November 2003

Brambling - Corton - October 2003 - ©Tim Brown

RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 1st (1 S, 3 o.s.), 3rd (4 S), 4th (6 N, 5 S, 3 o.s.), 5th (2 S), 6th (4 N, 3 S, 1 o.s.), 7th (2 S), 8th (2 N, 8 S, 2 o.s.), 9th (3 N, 1 S), 10th (6 N, 2 S, 4 o.s.), 11th (2 N, 2 S), 12th (1 S), 13th (4 N, 3 S), 14th (2 N, 3 S), 15th (42 N, 57 S, 1 o.s.), 16th (18 N, 48 S, 10 o.s.), 17th (31 N, 31 S, 3 o.s.), 18th (21 N, 37 S, 5 o.s.), 19th (37 N, 10 S, 8 o.s.), 20th (13 N, 27 S, 5 o.s.), 22nd (1 N, 2 S, 1 o.s.), 23rd (1 o.s.), 24th (2 N, 18 S, 1 o.s.), 25th (11 N, 14 S), 26th (1 N), 27th (45 S, 1 o.s.), 28th (1 N, 35 S, 5 o.s.), 29th (3 S), 30th (6 N, 29 S, 2 o.s.).
Ness Point - 16th (10 N), 23rd (1 S).



BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
Kessingland - 1st (1N), 6th (1 S), 7th (1 N), 9th (1 S then on sea), 27th (1 S).



GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Kessingland - 1st (1S), 4th (4 S), 6th (2 S, 4 o.s.), 7th (1 S), 14th (2 S, 2 o.s.), 15th (38 S), 16th (2 S, 1 o.s.), 18th (8 o.s.), 19th (5 N, 6 S, 4 o.s.), 20th (5 S, 2 o.s.), 25th (1 S, 2 o.s.), 27th (11 S), 28th (12 S, 2 o.s.), 29th (3 S), 30th (3 S, 2 o.s.).
Ness Point - 16th (1 S).



SLAVONIAN GREBE Podiceps auritus
Two flew north together past Ness Point on the 16th.

GANNET Morus bassanus
Kessingland - 1st (1 N, 4 S), 2nd (23 N), 3rd (2 N), 7th (1 N, 1 S), 14th (1 N), 16th (1 N, 1 S), 17th (1 S), 19th (1 N), 20th (2 S), 22nd (2 N, 15 S), 24th (2 N), 28th (1 S), 30th (1 N).
Ness Point - 16th (1 N, 4 S), 29th (1 N).

CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 1st (3 S), 2nd (2 S), 3rd (1 o.s.), 4th (1 N, 1 S), 10th (1 N, 3 o.s.), 11th (2 N, 5 S), 12th (2 N, 4 S), 13th (1 S), 14th (2 N, 2 S), 15th (2 S), 16th (4 N, 2 S), 18th (4 N, 2 S), 19th (1 N, 4 S), 20th (3 N, 1 S, 1 o.s.), 21st (1 N, 3 S, 1 o.s.), 22nd (1 S), 23rd (1 S), 24th (1 o.s.), 25th (1 N, 1 S), 26th (1 S, 2 o.s.),
27th (4 S), 28th (4 S), 30th (1 N, 6 S).
Ness Point - 12th (1 N), 16th (1 N, 1 S), 29th (1 N, 3 S).
Lowestoft Harbour - 23rd (6 including a regular colour ringed individual from the Netherlands).

BEWICK'S SWAN Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii
Six flew in off the sea at Kessingland on the 6th, always one of the highlights of the autumn/winter.



BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla bernicla
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 4th (2 S), 6th (2 N, 33 S), 7th (3 N, 200 S), 9th (7 N, 53 S), 10th (1 N), 11th (1 S), 12th (24 S), 14th (3 S), 15th (4 N, 10 S), 16th (5 N), 19th (5 N), 22nd (3 S), 24th (42 N, 69 S), 25th (11 S), 26th (3 S), 28th (4 S), 29th 1 S).
Ness Point - 2nd (3 N), 12th (7 S), 23rd (1 N), 29th (6 S).



EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiacus
A pair flew north along the North Beach at Lowestoft on the 1st, and possibly the same pair were around the fish market in Lowestoft Harbour on the 23rd.



SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 7th (14 S), 9th (1 S), 11th (1 S), 22nd (1 on sea), 28th (1 S), 29th (7 S), 30th (11 S).
Ness Point - 1st (1 N), 29th (26 S).



WIGEON Anas penelope
Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 6th (49 S), 7th (11 N, 208 S), 9th (2 N, 208 S), 10th (35 S, 9 o.s.), 12th (66 S), 13th (6 N, 25 S), 14th (2 S), 15th (10 S), 20th (3 S), 22nd (45 N, 2 S), 23rd (1 S), 24th (4 N, 33 S, 7 o.s.), 25th (9 N, 81 S), 26th (5 S), 29th (2 S), 30th (3 S).
Corton - 8th (50 E)
Ness Point - 29th (11 S).



GADWALL Anas strepera
Three flew south past Kessingland on the 12th, and one flew south with Wigeon past Ness Point on the 29th.



TEAL Anas crecca
Kessingland - 6th (6 o.s.), 7th (47 S), 8th (12 S), 10th (12 o.s.), 12th (55 S), 13th (3 S), 17th (3 S), 22nd (25 S), 24th (5 N, 3 o.s.), 25th (16 S), 26th (15 S), 27th (1 o.s.), 28th (3 N), 29th (1 S), 30th (3 N).
Ness Point - 1st (1 N).



PINTAIL Anas acuta
Kessingland - 2nd (2 S), 9th (7 S), 29th (7 S).



SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Kessingland - 12th (1 S), 26th (4 S).
Ness Point - 29th (1 south with Wigeon).



TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Kessingland - 6th (1 N, 2 S), 26th (7 S), 28th (2 o.s.), 30th (3 S).



COMMON EIDER Somateria mollissima
Kessingland - 6th (1 S), 7th (5 N, 1 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (1 N), 10th (9 N), 24th (4 N), 25th (31 N), 26th (2 o.s.), 27th (2 N), 28th (3 S).
Ness Point - 6th (18 on the sea then north), 8th (1 N), 10th (4 N), 29th (4 S).



COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Kessingland - 1st (4 N), 2nd (2 S), 3rd (5 N), 5th (14 S), 6th (2 N, 5 S), 7th (2 N), 8th (1 N, 3 S), 9th (4 N, 18 S), 11th (23 N), 12th (7 o.s.), 14th (2 S), 16th (10 N), 17th (6 N, 6 S, 5 o.s.), 18th (14 N), 19th (4 S), 21st (14 N), 22nd (1 N), 23rd (1 N), 24th (5 N, 6 S), 25th (11 N), 26th (1 S), 28th (4 N, 15 o.s.), 30th (9 N).
Ness Point - 1st (2 N), 8th (5 S).
Pakefield - 15th (7 on the sea).



VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca
Kessingland - 2nd (2 S), 25th (1 S).
Ness Point - 6th (1 on sea with Eiders then north).



GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Kessingland - 9th (1 S), 10th (3 S), 12th (7 S), 17th (1 S), 22nd (1 S), 25th (1 S), 26th (1 S).



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Kessingland - 6th (1 S), 7th (1 N, 1S), 10th (12 S), 12th (14 S), 13th (1 S), 14th (1 S), 16th (1 S), 24th (1 N, 1 S), 25th (1 S), 29th (8 S), 30th (2 S).
Ness Point - 29th (6 S).



GOOSANDER Mergus merganser
A pair flew south past Kessingland on the 20th.



SPARROWHAWK Accipiter nisus
One was trapped and ringed at Corton on the 9th.



RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula
Three were along Kessingland Beach on the 15th, two flew north past Ness Point on the 16th, and one was along Lowestoft North beach on the 29th.



GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Two flew north past Ness Point on the 23rd.



KNOT Calidris canutus
Kessingland - 5th (3 S), 25th (5 S), 26th (8 S).
Ness Point - 16th (1 N).



SANDERLING Calidris alba
Kessingland Beach - 2nd (7), 24th (6), 25th (2 S), 26th (4).
In Lowestoft noted along Lowestoft South Beach on the 7th, a ringed bird was at Ness Point on the 13th, and one was in Lowestoft Harbour on the 23rd.



PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima
Three were at Ness Point on the 8th, this had increased to six on the 16th, with three again on the 28th.



DUNLIN Calidris alpina
A flock of at least 90 was seen off Ness Point on the 16th, at first heading north, but they then turned and headed back southwards.
Kessingland - 18th (8 S), 19th (1 S), 20th (2 S), 24th (1 N0, 25th (5 S), 29th (9 S).
Ness Point - 29th (3 S).



COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Kessingland - 5th (1 N), 6th (3 S), 12th (1 S), 29th (1 S).
Corton - 8th (13 S), 10th (3).



WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola
One was seen along Jay Lane, Blundeston on the 7th, another was flushed along Corton disused railtrack on the 8th, and one flew in off the sea at Kessingland on the 19th and headed inland.



CURLEW Numenius arquata
Singles flew south past Kessingland on the 7th, 25th and 29th, and one flew south past Ness Point on the 29th.



REDSHANK Tringa totanus
One flew south past Kessingland on the 6th.



GREEN SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus
One was around the pool at Corton new sewage works on the 16th.



TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Kessingland - 1st (1 N), 9th (1 on beach), 19th (1 S), 28th (1 N).
Ness Point - 1st (5), 3rd (2), 13th (5), 16th (19), 28th (7).
North Denes/Beach - 29th (19).
Carlton Colville - 15th (19 at Burnt Hill Lane).



POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew north past Kessingland on the 8th, and on the 9th another was seen attacking a Herring Gull offshore there.



ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
One pale phase bird flew north past Ness Point on the 8th, and a dark bird flew south past Kessingland the same day.



MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Corton - 1st (1 S adult).
Pakefield - 2nd (4, 2 adult, 2nd winter and 1st winter all unringed), 5th (4, 2 adult, 2nd winter and 1st winter, one adult was ringed), 6th (2 adults, 1 ringed), 7th (1 adult), 9th (2 1st winters), 30th (3 2nd winters).
Ness Point - 8th (2, adult and 2nd winter), 16th (2, adult and 2nd winter), 23rd (2 N together, both 2nd winters), 30th (1 adult).
Denes Oval, Lowestoft - 29th ( 2 adults, one with white plastic ring).
Kessingland - 8th (1 S second winter).
Carlton Colville - 15th ( 1 adult unringed).

First winter Mediterranean Gull - Pakefield - © Andrew Easton

LITTLE GULL Larus minutus
Corton - 1st (4 S).
Kessingland - 8th (1 N).



YELLOW-LEGGED GULL Larus michahellis
An adult was on the groynes along Lowestoft North Beach on the 1st, 10th and 13th.



ICELAND GULL Larus glaucoides
A first winter bird was seen from Ness Point at mid-day, apparently flying in from well out to sea, and headed in to the harbour. It was relocated shortly afterwards flying around Hamilton Dock before settling on a roof in the SLP rig construction yard. It remained there, sitting out the constant rain, until 15:10 when it dropped out of view over the seaward wall behind the buildings. These roofs can be difficult to view from either the South Pier or Hamilton Road, and the best views can often be had from the top of the Somerfield Multi-storey Car Park.

First winter Iceland Gull - Lowestoft Harbour - 23rd November 2003 - © Andrew Easton

KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 2nd (3 N, 7 S), 3rd (7 N, 18 S), 7th (1 N, 1 S), 9th (2 N, 1 S), 14th (7 N, 85 S), 15th (66 N, 9 S), 16th (43 N, 2 S), 17th (1 N, 21 S), 18th (3 S), 19th (10 N, 21 S), 20th (1 N, 4 S), 21st (2 N, 1 S), 22nd (2 N, 4 S), 24th (53 N), 25th (1 S), 26th (37 S), 28th (1 N), 29th (101 S), 30th (2 N).



COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo
One was fishing in the Yacht Basin of Lowestoft Harbour on the 7th.



GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
One was swimming offshore at Ness Point on the 12th.



LITTLE AUK Alle alle
One flew north close inshore along the beach at Kessingland on the 4th.



AUK sp. Alcidae
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 3rd (2 S), 5th (2 S), 7th (2 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (2 S), 13th (1 N), 14th (1 N, 1 S), 15th (2 N, 1 S), 16th (4 N, 27 S), 17th (4 N, 6 S, 3 o.s.), 18th (5 N, 6 S), 19th (14 N, 9 S, 7 o.s.), 20th (4 S), 22nd (1 N), 23rd (1 N), 24th (14 N), 25th (6 N, 2 S).
Ness Point - 16th (1 N).

SWALLOW Hirundo rustica
One flew south along the beach at Kessingland on the 3rd.



HOUSE MARTIN Delichon urbica
One was flying around over Kessingland on the 19th.



GREEN WOODPECKER Picus viridis
A male was trapped and ringed at Corton on the 8th.

Green Woodpecker - Corton - © Andrew Easton

RICHARD'S PIPIT Anthus richardi
One flew south over Kessingland sewage works on the 9th.



ROCK PIPIT Anthus petrosus
Two were at Ness Point on the 3rd and 10th, with singles there on the 16th and 23rd.



GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
One was around the Birds Eye factory at Ness Point on the 16th.



PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba
Due to the dry summer and autumn the trees along Lowestoft High Street have long since shed all their leaves, and have up till now also been devoid of roosting Pied Wagtails. However a lone hardy wagtail was clinging to the bare branches on the rather blustery evening of the 29th.



BOHEMIAN WAXWING Bombycilla garrulus
One was feeding along the cycle track next to Lowestoft Cemetery on the 8th, before flying off eastwards.



BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 9th.



NORTHERN WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe
One was along Kessingland Beach on the 1st. Another was in Kirkley Cemetery on the 10th.



REDWING Turdus iliacus
80+ were along the disused railtrack at Corton early morning on the 1st. Numerous Redwings and Blackbirds were calling overhead over Lowestoft late evening on the 6th on a bright clear moonlit night.
Migrants were heard arriving in off the sea on the evenings of the 15th, 24th and 25th at least.



BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
A female was along the disused railtrack at Corton on the 6th.



PALLAS'S WARBLER Phylloscopus proregulus
One was found in bushes at the south west corner of the bowling green on the 1st. It then headed up the slope towards the top of the park.

On the 2nd another was discovered in Gunton Woods, and showed very well at times. It was still present on the 3rd.

The fourth bird of the autumn was accompanying a tit flock along the disused railtrack at Corton on the 6th.

YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER Phylloscopus inornatus
Warren House Wood - The thirteenth bird of the autumn locally was found in the company of a tit flock to the south of Warren House Wood alongside Links Road on the 1st.

Gunton Woods - One in Gunton Woods on the 2nd seems likely to be a new individual, as the last was seen there a week before, and it coincided with the arrival of two new Pallas's Warbler, including one at the same site. It was still present on the 5th.

CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Lowestoft North Denes -1st (1), 3rd (1).
Warren House Wood - 1st (1).
Gunton Woods - 2nd (2 including one very pale individual), 8th (1), 9th (1).
Lowestoft Cemetery - 6th (1).
Corton - 6th (1).



SIBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita tristis
One was seen and heard along the disused railtrack at Corton on the 8th.



FIRECREST Regulus ignicapillus
Belle Vue Park - 1st (1).
Gunton Woods - 2nd (1), 9th (1).
Corton - 8th (1).



TREECREEPER Certhia familiaris
A migrant of the nominate race was trapped and ringed at Corton on the 5th.



BRAMBLING Fringilla montifringilla
Sparrows Nest Park - 1st (1).
Gunton Woods - 2nd (30+).



SISKIN Carduelis spinus
Six flew south over Corton on the 9th.



LESSER REDPOLL Carduelis cabaret
Corton - 2nd (8+ along the disused railtrack).



REDPOLL sp. Carduelis cabaret/flammea
Corton - 1st (12 W), 8th (1 N), 9th (2 S).
Oulton Broad - 7th (1).
Warrenhouse Wood - 8th (2 S).
North Denes - 16th (5 N)



SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis
A bumper autumn so far this year with much higher numbers than most recent years.
Recorded along Kessingland Beach as follows: 3rd (15), 4th (26), 5th (26), 6th (26), 8th (38), 9th (26), 11th (26), 13th (26), 14th (12), 15th (12), 17th (26), 18th (40+), 20th (50+), 22nd (30), 25th (60+), 28th (25), 30th (60+).
In addition to the Kessingland birds fifteen were along Lowestoft North Beach on the 29th and 30th, and a single birds was feeding around the site of the old Coastguard Station in Hamilton Road the same day. The same bird was nearer Ness Point on the 30th.

Snow Bunting - Lowestoft 29th November 2003 - © Andrew Easton

CORN BUNTING Miliaria calandra
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 9th.

Back to top of page

[Home] [Previous] [Archive News] [Next]