Roseate, Common and Sandwich Terns - Lowestoft - July 2008 © Andrew Easton


RED-THROATED DIVER
Gavia stellata
****
One summer plumaged individual flew north past Lowestoft North Beach on the morning of the 30th, with possibly the same one north past Corton in the afternoon.



GREAT CRESTED GREBE
Podiceps cristatus

Kessingland - 5th (1 on sea), 26th (1 S).



FULMAR
Fulmarus glacialis

Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (2 S), 10th (2 S), 13th (1 N), 15th (1 N), 29th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 14th (1 N).



CORY'S SHEARWATER
Calonectris diomedea
****
One flew north past Kessingland, Ness Point and Corton on the morning of the 30th.



SOOTY SHEARWATER
Puffinus griseus
****
One flew north past Kessingland on the 12th.
One flew north past Corton at 16:10 on the 23rd.
Two flew north past Kessingland at 17:15 on the 23rd.
Three flew north off Ness Point on the 23rd, two at 17:32 and one at 17:55.
Two flew north past Kessingland on the 30th.



GANNET
Morus bassanus
****
Ness Point - 1st (3 S), 3rd (1 N, 5 S), 6th (4 S), 9th (56 N, 26 S), 10th (43 N, 9 S), 12th (17 N), 17th (12 S), 24th (3 N, 6 S).
Kessingland - 1st (2 N), 2nd (11 N, 4 S), 3rd (8 N, 21 S), 4th (6 N), 5th (16th 1 S), 6th (6 N, 12 S), 7th (2 S), 8th (6 N, 7 S), 9th (39 N, 25 S), 10th (16 N, 5 S), 11th (5 N, 15 S), 12th (52 N, 66 S), 13th (25 N, 15 S, 12 feeding), 14th (7 S), 15th (1 N, 15 S), 16th (2 N, 16 S), 17th (41 S), 18th (3 S), 19th (4 S), 20th (4 N, 6 S), 21st (1 N, 6 S), 22nd (3 S), 23rd (3 N, 3 S), 24th (7 N, 8 S), 25th (8 N), 26th (9 N, 2 S), 27th (10 N, 3 S), 28th (15 N), 29th (8 N, 4 S), 30th (3 N), 31st (2 N).
Corton - 9th (5 S), 16th (1 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (19 N), 30th (8 N, 3 S).
Gorleston - 30th (7 N).

Good numbers were still lingering well offshore to feed early in the month, and a group of 40+ were feeding distantly off Ness Point on the 23rd.



CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
****
Leathes Ham - 1st (7).
Kessingland - 1st (10 N), 6th (1 N), 7th (6 in off the sea), 8th (7 S), 10th (8 N), 12th (19 N), 13th (1 S), 14th (1 N), 15th (2 N), 17th (1 N, 2 S), 18th (3 S), 20th (3 N, 2 S), 21st (1 S), 22nd (3 N, 2 S), 23rd (1 S), 24th (3 S), 25th (1 N, 1 S), 26th (1 S), 27th (2 N), 28th (1 S), 29th (1 S).
Kessingland sewage works
- 6th (19 N).
Ness Point - 17th (3 S).
Gorleston - 17th (11 arrived in off the sea from over the horizon and headed inland), 30th
(14 arrived in off the sea from over the horizon and headed inland).
Lowestoft North Beach - 19th (2 S).



SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
****
One first winter bird was on the sea just off Ness Point on the 20th, and it or another flew south past there on the 23rd.
Little Egrets © Andrew Easton
Little Egrets - Leathes Ham - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
Two were at Leathes Ham on the 2nd and 3rd, with three there on the 6th, and two on the 9th.
One flew south past Kessingland on the 12th.
Two were at Carlton Marshes on the 16th.



GREY HERON Ardea cinerea
****
Three arrived in off the sea together at Ness Point on the 24th, and later headed south past Kessingland.
15 arrived in off the sea at Kessingland/Benacre Ness on the 31st.
Three flew south past Kessingland on the 24th.



SPOONBILL
Platalea leucorodia
One immature was along the south wall at Breydon on the 12th.



RUDDY SHELDUCK
Tadorna ferruginea
****
Three flew south past Gorleston on the 16th.



SHELDUCK
Tadorna tadorna
****
Kessingland - 5th (1 S), 8th (1 S), 18th (1 on sea).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (1 S), 21st (10 S).



[ AMERICAN WOOD DUCK
Aix sponsa
****
An eclipse plumaged drake was at Leathes Ham on the evening of the 29th. It was still present on the 31st. ]

American Wood Duck © Andrew Easton
American Wood Duck - Leathes Ham - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

WIGEON Anas penelope****
Gorleston - 17th (6 S).
Ness Point - 17th (6 S).
Kessingland - 17th (6 S), 30th (4 S).
Presumably the same group on the 17th !



GADWALL Anas strepera
Leathes Ham
- 9th (9), 10th (14), 23rd (9), 30th (5).



TEAL
Anas crecca
****
Three flew south past Ness Point on the 2nd.
Kessingland - 1st (13 S), 2nd (1 S), 6th (6 S), 7th (1 S), 9th (2 S), 16th (23 S), 17th (63 S), 18th (21 S), 19th (4 S), 24th (49 S), 25th (15 S), 26th (12 S), 30th (1 N, 77 S), 31st (48 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (47 S), 23rd (1 S), 24th (46 S), 30th (15 S, 12 on sea).
Corton - 16th (35 S), 30th (8 S).
Ness Point
- 17th (12 S).
Gorleston - 24th (10 S), 30th (26 S).



MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos
Two flew south past Ness Point on the 24th.



SHOVELER Anas clypeata
****
Kessingland - 6th (6 S), 17th (6 S), 24th (3 S), 30th (9 S), 31st (15 S).
Leathes Ham
- 9th (1), 10th (1), 15th (2), 22nd (6), 29th (6), 30th (20).



POCHARD
Aythya ferina
****
One flew south past Ness Point on the 17th.
One flew north over Lowestoft North Denes on the 31st.



TUFTED DUCK
Aythya fuligula
****
Lowestoft North Beach
- 17th (32 S).
Leathes Ham - 23rd (2), 25th (2), 29th (2).
Kessingland - 23rd (1 S), 24th (3 S).


COMMON SCOTER
Melanitta nigra
****
Kessingland
- 1st (1 on sea), 2nd (1 N, 1 on sea), 3rd (2 on sea), 4th (3 S), 5th (1 N, 14 S), 6th (5 S), 7th (28 S), 8th (2 N), 9th (15 S), 10th (8 N), 11th (15 N), 12th (5 S, 15 on sea), 14th (1 N, 3 on sea), 16th (34 S), 17th (181 S, 12 on sea), 18th (4 S, 25 on sea), 19th (2 N), 20th (1 N), 23rd (2 N), 24th (25 on sea), 26th (3 N, 8 S), 28th (6 N), 29th (1 S), 30th (50 on sea).
Ness Point - 9th (1 S), 10th (3 N), 17th (207 S), 24th (5 N).
Corton - 9th (5 S, 1 on sea), 23rd (1 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (2 N), 30th (9 S).
Gorleston -
26th (one on the sea), 30th (1 S, 1 on sea).



OSPREY
Pandion haliaetus

On the 17th one drifted northwards over Lowestoft North Denes at 10:45, then headed out to sea.
One also headed westwards over Beccles on the 17th, at 17:35.



MERLIN
Falco columbarius
One was along the south wall of Breydon on the 12th, on the 9th it was hunting over The Lumps north of the border.



HOBBY
Falco subbuteo
One was over Kessingland village on the 17th.
One was over Beach Road, Gorleston on the 19th.
One flew low over the Haven Bridge from Great Yarmouth towards Cobholm on the 22nd.



PEREGRINE Falco peregrinus
One flew south past Kessingland on the 10th.
One flew north past Corton on 17th.



OYSTERCATCHER
Haematopus ostralegus
****
Kessingland - 2nd (6 S), 3rd (6 S), 4th (6 S), 5th (11 S), 7th (1 S), 8th (2 N, 2 S), 9th (17 S), 10th (4 S), 11th (2 S), 12th (4 S), 13th (4 S), 15th (8 S), 16th (4 S), 17th (1 S), 18th (10 S), 19th (3 S), 20th (3 S), 21st (3 S), 22nd (6 S), 24th (1 N, 6 S), 25th (1 S), 26th (11 S), 27th (3 N, 18 S), 28th (3 S), 29th (2 N, 7 S), 30th (1 S).
Ness Point - 9th (6 S), 10th (18 S), 13th (2 S), 23rd (3 S), 24th (14 S).
Corton - 16th (4 S).
Lowestoft North Beach
- 17th (7 S), 19th (1).



RINGED PLOVER
Charadrius hiaticula
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 7th (4 S), 16th (4 S), 17th (6 S), 18th (2 S), 19th (3 S), 24th (2 S), 27th (1 S).
Ness Point - 9th (1 S), 12th (3 S), 17th (8 S), 24th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 22nd (1).
Gorleston - 24th (1 S).



LITTLE RINGED PLOVER
Charadrius dubius
One flew south past Ness Point on the 1st.



GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
****
Kessingland - 3rd (1 S), 5th (3 S), 6th (4 S), 7th (2 S), 9th (1 S), 12th (4 S), 13th (1 S), 31st (1 S).
One arrived in off the sea at Ness Point on the 17th and headed inland over the town.
c.50 were feeding with Lapwings in fields at Mutford on the 23rd.



GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
****
Kessingland - 1st (3 S), 3rd (1 S), 5th (6 S), 6th (1 S), 9th (1 S), 12th (37 S), 13th (2 S), 15th (3 S), 16th (3 S), 17th (58 S), 18th (17 S), 20th (1 S), 21st (1 S), 24th (8 S), 25th (2 S), 26th (1 S).
Ness Point - 16th (2 S), 17th (74 S), 24th (5 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (1 S), 30th (9 S).
Gorleston - 17th (2 S).
Corton - 18th (3 S).



SANDERLING Calidris alba
****
Four flew south past Ness Point on the 2nd.
Seven flew south past Ness Point on the 16th.
A flock of ten flew south past Ness Point on the 17th.
Five flew south past Kessingland on the 20th.
Six flew south past Kessingland on the 31st.

Knot © Andrew Easton
Knot - Ness Point - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

KNOT Calidris canutus
One summer plumaged bird flew south past Ness Point on the 1st.
One was feeding at Ness Point on the 2nd.
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 7th (1 S), 9th (4 S), 12th (80 S), 21st (1 S), 23rd (2 N), 26th (12 S).
Ness Point - 17th (9 S).



DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Kessingland - 1st (22 S), 3rd (1 S), 4th (8 S), 5th (4 S), 13th (5 S), 17th (6 S), 19th (4 S), 28th (13 S).
Ness Point - 17th (12 S).



SNIPE
Gallinago gallinago ****
Three arrived in off the sea at Corton on the 31st.



WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus ****
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 5th (4 S), 6th (20 S), 7th (1 S), 9th (5 S), 10th (1 S), 11th (1 S), 12th (1 S), 14th (1 S), 16th (1 S), 17th (3 S), 18th (3 S), 19th (4 S), 21st (9 S), 22nd (2 S),23rd (2 S), 24th (1 S), 27th (2 S), 28th (1 S).
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (2 S).
Corton - 18th (2 S).
Ness Point - 24th (3 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 30th (1 S).
Breydon South Wall - 31st (1).



CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 5th (3 S), 6th (2 S), 9th (1 S), 16th (1 S), 17th (2 S).
Ness Point - 17th (3 S).



BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Kessingland - 1st (18 S), 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 5th (1 S), 7th (1 S), 12th (3 S), 14th (9 S), 16th (1 S), 17th (71 S), 18th (3 S), 24th (1 S), 27th (2 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (1 S).
Ness Point - 17th (31 S).



REDSHANK Tringa totanus

Ness Point - 1st (1 S), 10th (8 S), 17th (1 S).
Kessingland - 3rd (4 S), 4th (2 S), 5th (12 S), 6th (1 N, 6 S), 14th (4 S), 20th (13 S), 21st (1 S), 23rd (26 S), 27th (6 S), 28th (2 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 19th (1).
Gunton Warren - 29th (1 overhead calling).



GREENSHANK Tringa nebularia

Single birds flew south past Kessingland on the 6th and 15th.



GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus

One flew south past Ness Point on the 24th.



COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
****
Leathes Ham - 1st (2), 2nd (1), 3rd (2), 6th (1), 7th (4), 8th (2), 10th (1), 12th (1), 13th (2), 14th (2), 15th (3), 16th (2), 19th (2), 20th (2), 21st (1), 22nd (1), 23rd (1), 24th (1), 25th (1), 30th (1), 31st (1).
Two flew south past Ness Point on the 17th.

One was along the beach at Corton on the 17th and 24th.
Two flew south past Ness Point on the 23rd.

Six were on groynes in Gorleston Harbour mouth on the 29th.
Three were along Breydon South Wall on the 31st.
One was at Gorleston Harbour mouth on the 31st.



TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
****
Ness Point - 1st (6 S), 10th (3 S)17th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (17), 8th (15 including Dutch flagged individual), 9th (19 including Dutch flagged individual), 11th (2), 12th (2), 13th (12 including Dutch flagged individual), 19th (13), 26th (15).
Kessingland - 3rd (2 S), 5th (1 S), 7th (1 N, 1 S), 8th (1 S), 9th (3 N, 1 S), 11th (2 S), 14th (5 S), 20th (1 S), 21st (7 S), 22nd (6 S), 30th (6 S).
Corton - 24th (10), 25th (14), 30th (5).
Gorleston - 24th (2 S).
Breydon South Wall - 31st (2).



POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew north past Ness Point on the 9th.
One flew north, then later south, past Ness Point on the 12th.
One was lingering off Kessingland on the 15th and 16th.
One flew south past Lowestoft North Beach on the 16th.
One flew south past Kessingland on the 18th.



ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
****
Kessingland - 2nd (2 lingering), 3rd (1 N, 1 lingering), 4th (1 N, 2 lingering), 5th (1 N), 7th (2 lingering), 8th (1 N), 9th (10 N, 1 S, 5 lingering), 11th (1 lingering), 15th (1 N, 2 S, 1 lingering), 16th (1 lingering), 17th (1 N, 1 lingering), 18th (1 S, 7 lingering), 19th (1 S, 3 lingering), 20th (1 lingering), 21st (1 lingering), 22nd (3 S, 2 lingering), 23rd (1 N, 1 lingering), 24th (5 N), 28th (1 lingering), 30th (6 S).
Ness Point - 3rd (2 S), 9th (2 S), 10th (7 N, 2 S), 12th (7 lingering), 13th (1 N, 1 S), 14th (3 lingering), 15th (1 S), 16th (1 N), 17th (2 N), 23rd (3 lingering), 24th (3 N, 3 S).
Corton - 9th (1 N), 18th (2 S), 23rd (1 S), 24th (1 N), 30th (1 N, 4 S).
Gorleston - 14th (1).
Lowestoft North Beach
- 16th (2 N, 2 S), 20th (6+), 30th (1 N, 2 S).



LONG-TAILED SKUA Stercorarius longicaudus
****
One flew north past Kessingland on the 24th.

Two flew south past Kessingland on the 30th.



GREAT SKUA Stercorarius skua
Kessingland - 9th (1 lingering), 10th (2 N), 11th (1 N, 1 S).
Three flew north past Ness Point on the 10th.



SKUA sp Stercorarius parasiticus
****
Kessingland - 17th (1 S), 18th (1 S).

Mediterranean Gull © Andrew Easton
Mediterranean Gull - Ness Point - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
A juvenile/first winter was at Ness Point on the 2nd.
One adult flew north along Lowestoft North Beach on the 16th.
Five adults, including one colour ringed individual, were at Gorleston on the 16th.
One unringed bird at Gorleston Cliffs on the 24th.
One flew north past Gorleston on the 31st.
Kessingland - 28th (1 N), 29th (1 S).



LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
****
Ness Point - 1st (25 S), 6th (6 S), 9th (2 S), 10th (9 S), 12th (3 S), 13th (1 N, 1 S), 14th (1 N), 15th (2 S), 17th (3 S), 23rd (1 N).
Links Road Car Park - 2nd (6), 16th (1), 21st (2), 22nd (1).
Kessingland - 1st (4 S), 2nd (1 N, 1 S), 3rd (1 N, 3 S), 4th (1 N), 5th (3 N), 6th (3 N, 3 S), 7th (2 N), 8th (5 N), 12th (1 S), 22nd (1 N), 26th (2 N), 28th (2 N, 1 S), 29th (5 N, 2 S).
Denes Oval - 9th (11), 18th (4).
Breydon South Wall - 10th (1).
Lowestoft North Beach - 11th (2), 16th (1 S).
Gorleston - 24th (1 or 2), 25th (1), 26th (9 in off the sea then headed inland in the direction of Breydon Water), 29th (one on the sea), 30th (3 in harbour mouth), 31st (3 on the river).



YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Larus michahellis
****
The regular adult was along Lowestoft North Beach on the 3rd, 9th and 16th; and on the latter date a juvenile/first winter was perched on the same groyne.
The adult and first winter were both still along Lowestoft North Beach on the 22nd.

Yellow=legged Gulls © Andrew Easton
Yellow-legged Gulls - Lowestoft - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla****
Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 2nd (2 N, 9 S), 3rd (5 S), 4th (4 S), 5th (1 N, 2 S), 6th (1 N, 3 S), 7th (2 N, 2 S), 8th (5 N), 9th (5 N, 4 S), 10th (4 N, 3 S), 11th (1 N, 11 S), 12th (3 N, 2 S), 13th (1 N, 2 S), 14th (11 S), 15th (8 S), 16th (2 S), 18th (2 S), 20th (2 N), 21st (1 S),24th (1 N), 29th (1 N).
Corton - 16th (2 S).



SANDWICH TERN Sterna sandvicensis
****
Lowestoft North Beach - 3rd (10 on the groynes), 9th (6 on the groynes), 11th (3 on the groynes), 12th (7 on the groynes), 16th (11 on the groynes), 17th (5 on the groynes), 19th (17).
Kessingland - 1st (2 N, 9 S), 2nd (20 N, 20 S), 3rd (33 N, 28 S), 4th (12 N, 19 S), 5th (17 N, 12 S), 6th (32 N, 23 S), 7th (8 N, 21 S), 8th (28 N, 37 S), 9th (31 N, 3 S), 10th (5 N, 7 S), 11th (4 N, 9 S), 12th (2 N, 9 S), 13th (3 N), 14th (3 N, 3 S), 15th (3 N, 4 S), 16th (14 N, 11 S), 17th (10 N, 17 S), 18th (25 S), 19th (20 S), 20th (3 N, 28 S), 21st (1 N, 13 S), 22nd (9 S), 23rd (17 N, 14 S), 24th (14 N, 4 S), 25th (6 N, 11 S), 26th (1 S), 27th (2 N, 5 S), 28th (3 N, 5 S), 29th (2 N), 30th (6 N, 12 S), 31st (2 N, 2 S).
Corton - 31st (1 S).



COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo
****
Ness Point - 1st (150+ S).
Links Road Car Park - 2nd (25).
Lowestoft North Beach - 3rd (85 on the groynes), 9th (166 on the groynes), 11th (52 on the groynes), 12th (70+ on the groynes), 16th (189 on the groynes), 17th (11 on the groynes), 19th (18), 29th (57 on the groynes), 31st (212 on the groynes).
Corton - 30th
(11 on the groynes), 31st (1 S).

On the evening of the 1st there was a steady and continuous southbound passage of Terns, with several Little Gulls mixed in. On the 2nd 10+ were catching flying ants over Kessingland Beach with Black-headed and Little Gulls. On the 17th 20+ were catching flying ants over Kessingland Beach, two juvenile Little Gulls and even a Lesser Black-backed Gull joined in the feast.

Very large numbers have been feeding offshore from the 12th to 15th at least. 100's were streaming south on the evening of the 21st, one flock alone totaled 110; and large numbers were still passing south offshore on the 29th.



ARCTIC TERN Sterna paradisaea

One juvenile was on the groynes along Lowestoft North Beach on the 3rd.



LITTLE TERN Sterna albifrons
****
Kessingland - 3rd (1 N), 4th (8 S), 5th (2 N, 10 S), 6th (4 N, 43 S), 7th (2 N, 14 S), 8th (41 N, 45 S), 9th (3 N, 8 S), 10th (9 N, 12 S), 11th (10 N, 17 S), 12th (13 N, 4 S), 13th (2 N, 35 S), 14th (7 N, 7 S), 15th (15 N, 19 S), 16th (2 N, 8 S), 17th (3 S), 22nd (4 S).
Ness Point - 1st (2 S), 12th (1 S), 15th (2 S), 30th (1 S).



BLACK TERN Chlidonias niger
****
One summer plumaged adult flew south past Ness Point on the 17th.
One flew north past Corton on the 18th.
One juvenile flew north at Ness Point on the 23rd.
One flew south past Kessingland on the 30th.
One flew south past Gorleston on the 30th.
One flew south at Breydon South Wall, with other terns at high tide, on the 31st.



COMMIC TERN Sterna hirundo/paradisaea
****
Kessingland - 1st (15 N, 68 S), 2nd (64 N, 29 S), 3rd (56 N, 39 S), 4th (60th 78 S), 5th (142 N, 27 S), 6th (130 N, 48 S), 7th (61 N, 202 S), 8th (63 N, 60 S), 9th (169 N, 26 S), 10th (112 N, 16 S), 11th (44 N, 37 S), 12th (35 N, 52 S), 13th (14 N, 8 S), 14th (27 N, 92 S), 15th (70 N, 35 S), 16th (50 N, 44 S), 17th (30 N, 44 S), 18th (6 N, 24 S), 19th (9 N, 45 S), 20th (13 N, 32 S), 21st (30 N, 213 S), 22nd (16 N, 99 S), 23rd (3 N, 41 S), 24th (404 N, 21 S), 25th (44 N, 14 S, 24 feeding), 26th (20 N, 161 S), 27th (39 N, 178 S), 28th (25 N, 72 S), 29th (43 N, 121 S), 30th (70 N, 61 S), 31st (25 N, 32 S).



GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
****
One flew north past Kessingland on the 24th.
One swam north past Corton on the 24th.
One in the harbour mouth at Gorleston on the 24th was probably the Corton bird from earlier in the afternoon.
One unoiled corpse was on Lowestoft North Beach on the 25th.



AUK sp. Alcidae
****
Kessingland - 16th (1 on the sea), 24th (1 N, 1 on sea), 26th (1 on sea).



RING-NECKED PARAKEET Psittacula krameri
****
One has apparently been roosting at the Heathlands caravan park at Kessingland since early August.

At 19:10 on the 17th it flew south along the cliff at the south end of Kessingland village, then returned northwards before turning north westwards and being lost to view behind trees. It was seen there again at 6:45 on the morning of the 20th.

At 18:40 on the 18th one flew south along Gunton Cliff, then circled several times over Sparrows Nest Park and may have gone to roost there. On the 22nd it circled around Sparrows Nest at 9:15 and appeared to land to the south of the park.

On the morning of the 29th it flew over the reedbed near Kessingland sewage works.

On the 30th it was eventually tracked down by it's call to gardens at the southern end of Beach Road near the Kessingland Beach Holiday Park. At 18:00 it flew north and was a short while later heard at Heathlands caravan park to the north of Kessingland.

Ring-necked Parakeet © Andrew Easton
Ring-necked Parakeet - Kessingland - August 2008 © Andrew Easton

[PEACH-FACED LOVEBIRD Agapornis roseicollis
One was in trees around the Denes Oval on the 31st. ]



CUCKOO
Cuculus canorus
****
One was catching caterpillars along the drive way at The Poplars School, Lowestoft on the 28th.



SWIFT
Apus apus
****
Gorleston - 16th (12), 17th (2), 18th (8, including five roosting on the old lighthouse), 19th (4), 24th (4), 25th (6).
Nine flew south low over the sea about one kilometre off Ness Point on the 17th, several more, plus a few Swallows were doing the same on the 19th.
50+, along with numerous hirundines, were catching flying ants over Kessingland Beach on the 17th.
Sparrows Nest - 25th (6).



KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
****
Two were at Leathes Ham on the 7th, with one there on the 15th, and two again on the 29th and 30th.
One was at Carlton Marshes on the 16th.



SAND MARTIN Riparia riparia
****
12 were still around the colony at Corton on the 17th.
Several parties of Sand Martins and Swallows were heading south along the coast at Gunton Warren on the 29th.



YELLOW WAGTAIL
Motacilla flava
****
At least one was at Kessingland Beach/Benacre Sluice on the 30th.



WHITE WAGTAIL
Motacilla alba alba
****
At least two were in the Kessingland/Benacre Sluice area on the 31st.



ROBIN
Erithacus rubecula
****
Seven at Kessingland sewage works on the 29th was higher than average and presumably included some migrants. Helgoland noted its first migrant Robins and Dunnocks on the 19th.



REDSTART
Phoenicurus phoenicurus
****
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 31st.



WHINCHAT
Saxicola rubetra
****
Lowestoft North Denes - 21st (1), 25th (4).
Corton Cliffs/Radar Lodge - 25th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (1).
Kessingland/Benacre Sluice - 30th (4).
Corton sewage works - 30th (1).
Gunton - 30th (2), 31st (5).
Hamilton Road, Lowestoft - 31st (1).
MoD field Corton
- 31st (1).
Hopton disused railtrack
- 31st (2).



WHEATEAR
Oenanthe oenanthe
****
The first of the autumn was on the seawall along Lowestoft North Beach on the 8th, with three together there on the 9th and 14th.
Five were on the netposts on Lowestoft North Denes on the evening of the 11th.
One was at Yew Tree Close Bradwell on the 16th.
Links Hill
- 21st (2).
Lowestoft North Denes - 21st (3), 25th (1), 26th (1), 30th (1), 31st (10).
Corton Cliffs/Radar Lodge
- 25th (4), 31st (1).
Kessingland/Benacre Sluice
- 30th (5).
Gunton Warren - 30th (2).
Ness Point - Hamilton Dock - 31st (4).
MoD field Corton
- 31st (4).



CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (1).



SEDGE WARBLER Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (2).



REED WARBLER
Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (4), 29th (1), 30th (1).
One was singing at Carlton Marshes on the 16th.



LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca
****
Gunton Warren
- 15th (1), 16th (2), 21st (2), 25th (3), 29th (4).
Gunton Cliff - 21st (4), 25th (1), 31st (3).
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (1).
Gunton (Dip Farm) - 31st (1).



WHITETHROAT Sylvia communis
****
Gunton Warren - 21st (6), 25th (8), 29th (1).
Gunton Cliff - 25th (1), 31st (3).
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (3).



GARDEN WARBLER Sylvia borin
****
Two were at Marsh Lane, North Cove on the 17th.
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 30th.
One was at Dip Farm, Gunton on the 31st.



BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
****
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (1), 29th (5).
Gunton Cliff - 21st (5), 25th (3+), 31st (2).
Gunton Warren - 25th (1).



CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Gunton Warren - 11th (1), 12th (2), 19th (2), 25th (2), 26th (2), 29th (3).
Gunton Cliff - 21st (3).
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (4), 31st (2).



WILLOW WARBLER
Phylloscopus trochilus
****
Five were along the slope below Gunton Cliff at Lowestoft North Denes on the 20th.
Gunton Warren - 22nd (2).
Gunton Cliff - 25th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 29th (2), 30th (2).
Corton - 31st (3).



FIRECREST Regulus ignicapillus

One that was ringed at Kessingland on 26th March this year was trapped and released on the island of Helgoland in the German Bight on 9th April. A map showing these locations appears below. March and April this year saw good numbers of Firecrests passing through our area, and five were ringed at Kessingland in that time. Most wintering Firecrests in Britain are generally presumed to be immigrants from mainland Europe and this movement certainly backs this up.


View Larger Map


SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa striata
One was at Marsh Lane, North Cove on the 17th.
Three were along the slope below Gunton Cliff at Lowestoft North Denes on the 20th, with one there on the 25th.



PIED FLYCATCHER
Ficedula hypoleuca
****
One was in gardens along The Avenue at Pakefield on the 18th.
Two were at Gunton on the 30th, one in the Dip Farm football field car park shelter belt, the other by the disused railway bridge.
One was along the disused railtrack at Gunton on the 31st.
One was near Corton Church on the 31st.
One was along "Flycatcher Lane" behind the Denes Oval on the 31st.



RED-BACKED SHRIKE
Lanius collurio
****
One was at Kessingland/Benacre Ness on the 30th and 31st. It was seen on both sides of the River Hundred.



GREENFINCH
Carduelis chloris
****
Gunton Warren - 29th (3).



LINNET
Carduelis cannabina
****
Gunton Warren - 19th (6), 29th (3).



CROSSBILL
Loxia curvirostra
****
23 were at Belton Common from the 9th.
One flew north at Gunton on the 30th.
At least two were calling in flight south over Lowestoft North Denes on the 31st.
Three flew north at Corton on the 31st.
One was heard calling in flight over Kessingland on the 31st.



[ ZEBRA FINCH Poephila guttata
One was sitting on the seawall and rocks near Ness Point on the 31st. ]


NON-BIRD NEWS

A Hummingbird Hawk-moth paid a brief visit to a Lavender bush in a Kessingland garden on the 2nd. A few Painted Lady butterflies have started to appear locally, but it hasn't been a very good summer for insects so far.

Yellow-winged Darter © Peter Ransome

Yellow-winged Darter - Corton sewage works - August 2008 © Peter Ransome

Despite not being a particularly good year for dragonflies locally, a male Yellow-winged Darter was found at Corton sewage works pond on the 14th, and another was nearby at Gunton the same day.

Small Red-eyed Damselflies
were making the most of the warm sunny weather on the 15th, with many pairs egg laying at Leathes Ham and Corton sewage works pond. The latter site still held plenty of male Red-eyed Damselflies as well, but no females were in evidence.

A Banded Demoiselle visited a garden adjacent to Oulton Broad on the 29th.


HARBOUR PORPOISE

Kessingland - 3rd (2 N), 4th (2 S), 11th (1 N, 1 S), 20th (1 S), 25th (1 N), 26th (1), 29th (1 S, 3 feeding), 31st (1 feeding).
Ness Point - 10th (1 N), 14th (1 S).
Corton
- 16th (1 S).


GREY SEAL
Kessingland -
4th (1), 6th (1), 9th (1), 10th (1), 11th (1), 13th (1), 16th (1), 26th (1).
Corton - 16th (1).
Breydon Water - 25th (1).


COMMON SEAL
Lowestoft North Beach - 25th (1).


RED FOX
One along Whapload Road at 5am on the 26th was involved in a standoff with a large cat, both arching their backs to intimidate each other. They went their separate ways without a fight in the end.

Painted Lady © Colin Jacobs
Painted Lady - Belton Common - August 2008 © Colin Jacobs