Snow Bunting - Breydon South Wall © Andrew Easton Five VELVET SCOTER were on the sea off Hopton with COMMON SCOTERS on the 29th to 31st. Two BOHEMIAN WAXWINGS dropped in briefly at Corton new sewage works pond on the 24th. Three CATTLE EGRETS have been roosting at Carlton Marshes since the 28th December at least, though only one is regularly seen during the day. On the 30th one departed roost and flew of over Carlton Colville in the general direction of Rushmere/Mutford, with two doing the same on the 31st. The third bird flew off across the river Waveney towards the Burgh St. Peter direction on the 31st. The RING-NECKED PARAKEET continued to be seen and heard at Nicholas Everitt Park throughout the month.  HAPPY NEW YEAR |
| If you wish to
receive local bird news messages you can now
follow @LowestoftLizard on Twitter. Follow @LowestoftLizard UPDATED: 21:00 29th December |
GREAT CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Oulton Broad - 15th (6), 16th (8), 22nd (5).
SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis
Lake Lothing - 16th (2), 29th (1).
Hamilton Dock - 25th (1).
CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus ibis
After two on November 30th it was back to one on the reserve from the 1st to 12th at Carlton Marshes and two on the 13th, but at dusk on the 2nd, 6th and the 9th at least a total of four flew to roost in Whitecast Marsh.
One was seen at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 14th, but there were no more reports until one was seen again at Carlton Marshes on the 20th to 28th. Only one roosted with four Little Egrets on the 24th. At least three roosted on the evening of the 28th and at least two on the evening of the 29th.
On the 30th one left roost and rather unexpectedly flew off southwards away from the marshes and over Carlton Colville in the general direction of Rushmere/Mutford, with two following the same general route on leaving roost on the 31st. The third individual left roost and stopped off in its usual area along the main track at Carlton Marshes but then departed across the river in the general direction of Burgh St. Peter.
On the 7th all four were together on the reserve during the day. Presumably the three that normally spend the day elsewhere didn't fancy a long commute in the rain.
 |
| Cattle Egret - Carlton Marshes © Andrew Easton |
LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
Breydon South Wall - 1st (3).
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (3+ to roost), 4th (2 to roost), 6th (3 to roost), 8th (2), 9th (2 to roost), 15th (3 to roost), 16th (1), 24th (4 to roost), 25th (1), 26th (1), 28th (6 roosted), 29th (6 roosted).
Herringfleet Marshes - 8th (2).
Worlingham Marshes - 15th (2).
GREAT WHITE EGRET Ardea alba
Breydon South Wall - 1st (1), 28th (1).
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons
Burgh Castle Marshes - 1st (15).
Carlton Marshes - 24th (1 N).
PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 3rd (7).
Somerleyton Marshes - 8th (120).
Camps Heath Marshes - 9th (32).
St. Olaves - 11th (c. 150 S), 12th (c. 150 S).
Oulton Broad - 22nd (c. 110 S).
TEAL Anas crecca
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (2), 15th (9).
Oulton Marshes - 2nd (6).
Herringfleet Marshes - 8th (64).
WIGEON Anas penelope
Oulton Marshes - 2nd (55).
Hopton - 25th (3 on the sea).
COMMON SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Hopton - 25th (c. 70), 29th (c. 70).
VELVET SCOTER Melanitta fusca
Hopton - 25th (4), 29th (5).
GOOSANDER Mergus merganser
Oulton Broad - 1st to 7th (1 male, 6 redheads), 8th (1 male, 5 redheads), 14th (7), 15th (6), 16th (5).
Peto's Marsh, Carlton Marshes - 2nd (1 male, 5 redheads), 23rd (1), 25th (1). Presumed same as Oulton Broad.
Worlingham (River Waveney) - 12th (4).
Oulton Dyke - 15th (4 west from Oulton Broad), 30th (4 east towards Oulton Broad).
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus
Haddiscoe Island (Norfolk) - 1st (1), 2nd (1).
RED KITE Milvus milvus
Carlton Marshes - 9th (1).
MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus
Carlton Marshes - 6th (5+ to roost), 8th (8+ to roost), 26th (2), 29th (4+).
PEREGRINE Falco peregrinus
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 27th (1).
GREY PARTRIDGE Perdix perdix
Ellough - 26th (3).
WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus
Leathes Ham - 16th (2), 25th (2).
Carlton Marshes - 24th (3+).
AVOCET Recurvirosta avosetta
Burgh Castle Flats - 1st (106).
GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Worlingham Marshes - 15th (17).
LAPWING Vanellus vanellus
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (107), 21st (c. 1000).
PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima
Ness Point - 8th (1), 9th (7), 24th (6).
DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Carlton Marshes - 1st (2), 26th (1), 30th (1)
SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Carlton/Oulton Marshes - 9th (136).
WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticolus
Oulton Marshes - 9th (1), 24th (1).
CURLEW Numenius arquata
Carlton Marshes - 2nd (1).
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 2nd (1 over).
SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus
Breydon South Flats - 1st (1).
TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Ness Point - 8th (32).
 |
| An old postcard view from the early 20th of the swing bridge over Lowestoft Harbour. |
RING-NECKED PARAKEET Psittacula krameri
Nicholas Everitt Park - 1st to 31st (1 female).
BARN OWL Tyto alba
Carlton Marshes - 7th (3), 25th (1), 30th (1).
Camps Heath Marshes - 9th (1).
North Cove - 26th (1), 27th (1).
SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
Kessingland Sluice - 2nd (2).
Haddiscoe Island, (Norfolk) - 4th (7).
Carlton Marshes - 4th (1), 16th (2).
 |
| Goosanders
-
Oulton
Broad © Peter
Ransome |
WATER PIPIT Anthus spinoletta
Carlton Marshes - 1st (1), 2nd (1), 16th (3), 22nd (3+), 24th (1), 25th (1), 26th (1), 31st (2).
GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea
Oulton Broad - 1st (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 2nd (2), 4th (4), 9th (1), 15th (1).
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW Cecropis daurica
One that had been at Cley Marshes from 5th December until the morning of the 9th was found around the pier plain area at Gorleston on the afternoon of the 9th. It was next seen at Kessingland Beach on the afternoon of the 10th where it performed for most of the afternoon opposite the Sailors Home pub, feeding over the houses and the beach itself.
 |
| Red-rumped Swallow - Kessingland Beach © Andrew Easton |
 |
BOHEMIAN WAXWING Bombycilla garrulus
Gunton Warren - 8th (1 over).
Corton new sewage works - 24th (2 settled briefly).
STONECHAT Saxicola rubicola
Lowestoft North Denes - 2nd (2).
Carlton Marshes - 8th (1), 9th (1), 15th (1).
BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
Ness Point - 9th (2), 10th (2), 16th (2).
BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
Kessingland sewage works - 2nd (1).
DUSKY WARBLER Phylloscopus fuscatus
One was found at Kessingland sewage works on the morning of the 2nd and was still present on the 10th. It proved highly mobile but was at least fairly vocal to help keep reasonable track of it. It was found in the hedgerow by the first metal gates to the sewage works but did cross to the other side and in to the reedbed before returning. It has tended to be very elusive most of the time.
On the afternoon of the 6th at least it was spending most of its time in the thicket on the opposite side of the main track just beyond the first metal gates, and was silent for long periods.
 |
| Dusky
Warbler
-
Kessingland sewage works © Andrew
Easton |
CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
Leathes Ham - 1st (3), 2nd (3), 25th (2), 26th (1), 29th (2).
Carlton Marshes - 1st (1), 6th (1), 16th (1), 25th (1).
Burgh Castle - 1st (1).
Lowestoft North Denes - 2nd (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 2nd (3+), 6th (5+), 9th (14).
Oulton Marshes - 24th (1).
Corton - 24th (2).
Warren Lane, Hopton - 29th (1).
GOLDCREST Regulus regulus
Jeldwen, Lake Lothing - 9th (26).
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (2), 9th (2).
FIRECREST Regulus ignicapilla
Corton Wood - 2nd (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 6th (1), 9th (1).
BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula
Kessingland sewage works - 2nd (3), 9th (2).
SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis
Kessingland Beach - 30th (30+).
 |
