

Ashby - 19th (14 W).
Kessingland - 23rd (14 in off sea).



CURLEW
Numenius arquata
Kessingland
- 3rd (1 S), 14th (1 S), 15th (17 S), 16th (17 S), 17th (1 S), 18th (1 N, 21 S), 19th (6 S), 20th (28 S), 21st (2 S),
22nd (12 S), 23rd (8 S), 24th (1 N), 28th (1 S), 29th (7 S), 30th (71 S).
Breydon South Wall
- 18th (5), 25th (2).
Ness Point - 19th (21 S).



WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Kessingland
- 10th (1 N), 30th (7 S).



BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Kessingland
- 7th (9 N), 9th (2 N then S), 11th (2 S).



REDSHANK
Tringa totanus
Kessingland - 17th (1 S).



TURNSTONE
Arenaria interpres
Ness Point - 5th (1), 10th (one in full summer plumage).
Kessingland - 1st (4 N), 2nd (3 S), 7th (13 N), 14th (14 N), 16th (5 N).



GREAT SKUA
Stercorarius skua
Kessingland
- 3rd (1 N).



ARCTIC SKUA
Stercorarius parasiticus
Kessingland
- 1st (2 N), 7th (1 N), 11th (1 N), 12th (1 N, then o/s).



MEDITERRANEAN GULL
Larus melanocephalus
One 1st. summer flew south past Kessingland on the 4th. An adult was at Kessingland Beach on the 10th and 11th.
Kessingland - 11th (1, ad. N), 12th (1 N, then S), 14th (1 N), 18th (1 over cliff), 19th (1 ad. S), 21st (3 ad S), 22nd (1 ad S), 24th (1 ad o/s), 25th (1 ad N), 26th (2 ad N), 27th (1 ad S), 30th (1 ad S).
Pakefield
- 22nd (ad. S).
Kessingland sewage works
- 22nd (2 over).



KITTIWAKE
Rissa tridactyla

Kessingland - 1st (17 N, 5 S), 2nd (2 N, 13 S), 3rd (5 N, 44 S), 4th (10 N, 12 S), 5th (17 N, 15 S), 6th (6 N, 7 S), 7th (23 N, 2 S), 8th (9 N, 2 S), 9th (10 N), 10th (11 N, 2 S), 11th (32 N, 1 S), 12th (12 N, 4 S), 13th (15 N, 1 S), 14th (28 N, 7 S), 15th (21 N, 2 S), 16th (3 N, 7 S), 17th (11 N, 18 S), 18th (8 N, 9 S), 19th (4 N, 3 S), 20th (5 N, 3 S), 21st (8 N, 7 S), 22nd (8 N, 17 S), 23rd (7 N, 9 S), 24th (3 N, 4 S), 25th (2 N, 1 S), 26th (5 N, 2 S), 27th (9 N, 3 S), 28th (14 N, 1 S),
29th (6 N, 5 S), 30th (11 N, 7 S).

The Lowestoft Harbour colony appears to be being badly affected by dwindling fish stocks. Most pairs apparently having laid only single egg clutches this year. Being a small colony they usually have a higher rate of productivity than larger ones as food supply isn't usually a limiting factor. Predation by a local Red Fox, which has also predated the Herring & Lesser Black-backed Gulls nesting in the adjacent SLP yard, isn't helping either.



SANDWICH TERN
Sterna sandvichensis

Kessingland - 1st (13 N), 2nd (3 N, 1 S), 3rd (17 N), 4th (1 N), 5th (11 N, 3 S), 7th (7 N, 4 S), 8th (13 N, 2 S), 9th (15 N, 10 S), 10th (32 N, 11 S), 11th (17 N, 5 S), 12th (28 N), 13th (20 N, 16 S), 14th (27 N, 4 S), 15th (23 N, 2 S), 16th (8 N, 8 S), 17th (10 N, 12 S), 18th (17 N, 3 S), 19th (20 N, 8 S), 20th (17 N, 4 S), 21st (21 N, 13 S), 22nd (16 N, 5 S), 23rd (8 N, 3 S), 24th (32 N, 12 S), 25th (11 N, 18 S), 26th (15 N, 5 S), 27th (10 N, 1 S), 28th (8 N),
29th (8 N), 30th (11 N, 4 S).
Ness Point
- 17th (1 N).




COMMON TERN
Sterna hirundo

At least 70 adults were in the air over the Lake Lothing roof breeding colony on the 23rd, and at least 22 nests with sitting bird were apparent on the visible areas of the roofs. It remains to be seen how the dwindling fish stocks affect them.

One pair had hatched two young by the 27th (see picture below).

Common Tern ©Andrew Easton
Common Tern - Lake Lothing- June 2005 ©Andrew Easton

"COMMIC" TERN Sterna hirundo/paradisaea
Kessingland - 1st (10 N, 2 S), 2nd (3 S), 3rd (14 N, 1 S), 4th (9 N, 7 S), 5th (5 N, 8 S), 7th (7 N, 1 S), 8th (5 N, 2 S), 9th (5 N, 10 S), 11th (12 N, 4 S), 12th (7 N, 1 S), 13th (5 N, 2 feeding), 14th (1 N, 1 S), 15th (7 N, 3 S), 16th (1 N, 6 S), 17th (2 N, 2 S), 18th (4 N), 19th (9 N, 2 S), 20th (3 N, 3 S, 2 feeding), 21st (2 N, 4 S), 22nd (3 N, 1 S), 23rd (3 N), 24th (6 N, 5 S), 25th (7 N, 5 S), 26th (13 N, 2 S), 27th (17 N, 4 S, 2 feeding), 28th (4 N, 4 S), 29th (41 N), 30th (8 N, 15 S).



LITTLE TERN
Sterna albifrons

Kessingland
- 1st (8 N, 7 S), 2nd (8 N, 6 S), 3rd (2 N, 21 S), 4th (15 N, 24 S, 10 o/b), 5th (15 N, 15 S), 6th (23 N, 1 S, 4 feeding), 7th (29 N, 16 S, up to 19 feeding), 8th (17 N, 21 S), 9th (12 N, 28 S), 10th (68 N, 22 S), 11th (18 N, 21 S), 12th (18 N, 22 S), 13th (32 N, 28 S), 14th (74 N, 80 S), 15th (41 N, 103 S), 16th (24 N, 73 S), 17th (7 N, 9 S), 18th (24 N, 19 S), 19th (27 N, 26 S), 20th (32 N, 20 S), 21st (31 N, 28 S), 22nd (37 N, 28 S), 23rd (20 N, 18 S), 24th (52 N, 30 S), 25th (1 N), 26th (31 N, 5 S), 27th (20 N, 13 S), 28th (11 N, 10 S), 29th (8 N, 3 S), 30th (54 N, 77 S).
Lowestoft - 12th (13 S), 17th (6 S), 18th (12 S).



BLACK TERN
Chlidonias niger

Four Black terns meandered slowly south a couple of hundred metres from the beach on the 21st. They were dropping to the sea to feed but hardly breaking the surface, which was glassy calm. One settled on the sea for about two minutes picking at the surface as it rotated with its tail cocked high in the air. Very exciting!!!!



AUK sp.
Alcidae
Kessingland
- 1st (2 N), 5th (1 N), 6th (8 N), 8th (1 N), 11th (3 S), 12th (2 N), 14th (2 N), 25th (1 N), 26th (1 N), 27th (1 N), 28th (3 N), 29th (3 N).



TURTLE DOVE
Streptopelia turtur

Mutford, Ash Farm - 3rd (pr).
Belton Common
- 12th (heard), 18th (heard), 22nd.
Burgh Castle
- 18th (heard).
Gunton
- 18th (1).



CUCKOO
Cuculus canorus
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1), 15th (1), 17th (1).
Kessingland Sluice - 10th (male), 11th (2 singing).
Lound water works
- 19th (singing).



BARN OWL
Tyto alba

Corton
- 7th seen by A12 near Barn Owl Lodge.
Burgh Castle - 18th (one hunting at mid-day).



LITTLE OWL
Athene noctua
One was seen along the coast road at Corton on the the 1st and 2nd.
One was at Lound water works on the 11th.



GREEN WOODPECKER
Picus viridis

Lowestoft North Denes
- 13th (1 on Denes Oval).
Barnard's Meadow, Lowestoft
- 14th (1).
Kessingland sewage works
- 15th (1).
Belton Common
- 18th (1).
Fisher Row (Oulton)
- 26th one was preparing to fledge the nest.
Beccles Common
- 26th (1).

Green Woodpecker ©Andrew Easton
Green Woodpecker - Fisher Row - June 2005 ©Andrew Easton

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos major
Pairs feeding young have been noted recently at Pakefield and St. Olaves.
Also noted at Belton Common and Corton railtrack on the 12th, Corton Woods on the 13th, Burgh Castle on the 18th.
Lound
- 19th (1).



SKY LARK
Alauda arvensis
Pleasantly abundant in the fields around Gisleham at the moment.



HOUSE MARTIN
Delichon urbica
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (30).
Henstead - first broods hatched 11th-12th but too cold and gloomy for parents to forage most of the day on the 12th.
Gisleham
- 17th (10).



GREY WAGTAIL
Motacilla cinerea
Oulton Broad - one over was an additon to the observers garden list, 62 and rising.



YELLOW WAGTAIL
Motacilla flava flavissima
Gisleham - 3rd (1).
Breydon South Wall - 18th (2).



PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba yarrellii
Kessingland sewage works
- 8th (6).




NIGHTINGALE
Luscinia megarhynchos

Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).



MISTLE THRUSH
Turdus viscivorus
Henstead
- 17th (9 in flock visited our trees briefly - unusual).



GRASSHOPPER WARBLER
Locustella naevia

One was heard at Carlton Marshes on the 9th.
Heard singing at Kessingland sewage works on the 22nd.
Heard singing at Fisher Row, Oulton on the 26th.



CETTI'S WARBLER
Cettia cetti
Carlton Marshes
- 3rd (10).
Kessingland Sluice - 10th-11th (singing).
Kessingland Sewage Works - 8th (1), 17th (1).
Castle Marsh - 12th (1), 26th (1).
Oulton Broad (Nicholas Everretts Park) - 17th (1).
Burgh Castle, Back Lane - 18th (1).



REED/SEDGE WARBLER
Acro sp.

One was singing at the top of Flycathcer Alley on the 17th.



LESSER WHITETHROAT
Sylvia curruca
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1), 10th (1).
Lowestoft (Stevens Street)
- one was an addition to the garden list on the 9th.
Lowestoft Cemetery
- 12th (adult with young).
Lowestoft (Stevens Street)
- 14th (singing).
Also noted at Belton Common, Herringfleet Hills, Burgh Castle (Back Lane), Bradwell (Harpers Lane, 2).



GARDEN WARBLER
Sylvia borin
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (3).
North Cove
- 26th (1).



WILLOW WARBLER
Phylloscopus trochilus
Belton Common (east) - 12th (3 singing).
Gunton Cliffs
- 13th (2 singing).
Oulton Broad (Nicholas Everretts Park) - 17th (2).
Herringfleet Hills
- 19th (1).
Burgh Castle, Back Lane
- 18th (2).
Carlton Marshes
- 26th (2).



GOLDCREST
Regulus regulus
Lowestoft (Jacobs Street) - 4th (2).



LONG-TAILED TIT Aegithalos caudatus
Castle Marsh - 12th (family party of 8).



SPOTTED FLYCATCHER
Muscicapa striata
Mutford - 3rd (pair).
Somerleyton - 5th (pair with young).
Carlton Colville - 17th (1).
Hopton - 19th (1+).

Bad news from Mutford where one of the pair at Ash Farm was found dead on the 8th. Nearby at Boundary Farm one of a pair was taken by a Sparrowhawk while being watched. So the outlook for Spotted Flys in Mutford is not looking very good this year at least.



COMMON CROSSBILL Loxia curvirostra
A flock of fifteen were seen in Waveney Forest, Fritton on the 8th. On the same date in May a flock of ten were seen.



BULLFINCH
Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Gunton Wo
ods - 9th (male), 17th (male).
Castle Marsh
- 12th (male).
Corton Woods - 13th (heard).
Beccles Common - 26th (2).



SNOW BUNTING
Plectrophenax nivalis
Although a regular visitor to the beaches of Kessingland in the chilly winter months this species is unusual in the chilly summer months. This cracking male was present just south of Kessingland Sluice from the 9th-11th at least. One oversummered at Aldeburgh in 1968 (Piotrowski, 2003) so it's not impossible that this may linger. However, BWP suggests migrants can still be arriving on the breeding grounds in June, though males usually arrive 3-4 weeks before females, so this bird still shouldn't really be here even in a late year. The extensively pale rump on this bird indicates it is the nominate race nivalis (Scandinavian as opposed to Icelandic insulae). A male had been at Minsmere on the 8th, probably the same bird.

Snow Bunting - Benacre Pits - ©Robert Wilton

REED BUNTING Emberiza schoeniclus
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).
Carlton Marshes - 26th (3).



CORN BUNTING Miliaria calandra
Gisleham - 9th (2 singing).


YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Seem to fairing much better nowadays in the coutryside.

Henstead water meadows - 22nd 7 singing).
Gunton Beach - 17th (5 singing).
Herringfleet Hills - 19th (2 singing).