Home Butterflies Wildlife Archive November 2005 January 2006

Pomarine Skua - Kessingland - November 2005 - ©Derek Beamish

SEASONS GREETINGS FROM THE LOWESTOFT LOUNGE LIZARDS

RED-THROATED DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 1st (5 N, 8 S), 2nd (1 S), 3rd (3 N), 5th (5 N, 10 S, 1 o/s), 6th (5 N, 1 S, 1 o/s), 7th (7 N, 6 S, 1 o/s), 8th (16 N, 7 S, 1 o/s), 9th (1 N, 2 S), 11th (9), 12th (19 N, 8 S, 8 o/s), 13th (149 N, 17 S, 18 o/s), 14th (43 N, 4 S, 7 o/s), 15th (3 N), 16th (11 N, 15 S, 2 o/s), 17th (22 N, 5 o/s), 18th (34 N, 3 S, 5 o/s), 19th (24 N, 5 S, 2 o/s), 20th (15 N, 29 S, 3 o/s), 21st (2 N, 5 S, 3 o/s), 22nd (8 N, 5 S, 5 o/s), 23rd (5 N, 4 S, 2 o/s).
Ness Point - 14th (12 N), 16th (1 N), 18th (1 N), 20th (2 N), 27th (3 N), 31st (5 N).
Gunton Beach - 15th (2 N).
Hopton - 27th (1 N).



BLACK-THROATED DIVER Gavia arctica
Ness Point - 14th (1 on sea then N).



GREAT NORTHERN DIVER Gavia immer
Kessingland - 17th (1 N).



DIVER sp. Gaviidae
Ness Point - 1st (1 S).
Kessingland - 5th (1 N), 19th (1 S).



LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis
Lake Lothing - 29th (1), 31st (4).



GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Kessingland - 3rd (1 S), 10th (1 o/s), 13th (1 S) 14th(1 o/s), 20th (2 S, 3 o/s), 22nd (2 o/s), 23rd (1 o/s).
Lowestoft Harbour - 16th (1), 18th (1), 25th (1), 26th (1), 31st (1).
Ness Point - 20th (2 N).
Oulton Broad - 28th (4), 31st (1).



GANNET Morus bassanus
Kessingland - 1st (2 N), 7th (1 S), 12th (1 N).



CORMORANT Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 3rd (2 N), 5th (1 N), 6th (1 N), 7th (3 N, 1 S), 8th (1 N), 9th (1 N), 18th (2 S), 17th (1 N), 18th (2 N, 2 S, 1 o/s), 20th (2 S), 22nd (1 N, 1 S), 23rd (1 N).
Gunton Beach - 16th (4 S), 23rd (1 S).
Ness Point - 18th (2 N), 21st (1 S), 28th (1 N), 29th (6 N).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (7).
Hopton - 27th (1).



EUROPEAN SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Lowestoft Harbour - 12th (1).
Lake Lothing - 17th (1), 22nd (1), 28th (2), 29th (1).



GREY HERON Ardea cinerea
Gunton Warren - 31st (1 W).



LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
Haddiscoe Marshes - 12th (1).



MUTE SWAN Cygnus olor
One was on the sea at Gunton Warren on the 31st.



BEWICK'S SWAN Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii
Two were seen on Blundeston Marshes on the 1st.



PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus
Lowestoft, Oxford Road - 6th (120 W).
Blundeston Marshes - 8th (600+).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (2000+ flew into roost on Berney Marshes).



BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis
220 were at Lound Water Works on the 23rd.



DARK-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla bernicla
Kessingland - 2nd (28 S), 4th (1 S), 7th (2 N), 8th (11 S), 9th (1 S), 10th (2 S), 11th (2 N), 13th (2 N), 14th (5 N), 16th (1 N), 18th (5 N), 19th (1 N), 22nd (8 N).
Ness Point - 1st (6 S), 14th (3 N), 28th (4 N).



EURASIAN WIGEON Anas penelope
Kessingland - 2nd (10 N, 57 S), 3rd (16 S), 9th (4 o/s), 10th (9 S), 13th (2 N), 14th (22 N), 18th (1 N), 22nd (45 N).
Beccles Marshes - 4th (80).



AMERICAN WIGEON Anas americana
The Breydon drake was recorded over Lizard Land on the 31st. There were well over 20,000 Eurasian Wigeon spread right along the estuary (22,137 a couple of days before). Amazingly it took flight (showing the nice whitish underwing) with five other Wigeon flew over the main channel and over the south wall for several seconds before returning to the mudflats. An addition to the Lizard List!!!



GADWALL Anas strepera
Kessingland - 1st (2 S).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (10).



TEAL Anas crecca
Kessingland - 2nd (89 S), 3rd (35 S).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (3).
Ness Point - 28th (10 N).



POCHARD Aythya ferina
Leathes Ham - 28th (15), 31st (c10).



TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Kessingland - 13th (4 N).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (13).
Leathes Ham - 29th (2).
Oulton Broad - 29th (2).



LONG-TAILED DUCK Clangula hyemalis
At 10:58 on the 2nd an adult male flew south past Kessingland a few metres from the beach having been seen earlier past Pakefield.



COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Kessingland - 1st (1 S), 2nd (3 S), 3rd (1 N), 5th (4 N), 6th (1 S), 8th (5 N, 11 S), 12th (1 N), 13th (6 N), 15th (2 N), 18th (1 N), 20th (2 o/s), 22nd (2 o/s).
Ness Point - 14th (3 N).
One female on Oulton Broad on the 20th is a good site record.



VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca
Kessingland - 10th (1 S).



EIDER Somateria mollissima
Kessingland - 3rd (6 S), 9th (6 N), 10th (10 N), 11th (1 N), 13th (8 N), 14th (1 N), 19th (4 N).
Ness Point - 14th (6 N), 25th (2 m, 3 f N), 27th (3 N).



GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Lound Water Works - 4th, 21st, 23rd and 31st (drake).
Kessingland - 9th (drake S), 13th (1 N).
One was on Benacre Pits on the 11th along with two Scaup.



RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Kessingland - 9th (1 S), 10th (2 S), 13th (1 N).



GOOSANDER Mergus merganser
Gorleston - 3rd (drake S).



PEREGRINE Falco peregrinus
One was seen at Lound on the 31st.



MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus
Lound Water Works - 21st (male).



HEN HARRIER Circus cyaneus
A ringtail that flew east at Henstead on the 2nd was only the second record there in 23 years for the observer.
A ringtail was also seen at Carlton Marshes on the 18th.
Another ringtail was seen at Oulton / Blundeston Marshes on the 20th.



COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo
One was seen between Lound Waterworks and Ashby on the 19th.



RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE Alectoris rufa
Ellough - 18th (25).



GREY PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix
Ellough - 18th (7).



WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus
Oulton Marshes / Church - 4th (4).
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (2), 21st (2).
Lound Water Works - 21st (2).
Ash Farm, Mutford - 21st (1 at garden feeding station).



MOORHEN Gallinula chloropus
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (25+).



RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula
Hamilton Dock - 23rd (7), 25th (6), 26th (3).
Lake Lothing - 28th (2), 29th (4).



GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
The flock along Ellough Road stood at 500+ on the 1st.
c150 were by the roundabout at North Cove on the 3rd.
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (9), 21st (c100).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (75).
Ellough - 18th (98 + 179).



GREY PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
Kessingland - 2nd (3 S).



LAPWING Vanellus vanellus
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (50+), 21st (c200).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (2000+).
Ellough - 18th (49).
Hopton - 27th (28 in off sea).
Pakefield Beach - 28th (3 in off sea).
Lowestoft North Denes - 30th (28 roosted in the afternoon before flying off inland).




SANDERLING Calidris alba
Hamilton Dock - 1st (4), 14th (2), 18th (4), 25th (1), 26th (2), 28th (1).
Lowestoft South Beach - 6th (4), 7th (7).
Pakefield Beach - 8th (1).



KNOT Calidris canutus
Kessingland - 2nd (2 S), 3rd (2 S).



PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima
Ness Point - 1st (3), 7th (5), 14th (6), 16th (3), 18th (3), 20th (1), 21st (4), 26th (5), 27th (5), 28th (2), 31st (2).
Hamilton Dock - 26th (1), 28th (1).



DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Kessingland -2nd (17 S), 3rd (3 S).



WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola
Lound Water Works - 31st (6).

Common Snipe - Carlton Marshes - December 2005 ©Andrew Easton

COMMON SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Beccles Marshes - 4th (7).
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (3).
Carlton Marshes - 18th (30+), 28th (6).
Lound Water Works - 31st (3).



CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 3rd (3 S).



REDSHANK Tringa totanus
Kessingland - 5th (5 N), 7th (3 N).
Hamilton Dock - 18th (1).
Lake Lothing - 17th (1), 20th (5), 28th (7).



TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Kessingland - 1st (3 S), 3rd (1 N), 5th (1 S), 11th (1), 16th (1 S), 17th (3 N), 22nd (1 N).
Pakefield - 4th (5), 8th (30), 20th (29).
Lowestoft South Beach - 6th (20), 7th (17).
Ness Point - 11th (5), 14th (18), 18th (13), 20th (17), 21st (25), 26th (13).
Oulton Broad - 17th (2), 28th (16).
Hamilton Dock - 18th (8), 26th (2).

Pomarine Skua - Kessingland - November 2005 ©Chris Darby

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
The juvenile first seen at Kessingland on 26th November was seen at Pakefield on the 7th when it was sitting on the beach. Earlier in the day it had been seen off Gunton Beach / Lowestoft North Beach before drifting south on the sea past Ness Point. The same bird flew south past Kessingland on the 8th, and presumably the same was seen again on the 14th.

It looks as though both this and the Arctic Skua are hanging around.

Pomarine Skua - Kessingland - November 2005 ©Chris Darby

ARCTIC SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
The following sighting's all involve the same individual:
Pakefield - 7th.
Ness Point - 8th (N then later S).
Kessingland - 9th (1 on sea then S), 12th (one lingering over and sometimes on the beach) .

MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus
Ness Point - 1st (ad).
Oulton Broad - 5th (ad).
Kessingland - 9th (1 S), 13th (1 S).
Lowestoft North Beach - 10th (1).
Pakefield Beach - 13th (5), 17th (5), 20th (3 ad + 2nd-winter), 27th (3), 28th (ad), 31st (ad)..
Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville - 31st (1st-winter).



CASPIAN GULL Larus (cachinnans) cachinnans
One 1st-winter was at the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville gull roost at midday on the 20th. This coincides with recent sightings of two at Aldeby rubbish tip, Norfolk.



GREAT BLACK-BACKED GULL Larus marinus
Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville - 28th (326).



KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 1st (5 N, 3 S), 2nd (2 S), 4th (1 N, 1 S), 5th (8 N, 3 S), 7th (3 S), 8th (2 N), 10th (5 N, 12 S), 11th (2 N, 3 S), 12th (6 N, 2 S),
13th (11 N), 14th (4 N), 17th (1 N), 18th (31 N), 19th (12 N), 20th (1 N, 6 S), 21st (2 S).
Ness Point - 1st (3 S).



GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
One was in Lowestoft Harbour on the 12th. Presumably the same bird was along Lake Lothing on the 14th, 17th, 20th and 28th viewable from the new ASDA car park.
Ness Point - 16th (1 N).
Lowestoft North Beach - 28th (1 on sea).



AUK sp. (Alcidae)
Kessingland - 1st (31 N, 1 o/s), 7th (2 N), 8th (4 N), 10th (4 N, 1 S), 11th (2 S), 12th (27 N, 2 S), 13th (23 N), 14th (5 N), 15th (1 N), 17th (2 N), 18th (1 N), 19th (2 N, 1 S), 20th (2 N), 21st (2 N), 23rd (3 N, 1 S).



BARN OWL Tyto alba
Carlton Marshes - 11th (1), 18th (4).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (3).
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (1).



SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
Breydon South Wall - 12th (1).



KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).
Corton Woods - 10th (1 seen near pond).
Lake Lothing - 14th (1), 17th (1), 20th (1), 28th (4), 31st (1).
Oulton Broad - 28th (1), 31st (1).
One has been seen most days recently at Ash Farm, Mutford.



GREEN WOODPECKER Picus viridis
Oulton Marshes / Church - 4th (2).
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).
Gunton Warren - 11th (1).
Kessingland Beach - 11th (1).
Carlton Marshes - 11th (2).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (1).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (1), 31st (2).



GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos major
Oulton Marshes / Church - 4th (2).
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).
Kessingland bypass - 14th (1).
Corton Woods - 15th (2).
Lound Water Works - 23rd (1), 31st (1).



SKY LARK Alauda arvensis
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (good count of 54), 21st (40+).



MEADOW PIPIT Anthus pratensis
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (5), 21st (5).
Lowestoft North Denes - 11th (15), 18th (2), 29th (1).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (3).
Gunton Beach - 29th (3).



ROCK PIPIT Anthus petrosus
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (1).
Breydon South Wall - 12th (1).
Ness Point - 14th (3), 25th (1).
Hamilton Dock - 25th (1), 31st (1).



PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (30+).



GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
Kessingland Sewage Works - 9th (1), 17th (1), 21st (2).
Kessingland Sluice - 11th (1).
One was retrapped at Kessingland sewage works on the 21st, having originally been ringed in October 2004.



STONECHAT Saxicola torquata
Carlton Marsh - 28th (2).

Waxwing - Kessingland - December 2005 ©James Wright

WAXWING Bombycilla garrulus
Having first been seen on the 8th at Kessingland a group which has peaked at 32 have been tricky to catch up with during the month. The sightings below refer to the same flock:

Kessingland (by the north A12 roundabout) - 8th (29), 10th (26), 11th (7), 14th (1), 16th (3).
Altro, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate - 15th (17).
Focus DIY, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate - 17th (29), 20th (15).
Bloodmoor Road - 17th (29).
Haddenham Road, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate - 18th (32), 23rd (4).
Homebase, South Lowestoft Industrial Estate - 26th (10).
Lowry Drive, Gunton - 27th (1 over E).
McDonalds roundabout, Beccles - 24th (3).
Bradwell - 30th (5).
Chapel Loke, Lound water works - 31st (6).



BLACKBIRD Turdus merula
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (10).
One ringed at Corton on October 24 2003 was found dead (road casualty) at Haverfordwest (Dyfed) on March 11 2005.

REDWING Turdus iliacus
Oulton - 4th (noted).
Gunton Beach - 23rd (1 in off sea), 29th (1).
Mutford Wood - 28th (c5).
Oulton Broad - 28th (5).



FIELDFARE Turdus pilaris
Ness Point - 7th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (1).
Mutford Wood - 28th (1 over).
Carlton Marshes - 28th (86).



MISTLE THRUSH Turdus viscivorus
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).



CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Oulton Marshes - 4th (5 calling + another on the Carlton Marshes side).
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).
Carlton Marshes - 11th (2).
One was recaught at Kessingland sewage works on the 21st, having originally been ringed in May 2004.



BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
A male seems to have taken up semi-residency in an Oulton Broad garden. Having first been seen on the 21st. On the 29th it was present all day, then first thing on the 30th and again on the morning of the 31st feeding mostly on a fat ball but has also tried the peanut feeder!!! Nowadays Blackcaps are extremely scarce in winter around here.



DARTFORD WARBLER Sylvia undata
One was still present at Gunton Warren on the 31st. Great to know it has survived the cold snaps during the month.



CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Beccles Marshes - 4th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 17th (2), 21st (1).



GOLDCREST Regulus regulus
Beccles Marshes - 4th (2).
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (2), 21st (1).
Lound Water Works - 21st (6), 23rd (5+), 31st (4).



LONG-TAILED TIT Aegithalos caudatus
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (10).



COAL TIT Parus ater
Belle vue Park - 18th (1).
Lound Water Works - 21st (6), 31st (6).



NUTHATCH Sitta europaea
One was in Corton Woods on the 15th and 24th.



JAY Garrulus glandarius
Lound Water Works - 21st (4).



STARLING Sturnus vulgaris
Ness Point - 14th (c1000 pre-roost flock).
Kessingland sewage works - 21st (20+).
7000+ were circling Lowestoft Harbour prior to roosting at dusk on the 20th.

GREENFINCH Carduelis chloris
Kessingland sewage works - 9th (8+).
Link's Hill, Lowestoft North Denes - 31st (50).

Siskin - Carlton Marshes - December 2005 ©Andrew Easton

SISKIN Carduelis spinus
Oulton Church - 4th (50).
Oulton Broad, Holly Road - 7th (30).
Carlton Marshes - 18th (25+).



REDPOLL Carduelis flammea
Oulton Marshes - 4th (1 over).
North Denes (Campsite) - 5th (2 N).
Gunton Warren - 5th (1 N).
Corton - 5th (c.10, of which seven were trapped and ringed).



BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Oulton Marshes - 4th (2).
Carlton Marshes - 18th (3+).
Gunton Disused Railtrack - 18th (pair).
Herringfleet Hills - 21st (5).



SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis
Kessingland Beach - 1st (70), 2nd (50-60), 3rd (50), 4th (50), 6th (32), 8th (15), 9th (40), 10th (30), 11th (20), 12th (22), 13th (30 o/b), 17th (22), 18th (35), 22nd (25), 24th (25), 31st (3).
Gorleston - 3rd (55 N).
Pakefield Beach - 3rd (15), 19th (53), 20th (20).

Snow Buntings - Kessingland - December 2005 ©Andrew Easton

YELLOWHAMMER Emberiza citrinella
Waddling Lane, Somerleyton - 8th (11).
Kessingland Beach - 10th (2), 24th (1).



ALMOST IN THE AREA BUT NOT QUITE


AMERICAN WIGEON Anas americana
Having been present from the 1st-4th the drake was again on Breydon Water on the 22nd. It's not easy though with the many thousands of Eurasian Wigeon present. Needle in a haystack springs to mind!!!



SCAUP Aythya marila
Two were on Benacre Pits on the 26th.