Recent bird sightings in the Lizard area

A couple of links for local bird news

Birdline East Anglia - Suffolk March 08 review

Suffolk Birding with BINS

The breeding bird survey period for the BTO Atlas began on 1st April.

BTO Bird Atlas - taking part

CAPE VERDE KITES IN EAST ANGLIA

The mystery of the variable Kites floating around East Anglia since the escape of four birds from London Zoo appears to have been solved following the confirmation that three of these birds originally came from the Cape Verde Islands.

In 2002 five putative Cape Verde (Red) Kites Milvus milvus fasciicauda were captured and brought to the National Birds of Prey Centre in Gloucestershire, with the intention of beginning a captive breeding programme, in collaboration with the Peregrine Fund, to try and prevent the increasing hybridisation with Black Kites from wiping out what some people considered potentially a full species. The Peregrine Fund notes that "once in the hand, the kites were found to share characteristics of both Red Kites and Black Kites with substantial variation between individuals. It was clear from plumage and morphological measurements that none of the kites captured could be reliably identified as either Cape Verde or Black Kites".

Mitochondrial DNA analysis subsequently confirmed them to be either Black Kites or hybrids with maternal Black Kite ancestry, but given the substantial individual variation and mixed species characteristics already noted all were clearly hybrids, and probably of varying generations as such hybrids are fertile and are known to have themselves then bred to produce further generations of hybrids.

The same study, published in The Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 2005 Prioritizing species conservation: does the Cape Verde kite exist? carried out similar mtDNA analysis of the original specimens from which Cape Verde (Red) Kite was described which proved them to have a Red Kite ancestry and not to be sufficiently distinct to be elevated to species status. As such the breeding program was abandoned; a pair were kept at the National Birds of Prey Centre (though to date they have not bred) and in 2005 the remaining three birds, a male and two females, were donated to London Zoo as "Black" Kites.

Thanks are due to Keith Beaven, Director of the the National Birds of Prey Centre, for confirming the provenance of the London Zoo birds.

Proving the existence of escaped hybrid Cape Verde Kites in the UK was the relatively easy bit, working out which they are amongst the abundance of records of Black Kites in East Anglia will be somewhat trickier!

FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Ness Point - 1st (2 N, 4 S), 2nd (1 N, 1 S), 5th (4 N).

One was seen heading south over the North Denes on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd and went inland as far as the lighthouse before returning to the coast. Possibly the same individual.

MANX SHEARWATER Puffinus puffinus
One flew north past Ness Point on the 1st.

GANNET Morus bassanus
Ness Point - 1st (17 N, 10 S).

LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta ****
One was at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 4th.

SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia ****
One was on the mudflats at Burgh Castle early morning on the 3rd. It has been present in the Berney/Breydon area since the 2nd, and is colour ringed. It is a Dutch bird ringed June 2007 that subsequently wintered in Devon.

PINK-FOOTED GOOSE Anser brachyrhynchus ****
Two flew east over Whitecast Marsh, Carlton Marshes early morning on the 6th.

[ BAR-HEADED GOOSE Anser indicus ****
Five flew east over Whitecast Marsh, Carlton Marshes early morning on the 6th. ]

CANADA GOOSE Branta canadensis ****
Two were at Leathes Ham on the 2nd to 8th much to the annoyance of the resident male Mute Swan, though by the 8th a truce seemed to be in effect.

BARNACLE GOOSE Branta leucopsis ****
Two were at Lound water works on the 6th.

EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen egyptiacus
Lound waterworks - 5th (pair with 8 young).
Leathes Ham - 7th (pair).

SHELDUCK Tadorna tadorna
Ness Point - 1st (4 S).

GADWALL Anas strepera
Leathes Ham - 2nd (1), 7th (2).
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (7).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (2).

TEAL Anas crecca
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (3).

PINTAIL Anas acuta
Leathes Ham - 2nd (9).

SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (6).

TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Lound waterworks - 5th (2).
Leathes Ham - 7th (3).

Hybrid Black x (Cape Verde?) Red Kite - Aldeby Landfill - April 2008 Andrew Easton

RED KITE Milvus milvus ****
One flew south over Gapton Marshes, Bradwell at 10:05 on the 3rd.

MARSH HARRIER Circus aeruginosus ****
One was at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 4th.
Three were in the Barsham Drain area on the 4th.

COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo ****
Three were over Belton Common on the 4th.

ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus ****
One flew north westwards over Oulton at 11:10 on the 3rd; and presumably the same bird was circling over Oulton Broad at 13:10 on the 5th before drifting off north westwards in the direction of Oulton Marshes.

BUZZARD sp.
Two arrived in high off the sea at Gunton Warren at 09:30 on the 2nd. They were probably Honey Buzzards but the views were too distant to absolutely rule out pale Common Buzzards.

HOBBY Falco subbuteo ****
One was at Gapton Marshes, Bradwell on the 3rd.
One was at Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 4th.
One was at Oulton Marshes on the 6th.

PEREGRINE Falco peregrinus
One flew south over Kendal Road, Pakefield at 06:30 on the 2nd..

AVOCET Recurvirostra avosetta ****
One flew north over Castle Marshes, North Cove on the 4th.

BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica ****
20 were at Burgh Castle Flats on the 4th.

WHIMBREL Numenius phaeopus
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (2).

SPOTTED REDSHANK Tringa erythropus ****
One in breeding plumage was at Burgh Castle Flats on the 4th.

GREENSHANK Tringa erythropus ****
Two were at Burgh Castle Flats on the 4th.

COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos ****
Four were at Burgh Castle on the 3rd.
One was at Burgh Castle on the 4th.
One was at Lound water works on the 4th.
One was at Leathes Ham on the 4th.
Two were at Barsham Drain on the 5th.
Five were on the groynes between Corton and Hopton on the 8th.

TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres ****
Lowestoft South Pier - 1st (40).
Lowestoft North Beach - 5th (5), 7th (7).

COMMON TERN Sterna hirundo ****
Lowestoft North Beach - 1st (1), 2nd (2).
Ness Point - 1st (2 S).
Burgh Castle - 4th (2).
Lound water works - 4th (2)
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (1).

COMMIC TERN Sterna hirundo/paradisaea
Ness Point - 1st (5 N).

TURTLE DOVE Streptopelia turtur ****
Two were at Belton Common on the 8th.

CUCKOO Cuculus canorus ****
Two were at Lound water works 4th.
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (2).
One was at Mutford on the 4th.
One was heard callling distantly at Kessingland sewage works on the 8th.

BARN OWL Tyto alba ****
One was at Lound water works on the 4th.
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (4).
Barsham Drain - 5th (2).

SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
One was at Gunton Warren on the 2nd.

SWIFT Apus apus ****
c.50 were over Belton Common on the 4th.
c.20 were over Mutford on the 4th.

GREEN WOODPECKER Picus viridis
Belton Common - 6th (1).

GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos major
Belton Common - 6th (1).

SWALLOW Hirundo rustica
Gunton Warren - 1st (1), 2nd (8), 3rd (8).
Lowestoft North Beach - 7th (11 S).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (6).

HOUSE MARTIN Delichon urbica
One flew north over the Lowestoft North Denes on the 2nd.
Three were over Corton sewage works on the 4th.
Five were at Mutford on the 4th.
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (10).

YELLOW WAGTAIL Motacilla flava flavissima ****
One flew north over Lowestoft North Denes on the 2nd.
One was at the Denes Oval on the 5th, and a second bird flew south there the same day.
One was on the Denes Oval on the 8th.
Eight were on the clifftop putting green at Broadlands Sands Holiday Park between Corton and Hopton on the 8th.

GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL Motacilla flava thunbergi ****
One male was at the clifftop putting green at Broadlands Sands Holiday Park between Corton and Hopton on the 8th. The last one in the area was also found on May 8th, in 2006, a couple of fields to the north at Hopton.

GREY WAGTAIL Motacilla cinerea ****
A male was at Leathes Ham on the 4th and 7th, and on both occasions it was collecting large beakfuls of flies and carrying them off along Lake Lothing. A good breeding record for central Lowestoft.

WHITE WAGTAIL Motacilla alba alba
Two were on the Denes Oval on the 1st.
Three were on the clifftop putting green at Broadlands Sands Holiday Park between Corton and Hopton on the 8th.

PIED WAGTAIL Motacilla alba yarrellii
Two were on the clifftop putting green at Broadlands Sands Holiday Park between Corton and Hopton on the 8th.
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (2).

BLACK REDSTART Phoenicurus ochruros
A male was just south of the River Hundred at Benacre/ Kessingland Ness on the 5th.
A female was at Kessingland sewage works on the 8th.

WHEATEAR Oenanthe oenanthe
Five were just south of the River Hundred at Benacre/ Kessingland Ness on the 5th.
Three were in clifftop fields at Corton on the 5th, with one still there on the 6th.

RING OUZEL Turdus torquatus ****
A male was at Corton sewage works on the 5th.
A female was at Lound waterworks on the 5th.

MISTLE THRUSH Turdus viscivorus ****
Four were at the Denes Oval on the 7th.

CETTI'S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Castle Marshes, North Cove - 4th (3).
Whitecast Marsh, Carlton Marshes - 7th (6).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (3).

GRASSHOPPER WARBLER Locustella naevia ****
One was singing at Oulton Marshes on the 6th.
Two were singing and showing well at Whitecast Marsh, Carlton Marshes on the 7th.

SEDGE WARBLER Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (2).

REED WARBLER Acrocephalus scirpaceus
One was singing at Lound water works on the 4th.
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).

LESSER WHITETHROAT Sylvia curruca
Gunton Warren - 3rd (1).
"Flycatcher Lane" (Denes Oval) - 3rd (1).
Lound water works - 4th (1).
Belton Common - 6th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 5th (1), 8th (3).

WHITETHROAT Sylvia communis ****
Gunton Warren - 1st (3), 2nd (9), 3rd (6).
Kessingland sewage works - 5th (1), 8th (6).
Two more individuals ringed at Kessingland sewage works in 2007 were retrapped on the 8th.

GARDEN WARBLER Sylvia borin ****
One was at Sprats Water, Carlton Marshes on the 3rd.
Two were at Lound water works on the 4th.
Three were seen and several others were singing in the Barsham Drain area on the 5th.
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (2).

BLACKCAP Sylvia atricapilla
Gunton Warren - 2nd (1).
"Flycatcher Lane" (Denes Oval) - 3rd (2).
Belton Common - 6th (1).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (4).

CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita ****
Gunton Warren - 1st (2), 2nd (3), 3rd (4).
Belton Common - 6th (5).
Kessingland sewage works - 8th (1).

WILLOW WARBLER Phylloscopus trochilus ****
Gunton Warren - 2nd (1), 2nd (1).
Belton Common - 6th (10).
Oulton Broad - Carlton Marshes - 7th (2).

SPOTTED FLYCATCHER Muscicapa striata
The first was back along Ringsfield Road at Beccles on the 1st.

HOODED CROW x CARRION CROW Corvus cornix x C. corone ****
One hybrid was at Belton on the 4th, presumably on of the birds usually to be found at nearby Burgh Castle.

GREENFINCH Carduelis chloris
Gunton Warren - 1st (7), 2nd (14), 3rd (13).

GOLDFINCH Carduelis carduelis
Gunton Warren - 1st (3).

LINNET Carduelis cannabina
Gunton Warren - 1st (8), 22nd (2), 3rd (19).

NON-BIRD NEWS

HARBOUR PORPOISE
Ness Point - 3rd (1 S).


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