Lowestoft Bird News - September 2006

RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Lowestoft North Beach - 9th (1 N, 1 S), 17th (2 S), 21st (1 N), 23rd (2 S).
Kessingland - 9th (1 N), 13th (1 N), 18th (2 N), 20th (2 N), 22nd (1 N), 23rd (1 N), 24th (4 N, 1 S), 26th (2 N, 1 S), 28th (1 N, 2 S).
Gorleston - 25th (2 on the sea).

DIVER sp. Gavia sp.
Kessingland - 17th (1 N), 30th (1 on sea).
Gorleston - 25th (1 S probably Black-throated).

FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (1 S), 4th (2 N).
Kessingland - 2nd (4 N), 2nd (6 N), 4th (1 S), 5th (4 N, 1 S), 6th (1 N), 7th (1 S), 8th (11 N), 9th (17 N, 1 S), 10th (1 N), 14th (1 S).

SOOTY SHEARWATER Puffinus griseus
Kessingland - 9th (4 N), 10th (1 N at 15:02), 16th (1 N at 9:33), 20th (3 N), 21st (1 N), 22nd (3 N, 1 lingering), 23rd (14 N), 24th (1 N).
Ness Point - 8th (N at 1550), 10th (1 N at 15:11 same as seen past Kessingland), 16th (1 N at 9:47 same as seen past Kessingland).
As it is approximately 5 miles in a straight line between Kessingland and Ness Point the one that took 9 minutes to cover that distance on the 10th was flying at an average speed of 33.33 miles per hour. Could this be a record? (A joke for the pre CD generation there.)

MANX SHEARWATER Puffinus puffinus
Kessingland - 21st (2 N, 1 S), 24th (1 N).
Ness Point - 21st (3 N, 1 S). The three seen at Kessingland were also seen off Lowestoft.

SHEARWATER sp. Puffinus sp.
Ness Point - 21st (1 S probably a Sooty), 22nd (1 S probably a Balearic).

GANNET Morus bassanus
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (5 N,1 S), 3rd (4 N), 4th (10 S), 17th (9 N), 19th (20 N), 21st (3 N, 15 S).
Kessingland - 1st (2 N, 1 S), 2nd (26 N, 2 S), 3rd (27 N), 4th (19 N, 19 S), 5th (21 N, 4 S), 6th (15 N, 3 S), 7th (3 N, 3 S), 8th (16 N, 3 S), 9th (33 N, 62 S), 10th (22 N), 11th (6 N, 5 S), 12th (3 N), 13th (9 N), 14th (1 N, 2 S), 15th (6 N, 10 S), 16th (7 N, 1 S), 17th (20 N), 18th (57 N), 19th (18 N, 1 S), 20th (9 N, 1 S), 21st (10 N), 22nd (3 N, 3 S), 23rd (10 N), 24th (17 N, 39 S), 25th (26 N, 2 S), 26th (11 N, 9 S), 27th (17 N), 28th (5 N, 12 S), 29th (19 N, 4 S), 30th (12 N, 2 S).
Ness Point - 14th (1 S), 16th (1 N, 17 S).

CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (2 S), 3rd (1 N), 6th (3 on groynes), 10th (2 S), 21st (1 S).
Kessingland - 5th (1 S), 6th (1 S), 7th (1 N), 8th (1 N, 2 S), 9th (3 S), 11th (1 S), 15th (1 S), 16th (1 N), 17th (1 o/s), 19th (5 N, 1 S), 22nd (2 N, 2 S), 23rd (1 o/s), 25th (4 N), 27th (2 N, 1 S), 28th (2 N, 1 S).
Gunton Beach - 9th (10 in off sea), 17th (1 S, 2 E).

LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
One flew south past Gunton Warren on the 11th.

GREY HERON Ardea cinerea
Two flew north past Gorleston on the 25th.

BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis
27 flew north past Kessingland on the 15th.
40 were seen at Kessingland sewage works on the 18th.

DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE Branta (bernicla) bernicla
Kessingland - 13th (4 S), 15th (12 N), 16th (4 N), 18th (3 S), 21st (1 S), 22nd (11 S), 23rd (6 S), 24th (144 S), 25th (5 N, 18 S), 26th (11 N, 5 S), 28th (2 N), 29th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (6 N), 21st (1 S), 23rd (2 S).
Gorleston - 25th (6 N, 10 S).

SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 8th (5 N, 1 o/s), 24th (3 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 7th (2 N), 17th (12 N).

WIGEON Anas penelope
Kessingland - 1st (13 S), 8th (15 N, 18 o/s), 9th (8 S), 10th (29 S), 11th (16 N, 90 S), 12th (14 N, 45 S), 13th (8 N, 20 S), 14th (18 S), 15th (25 N, 5 S), 16th (6 N, 63 S), 17th (9 N, 2 S), 23rd (13 S), 24th (73 S), 25th (16 N, 19 S), 26th (8 S), 28th (1 S), 29th (1 N), 30th (12 S).
Gunton Warren - 9th (46 N, 32 S), 10th (40 S), 15th (6 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (41 N, 34 S).

GADWALL Anas strepera
Kessingland - 2nd (8 S), 14th (5 S), 14th (5 S), 15th (5 S), 24th (6 S), 26th (2 N), 28th (3 S).
Leathes Ham - 10th (2), 21st (10).

PINTAIL Anas acuta
Kessingland - 5th (3 S), 20th (5 S), 22nd (4 S), 27th (1 S), 28th (3 S).

TEAL Anas crecca
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (1 S), 3rd (1 S), 8th (2 N), 21st (2 on sea).
Kessingland - 2nd (27 S), 5th (7 N, 36 S), 6th (16 S), 7th (4 N), 8th (12 N), 9th (125 S), 10th (106 S), 11th (16 N, 147 S), 12th (37 S), 13th (35 S), 14th (54 S, 1 o/s), 15th (4 N, 76 S), 16th (12 N, 138 S), 17th (13 N, 27 S), 18th (3 S), 20th (4 S), 22nd (6 S), 23rd (43 S) 24th (1 N 19 S), 25th (2 S), 26th (10 S), 28th (4 S), 29th (1 S), 30th (3 S).
Gunton Warren - (15 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (173 S).
Blundeston Marshes - 20th (32).
Leathes Ham - 21st (2).
Gorleston - 25th (3 N).

MALLARD Anas platyrhynchos
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 8th (1 N).

SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Kessingland - 2nd (16 S), 9th (4 S).
Leathes Ham - 21st (22).

TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Kessingland - 26th (5 S).

COMMON EIDER Somateria mollissima
Kessingland - 11th (4 N), 26th (4 N), 28th (1 S).

Common Scoter - Lowestoft - September 2006
©Andrew Easton

COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Lowestoft North Beach - 3rd (1 on the sea for most of the day).
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 6th (4 S), 7th (3 S), 8th (4 N, 10 o/s ), 9th (3 S), 10th (3 S), 14th (2 S), 15th (6 N, 12 S), 16th (2 S), 20th (1 S), 22nd (6 N, 2 S), 23rd (7 N), 24th (2 S), 25th (21 N), 26th (4 N, 13 o/s), 28th (1 N, 1 S).
Gunton Warren - 10th (20 S).

RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Kessingland - 18th (2 S), 25th (2 S).

COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo
One was seen slowly heading south into the strong headwinds at Pakefield on the 20th.

MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus
One was seen flying northwestwards low over the sea well offshore from Gunton on the 3rd, it eventually made landfall over the harbour area at Gorleston/Great Yarmouth, gaining height as it did so.

KESTREL Falco tinnunculus
One arrived in off the sea along Lowestoft North Beach on the 19th.

HOBBY Falco subbuteo
Corton new sewage works - 5th (1), 10th (juv).
Mutford - 1st (2 hunting hirundines).
Kessingland - 4th (3 flew in off the sea), 18th (1 S), 20th (1 S).
Flixton Decoy - 20th (2).
Beccles Common - 21st (1).

MERLIN Falco columbarius
The 3rd was obviously a day of raptor passage as, as well as the Marsh Harrier above, two Merlins arrived in off the sea at Gorleston, on around midday and the other at 17:10.

COOT Fulica atra
173 counted on Leathes Ham on the 5th was almost certainly a site record.

OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus
Lowestoft North Beach - 3rd (2 S), 9th (2 S).
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 3rd (2 S), 6th (1 S), 7th (1 N), 8th (1 N, 1 S), 11th (2 S), 16th (1 N), 27th (1 S).
Ness Point - 14th (1 S).
Gunton Warren - 16th (1 S).

RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (1 S), 25th (2), 28th (3).
Gorleston - 25th (21 on the beach).

GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Corton - 15th (16 S).
Lowestoft North Denes - 16th (1 in off sea then south west over the town).
Kessingland sewage works - 18th (3+).
Ellough - 27th (600).

GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
Kessingland - 30th (1 S).

KNOT Calidris canutus
Gunton Warren - 3rd (4 N), 9th (1 S).
Kessingland - 14th (55 S), 15th (21 N), 24th (5 S), 30th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 21st (2 S).

SANDERLING Calidris alba
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (20).

DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (8 S), 17th (1 N).
Kessingland - 11th (3 S), 12th (4 S), 14th (3 S), 15th (4 N), 24th (56 S), 26th (4 S).

COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
One was around the pond at Corton new sewage on the 10th.
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).

CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 5th (2 S), 11th (4 S), 12th (3 S), 22nd (1 S), 24th (1 S).
Gunton Warren - 9th (2 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (2 N, 5 S), 3rd (2 S).

WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (2 S).
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 8th (1 S), 10th (1 S).

BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Gunton Warren - 4th (4 in off sea).
Kessingland - 6th (1 S), 11th (2 S), 23rd (1 S).

REDSHANK Tringa totanus
Kessingland - 5th (17 S), 24th (12 S).

SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus
One flew north, calling frequently, over Lowestoft North Denes on the 3rd before turning inland over Gunton Warren.

COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
One was along the beach below the old sewage works at Corton on the 1st.

TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Lowestoft North Beach/Gunton Warren - 8th (5), 25th (7).
Ness Point - 10th (3).
Hamilton Dock - 9th (2).
Gunton Warren - 11th (3).

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew north past Kessingland on the 10th, with others north past there on the 25th and 26th.
One flew north along Lowestoft North Beach on the 16th and 17th.

ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 2nd (4 N, 2 S), 3rd (2 N, 5 S), 4th (1 N), 5th (1 N), 6th (1 S), 7th (4 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (5 S, 1 o/s), 10th (1 S), 12th (2 N), 14th (1 N, 1 S), 15th (4 N), 16th (1 lingering), 18th (1 N), 19th (1 N), 20th (1 S, 1 lingering), 22nd (1 N), 23rd (1 N, 1 S), 24th (1 N, 1 S), 26th (1 N), 27th (1 S), 29th (4 N, 3 S, 1 o/s), 30th (1 N, 2 S, 2 o/s).
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (3), 3rd (1 N, 2 S), 4th (3 N), 6th (1 on o/s), 7th (5 S), 9th (3 S), 10th (o/s), 17th (2 o/s), 21st (1 N), 23rd (1).
Gorleston - 6th (3), 25th (1 S).
Pakefield - 12th (group of 5).
Ness Point - 14th (2).

LONG-TAILED SKUA Stercorarius longicaudus
A pale juvenile flew north past Lowestoft North Beach on the evening of the 4th. Flying well above the waters surface the bird repeatedly dropped onto the water, presumably surface feeding. On the 14th a dark juvenile Long-tailed Skua flew north along Pakefield Beach at about 12.50 before drifting off inland over the rooftops. Might be worth keeping an eye on any ploughed fields with gulls in over the next few days. Rooftopwatching it's the new seawatching!

GREAT SKUA Stercorarius skua
Kessingland - 18th(1N), 22nd (3 N), 25th (2 N), 26th (2 S), 27th (1 N), 29th (1 N).

SKUA spp.
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 4th (1 S), 6th (1 N), 9th (1 S), 20 (1 N), 21st (1 S), 29th (2 on sea).

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Hopton - 1st (ad).
Gunton Warren - 4th (ad N), 11th (ad S).
Gorleston - 6th (1).
Kessingland - 4th (1 feeding), 5th (1 S), 16th (1 2nd. winter S), 22nd (1 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (juv N), 17th (1 adult, green ring).
Pakefield - 18th (1).
Hamilton Dock - 29th (1).

YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Larus (cachinnans) michahellis
Having returned again to the Lowestoft North Beach area on July 30th, "Old Faithful" was still there on September 29th.
Hamilton Dock - 29th (1 first winter).

LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
Exceptionally scarce in the area this year with hardly any seen along Lowestoft North Beach.
Kessingland - 2nd (4 S), 4th (1 feeding), 6th (2 S), 8th (3 N), 11th (1 S), 12th (2 N), 15th (5 N), 16th (20 N, 1 S), 18th (5 N, 1 S), 19th (1 N), 20th (1 S), 22nd (2 S), 23rd (5 N), 24th (2 N), 27th (1 N).
Ness Point - 8th (2 N).
Pakefield - 12th (5 S).
Gorleston - 16th (14 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (1 S), 21st (3 S).

KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 2nd (1 N, 1 S), 4th (1 S), 5th (2 N, 3 S), 6th (1 S), 7th (5 S), 8th (3 S), 9th (1 S), 10th (1 N), 13th (1 N), 14th (1 S), 15th (5 N), 16th (2 N), 18th (1 N), 21st (1 N, 5 S), 23rd (1 N), 24th (2 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 16th (5 N), 21st (1 S).

SANDWICH TERN Sterna sandvichensis
Links Road car park - 3rd (4 roosting with gulls).
Kessingland - 1st (4 N, 14 S), 2nd (8 N, 37 S), 3rd (1 N, 5 S), 4th (11 N, 9 S), 5th (28 N, 28 S), 6th (7 N, 14 S), 7th (7 N, 7 S), 8th (5 N, 18 S), 9th (18 N, 34 S), 10th (4 N, 32 S), 11th (4 N, 22 S), 12th (7 N, 9 S), 13th (6 N, 10 S), 14th (6 N, 15 S), 15th (3 N, 12 S), 16th (5 N, 10 S), 17th (8 N, 9 S), 18th (10 N, 36 S), 19th (11 N, 16 S), 20th (3 N, 8 S), 21st (2 N, 3 S), 22nd (1 N, 23 S), 23rd (16 S), 24th (26 S), 25th (1 N, 15 S), 26th (4 N, 12 S), 27th (9 S), 28th (2 N, 9 S), 29th (5 S), 30th (1 N, 13 S).
Ness Point - 14 (1 S), 16th (4 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 19th (6 on groynes), 23rd (20+ on groynes and offshore).

COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (50+ on groynes), 16th (1 N, 3 S), 18th (21 on groynes), 23rd (150+ on groynes and offshore).
On the 28th a rather ragged juvenile was begging for food from a fisherman along Lowestoft North Beach.

ARCTIC TERN Sterna paradisaea
One juvenile was on the groynes along Lowestoft North Beach on the 23rd.
One adult and one juvenile were along Lowestoft North Beach on the 29th.

LITTLE TERN Sterna albifrons
One flew south past Kessingland on the 9th.

'COMMIC' TERN Sterna hirundo/paradisaea
There was a heavy southerly passage of commics on the 7th. Several hundred passed Ness Point including one flock over 100 strong during the afternoon. Unsurprisingly terns were thin on the ground on the 8th.
Kessingland - 1st (32 N, 84 S), 2nd (64 N, 71 S), 3rd (19 N, 19 S), 4th (65 N, 147 S), 5th (62 N, 7 S), 6th (62 N, 66 S), 7th (22 N, 200 S), 8th (29 N, 4 S), 9th (11 N, 34 S), 10th (20 N, 4 S), 11th (19 N, 37 S), 12th (7 N, 10 S), 13th (5 N, 10 S), 14th (5 N, 97 S), 15th (73 N, 53 S), 16th (16 N, 4 S), 17th (2 N, 1 S), 18th (6 N, 29 S), 19th (27 N, 35 S), 20th (5 N, 11 S), 21st (21 N, 19 S), 22nd (8 N, 62 S), 23rd (27 N, 32 S), 24th (20 N, 17 S), 25th (10 N, 15 S), 26th (3 N, 31 S), 27th (1 N, 6 S), 28th (2 N, 9 S), 29th (16 S), 30th (19 N, 11 S).
Gunton Warren - 14th (12 S), 16th (10 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (12 N, 20 S).

BLACK TERN Chlidonias niger
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 14th (21 S inc. 18 at 17:55).
Ness Point - 3rd (1 S), 23rd (1 S).
Gorleston - 6th (ad).
Gunton Warren - 10th (6 S), 17th (1 lingering offshore).

Guillemot - Hamilton Dock - September 2006
©Andrew Easton

GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (1 on sea), 16th (1 o/s), 18th (3 tideline corpses), 23rd (1 o/s).
Gorleston - 14th (1 o/s).
Gunton Warren - 15th (1 o/s), 17th (1 o/s).
Pakefield - 20th (1 o/s).
Hamilton Dock - 23rd (1).
There have been several Guillemots seen close inshore recently, and at least one corpse washed up before the three found on the 18th. This coincides with reports of large numbers dying, apparently of starvation off the coasts of western Scotland and northern Ireland, and may indicate that the problem is more widespread.

AUK sp. Alcidae
Kessingland - 2nd (1 N), 2nd (1 N, 1 o/s), 8th (6 N), 9th (2 N, 2 S), 14th (1 N), 15th (2 N), 18th (4 N, 1 S), 19th (2 N), 20th (1 N, 1 S), 21st (1 N, 1 S), 26th (2 N), 28th (1 N), 29th (1 S), 30th (1 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (3 N), 21st (1 N).

STOCK DOVE Columba oenas
Corton new sewage works - 17th (1).
Blundeston Marshes - 20th (5).

WOOD PIGEON Columba palumbus
The confiding juvenile pictured tried to land on an unsuspecting Lowestoft resident while peacefully reading in the garden!!! As can be seen it was extremely confiding and eventually wandered off over the shed roof. Can you believe they used to be extremely wary! Jimmy Read once said he never thought he see one in town!!!

Wood Pigeon - Lowestoft - September 2006
©Kelvin Hill

LITTLE OWL Athene noctua
One was seen at Corton new sewage works on the 24th.

TAWNY OWL Strix aluco
Two were heard calling at Union Lane, Oulton on the 2nd.
One was calling in Beverley Street, Lowestoft on the 11th.
One was calling at Gunton, near Tesco on the 16th.
One was seen along Corton disused railtrack on the 24th, and presumably the same one was heard there again on the 30th.

LONG-EARED OWL Asio otus
On the 24th one was watched arriving in off the sea and vanished into the impenetrable depths of Warrenhouse Wood.

COMMON SWIFT Apus apus
Kessingland - 2nd (7 S), 4th (3 S).
Gunton Warren - 2nd (1 N), 3rd (2 northwards well out to sea).
Oulton Broad - 12th (3).

GREEN WOODPECKER Picus viridis
Three were seen together at Corton new sewage works on the 17th.
One was calling in Warrenhouse Wood on the 18th.
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 18th.
One was in Lowestoft Cemetery on the 21st.

SWALLOW Hirundo rustica
Gunton Warren - 3rd (50+ arrived in off the sea, many more during the day passing southwards along the coast and out to sea as well).
Lowestoft North Denes - 10th (4 S), 16th (2 N), 25th (7 S).
Kessingland sewage works - 13th (10), 18th (20).
Kessingland Levels - 24th (9 S).

HOUSE MARTIN Delichon urbica
Kessingland sewage works - 18th (50+), 23rd (2).
Blundeston Marshes - 20th (1).

TREE PIPIT Anthus trivialis
One was lurking in the dunes near Warrenhouse Wood on the 17th, and retreating into the trees of the wood when disturbed.
One was seen at Kessingland on the 23rd.
Two were at Corton on the 24th.

MEADOW PIPIT Anthus pratensis
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (11), 18th (50+).
North Denes (camp site) - 15th (40), 16th (6), 19th (6), 25th (6).
North Denes (net posts) - 15th (10), 16th (3).
Gunton Warren - 15th (2 S), 16th (20).
Corton old sewage works - 15th (1).
Corton (M.o.D fields) - 16th (60).

GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
One flew north at Gunton Warren on the 1st and 17th.
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 13th.
One flew south over Arnolds Walk on the 16th.
Three were at Kessingland sewage works on the 18th.
One was at Corton on the 24th.

YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava
Gunton Warren - 4th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Denes - 8th (1 N), 14th (1 N), 18th (1 N).
Corton (M.o.D fields) - 16th (1), 24th (1).
Ness Point - 16th (1 on sea wall).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (1 S), 22nd (1).

ROBIN Erithacus rubecula
Increased numbers have been noted along the coast from the 16th, presumably mostly migrants.

COMMON REDSTART Phoenicurus phoenicurus
Lowestoft North Denes (Gunton Cliff) - 5th (1), 10th (1), 16th (2, including a "Redstump" with a virtually non existent tail), 17th (1 with tail), 18th (1).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (2).
Poplars School (St. Margarets Road) - 16th (1), 17th (1).
Corton/Hopton - 16th (3).
Gunton (Hubbards Loke) - 17th (1).
Corton - 24th (1).
Sparrows Nest - 26th (1).

BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
Two were present near Hamilton Road, Lowestoft on the 10th.
At least one was calling along Hamilton Road on the 16th, and one was seen there on the 17th.

WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe
Hopton - 1st (1).
Corton (Radar Lodge) - 1st (1), 16th (10).
Lowestoft North Denes - 2nd (2), 3rd (1), 5th (4), 6th (2), 7th (4), 8th (2), 9th (3), 10th (2), 14th (4), 15th (10), 16th (4+), 17th (7), 18th (2), 19th (8), 20th (3), 21st (3), 23rd (4), 25th (5), 28th (6).
Gunton Warren - 2nd (1), 3rd (2), 6th (1), 16th (2), 17th (3), 18th (1), 19th (1).
Pakefield, CEFAS - 8th (1).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (4).
Lowestoft Cemetery - 16th (4).
Kessingland Beach - 16th (2), 23rd (1).

WHINCHAT Saxicola rubetra
Hopton - 1st (1).
Gunton Warren - 2nd-4th (1), 16th (1), 26th (1).
Corton old sewage works - 5th (1).
Lowestoft North Denes - 5th (1), 8th (3), 9th (2), 14th (4), 15th (5), 16th (2), 17th (2), 20th (1), 28th (1).
Corton Beach - 9th (2).
Gunton (Dip Farm) - 15th (1), 17th (1).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (3).

SONG THRUSH Turdus philomelus
Much increased numbers of Song Thrush were noted along the coast on the 16th and 17th and again on the 23rd and 24th.

CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Kessingland sewage works - 18th (1).

SEDGE WARBLER Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
One was skulking in grass around Lowestoft North Denes net posts on the afternoon of the 5th. Sooner or later one of them will be an Aquatic!!!

REED WARBLER Acrocephalus scirpaceus
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1), 13th (2), 18th (1).
Lowestoft North Denes - 10th (1).

GARDEN WARBLER Sylvia borin
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1), 13th (1), 18th (3).
Lowestoft North Denes - 16th (1).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (1).
Gunton Warren - 18th (1).
Corton disused railtrack - 30th (1).
One retrapped at Kessingland on the 13th weighed in at 21.7 grams. When first caught there on August 25th it had weighed 17.2 grams, an increase of 26% in a fraction under three weeks.

BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
Gunton Warren - 3rd (5), 8th (2), 17th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (12+), 13th (7), 18th (6).
Lowestoft North Denes - 16th (3), 28th (1).

LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca
Gunton Warren - 2nd (2), 5th (1), 8th (1).
Corton disused railtrack - 5th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 13th (2), 18th (2).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (3).

COMMON WHITETHROAT Sylvia communis
Gunton Warren - 2nd (5+), 5th (5), 8th (3), 17th (1), 26th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 13th (4), 18th (1).
Corton disused railtrack - 16th (1).

CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Gunton Warren - 2nd (2+ including one singing), 4th (3), 10th (1), 13th (3), 15th (1), 16th (5), 17th (4), 18th (3), 22nd (3), 26th (3+).
Ness Point - 10th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (3), 13th (2),18th (2).
Lowestoft North Denes - 16th (3), 17th (12), 19th (3), 20th (1), 23rd (1), 28th (3).
Gunton - 26th (2).

WILLOW WARBLER Phylloscopus trochilus
Passing through in higher than normal numbers this autumn, although looking at the numbers on the august page and this you'll appreciate just how scarce they've become in recent years.
Gunton Warren - 2nd (1), 17th (1).
Corton disused railtrack - 5th (1).
Lowestoft North Denes - 5th-6th (2), 8th (1).
Pakefield (CEFAS) - 18th (1).

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa striata
Birds Eye car park/Ness Point - 3rd (1 which then flew to the tree lined cliff below the High Street).
Links Road/Lowestoft North Denes - 3rd (2 together), 5th (1).
Caldecott Road, Oulton Broad - 4th (1).
River Waveney, nr. Barnby - 6th (1).
Gunton disused railtrack - 16th (3).
Corton disused railtrack - 23rd (1).

PIED FLYCATCHER Ficedula hypoleuca
One along Gunton disused railtrack on the 16th seems to be only the second one seen in Lizard Land this year. With the third appearing in Corton Woods on the 17th.

BLUE TIT Parus caeruleus
12 at Gunton Warren on the 8th indicated an increase at the site.

TREECREEPER Certhia familiaris
Gunton Wood - 8th (1).

MAGPIE Pica pica
30 were seen on Lowestoft North Denes on the 28th.

HOODED CROW x CARRION CROW Corvus cornix x Corvus corone
Single hybrids were seen at Gunton and at Corton new sewage works on the 23rd.

Juvenile Rose-coloured Starling - Benacre/Kessingland - September 2006
©Mike Parker

ROSE-COLOURED STARLING Sturnus roseus
A juvenile first seen in the fields south of Beach Farm, Benacre, on the 23rd later flew north across the River Hundred into Lizard Land. It foraged for a while with Starlings in the sheep fields under the power cables before disappearing when the flock took to the air again. It was later seen back in the fields at Benacre, where the still quite colourful adult Dotterel is currently in residence.
On the 24th to 27th it was again ranging between the Kessingland Levels and the fields to the south of Beach Farm at Benacre. A photo of it taken on the 26th appears above, shortly after it was taken it flew out of sight northwards over Kessingland. Keep a look out in south Lowestoft !.

GREENFINCH Carduelis chloris
Gunton Warren - 8th (5).

SISKIN Carduelis spinus
One flew over Corton disused railtrack on the 17th.
One flew over Corton old sewage works on the 30th.

LINNET Carduelis cannabina
Lowestoft North Beach - 2nd (6), 4th (8).
Gunton Warren - 4th (3), 8th (8), 17th (7).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (5), 18th (3).
Lowestoft North Denes - 19th (12), 20th (16), 28th (10).

YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Gunton Warren - 18th (4), 30th (1).

REED BUNTING Emberiza schoeniclus
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).

Common Seal - Gunton Beach - September 2006
©Andrew Easton

NON-BIRD NEWS

Common Seal
A still fairly young pup was hauled up on Gunton Beach on the 2nd and 3rd and with no sign of any adults around it was taken into care by the RSPCA. Another was offshore on the 9th.

Several Common Blues and Small Copper butterflies were feeding at the flowers of heather plants at Gunton Warren on the 2nd and 3rd following the cutting of the dense bracken that was rapidly shading out the remaining stands of heather. Both species were still on the wing there on the 21st.

A Convolvulus Hawk-moth was seen in Dove Street, Lowestoft on the evening of the 2nd. Hummingbird Hawk-moths seem to have got everywhere this year, even indoors, with one being seen in the Beccles branch of Superdrug on the 21st.

An Adder was seen at Gunton Warren on the 3rd, and several Common Lizards have been spotted there recently as well as they scurry for cover..

A larva of one of the Antlions discovered by Nick Blacker at Gunton Warren last month is pictured below, they are presumed to be Eurolean nostras the species found in the Minsmere/Dunwich area but no adults have been seen yet to confirm this. 10 'pits' were counted on the 6th.

20 Small Copper butterfly were noted at Gunton Warren on the 6th and 7th. Clouded Yellows were noted at Gunton (near Tesco) on the 11th and Corton new sewage works on the 13th (possibly 2), with eight seen at the latter site on the 23rd, and at least six were still there on the 30th.

Very unusually second broods of White Admiral butterflies have been recorded in the UK this year. One fresh individual was seen at Belton Common on the 24th, and elsewhere in Suffolk others have been seen at Mildenhall, Minsmere and Dunwich.

A dozen or so Adonis' Ladybirds were found in Hamilton Road on the 10th. 50+ Harlequin Ladybirds were noted around the Belle Vue Park/Denes Oval area on the 29th, mirroring the pattern of the last two years with them being more noticeable in late autumn.

Two Wasp Spiders have been seen this month, both in the Bloodmoor Road area of Carlton Colville. This colourful species has been slowly spreading out from the south-east of England where it first colonized.

PORPOISE
Kessingland - 4th (1 S), 7th (1 N), 18th (2 N), 23rd (1 N), 26th (1 S), 28th (2 feeding), 30th (2 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (3), 16th (1), 17th (2+), 19th (3), 21st (2), 23rd (1 N).

GREY SEAL
Kessingland - 2nd (1), 3rd (1), 5th (1), 7th (1), 18th (1), 19th (1), 23rd (1), 26th (1), 27th (1).
Lowestoft North Beach - 12th (1), 16th (1), 17th (1).