Bird sightings in our area July 2001

Please feel free to e-mail any sightings from the Lowestoft area to us at loungedweller@hotmail.com

WEEK ENDED AUGUST 05, 2001

Completely out of the blue came the pink this week. A stunning Rose-coloured Starling was certainly a surprise. It was seen on July 30th and 31st in the Carlton Colville area and not since but is almost certainly still in the area.

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
Three flew south past Ness Point in a short seawatch late afternoon on the 31st.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult was feeding on the south beach and South Pier, Lowestoft on the evening of the 30th.

Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
A juvenile was seen at Ness Point on the 2nd.

Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
An adult is present in a fridge in Sharon Drive, north Lowestoft after fatally flying into a house window on August 1st. This is a little way from any typical breeding habitat, so it seems the autumn migration is now under way.

Rose-coloured Starling Sturnus roseus

A rather smart individual was noticed by a resident of Carlton Colville on the 30th, it spent a large part of the day around the Tudor Walk and Elmdale Drive area, although it did disappear for long periods of time and wasn't seen after 4pm BST. Apparently it had been seen in neighbouring gardens the day before.

The bird was again present on the 31st. Initially seen a few times at 5:15am the next sighting was not until 11:30 despite a few observers looking. The gardens in Elmdale Drive and Tudor Walk were the favoured areas. The bird was also seen in Rosedale Drive mid-day (all of the above mentioned roads are off Ashburnham Way, Carlton Colville). The bird did disappear for long periods so it appears that the best thing to do is just wait in Tudor Walk until it appears on the rooftops. As far as we know it hasn't been seen since July 31st but that's not to say it isn't still around somewhere. We suspect some non-birders know something we don't!!!

Large numbers of Starlings, S. vulgaris, continue to roost around the Lowestoft Harbour area in the evening, but it is rather a needle in a haystack task to try and pick a 'rosy' out amongst them. Though not impossible we hope.

Ruddy Shelduck at Benacre Broad

Although the three Ruddy Shelduck, Tadorna ferruginea, recently present at Benacre Broad have departed, apparently for Oxfordshire, we thought the fact there were 101 present in The Netherlands during the week might be of interest. Granted the country does have a feral population but according to Euro Birdnet this number is around 15 pairs. Not that we are speculating but where did the others come from? Are there any other feral populations around?

Other Wildlife
Red-eyed Damselflies Erythromma najas are again present at Kirkley Fen this year, with up to 14 being noted recently. These are slightly closer to home than those at Lound Waterworks which is the main site for this species locally. A few Holly Blue butterflies, Celastrina argiolus, were noted in the Tudor Walk area on the 31st.

WEEK ENDED JULY 29, 2001

Lockheed F117A Nighthawk

The Lockheed F117A Nighthawk stealth fighter was the highlight for many on the first day of the fifth Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival, its early arrival caught most of the estimated 160,000 crowd by surprise.

A Caspian Tern Sterna caspia was reported on the pagers to have flown south close inshore at Lowestoft at 16:10 on the 26th. One had was also reported on the pagers on the 20th going north at Ness Point.

Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa
109 were counted on the south shore of Breydon Water at low tide on the 28th. The total number present on the estuary was 1,001 most were stunning adults. Other waders present included 22 Avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta, Golden Plover, Pluvialis apricaria, 3 Ruff Philomachus pugnax, as well as the more expected species, Ringed Plover, Charadrius hiaticula, Eurasian Curlew, Numenius arquata, Common Redshank, Tringa totanus, Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus, Dunlin, Calidris alpina and Turnstone, Arenaria interpres.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Two flew north past Ness Point on the 28th.

Pomarine Skua Stercorarius pomarinus
One adult flew south past Ness Point at 16:26 on the 25th.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult was seen at the north beach Lowestoft on the 24th and 25th, below is a photo of one of at least two birds present at the moment. An adult seen on Lowestoft South Beach had a foot missing and is presumably the same individual present at the Ness Point sewage outfall during the winter and not the bird pictured below! An adult was at Ness Point the following day.
Adult Mediterranean Gull moutling out of summer plumage.

Little Gull L. minutus
Six were along the north beach at Lowestoft on the 25th. 14 were between Ness Point and Gunton on the 28th.

Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis
One adult was again on the groynes along the north beach at Lowestoft on the 24th.

Kingfisher Alcedo atthis
A pair were present at Fritton Lake during the week and another was seen at Carlton Marshes on the 29th.

Other Wildlife
At least one of the regular Harbour Porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, was off Ness Point and the north beach on the 24th, with two there on the 25th. Single Common Phoca vitulina and Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus were again off the north beach Lowestoft on the 25th. Several butterflies were along Breydon South Wall on the 28th including Gatekeeper, Pyronia tithonus, Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus, and Wall Brown, Lasiommata megera. A single White Admiral, Ladoga camilla, was present at Fritton Lake during the week one of only a handful reported locally this year.

WEEK ENDED JULY 22, 2001

On the morning of the 21st a small passage of seabirds was still evident with the highlight being another southbound Storm Petrel for the week at 9:39. Most previous records of this species have been in September, probably due to the usual lack of suitable seawatching weather (i.e. bad) in most summers. Other birds noted between 9: and 10:30 were 23 Northern Gannets all but two northbound, Common Scoter 12 north, Oystercatcher six south, Redshank four south, Arctic Skua three north, Sand Martin one south. There were also numerous Kittiwakes, Little Gulls, Common and Sandwich Terns passing south and resting on the groynes along the north beach. In the afternoon not much passage was evident but a a flock of seven Whimbrel headed south.

Adult Little Gull in flight. First summer Little Gull
Seen above are photos of just two of the many Little Gulls currently being seen offshore and resting on the groynes at Lowestoft. The one on the left is a full summer plumaged adult and the one on the right is a moulting first summer bird. Many of the adults still have a pink suffusion on the underparts.

The 19th proved far quieter than the day before, with just three Manx Shearwaters and six Arctic Skuas north in the morning, but the highlight was the appearance of a Puffin Fratercula arctica quite close inshore flying south, there were also two rather distant unidentified Auks as well.
Also seen that morning were two Fulmars, three Northern Gannets, three Wigeon Anas penelope, a Whimbrel, three Bar-tailed Godwits and 16 Little Gulls. Two small waders, possibly Turnstones, settled on a passing ship, briefly ran around the deck and then took off and continued their northward journey. In the evening between 19:00 and 19:20 six Arctic Skuas, ten Gannets and a Whimbrel flew south.

After a few good seabirds being seen moving past Ness Point early in the week the 18th between 4:30 and 20:30 BST proved to be outstanding, with highlights as follows:
Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus one south at 7:40.
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus 59 south, 2 north.
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus 357 mostly south.
Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla c.1800 south, but 200 back north in last 2 hours.
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus 15 south.
Great Skua S. skua one south.
Little Gull Larus minutus 15 south.
Common Tern Sterna hirundo 56 south.
Little Tern S. albifrons 14 south.
Sandwich Tern S. sandvichensis 7 south.
Arctic Tern S. paradisaea one south.
Black Tern Chlidonias niger 2 adults south.
Rather surprisingly there were only eight Northern Fulmars Fulmarus glacialis seen!

Waterfowl included Dark-bellied Brent Goose Branta bernicla one south; Shelduck Tadorna tadorna one south; Teal Anas crecca 6 south; Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula 8 south; Eider Somateria mollissima 3 males south; Common Scoter Melanitta nigra 357 south.

Waders noted were Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus 2 south; Knot Calidris canutus 2 south; Dunlin C. alpina 7 south; Curlew Numenius arquata 26 south; Whimbrel N. phaeopus 11 south; Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponicus 6 south; Redshank Tringa totanus 5 south; Green Sandpiper T. ochropus one south; Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos one south; Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola one south; Golden Plover P. apricaria one south; Turnstone Arenaria interpres one south.

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Small numbers were flying north at Ness Point on the 17th.

Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Two flew north past Ness Point on the afternoon of the 17th.

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
Five flew north at Ness Point on the afternoon of the 17th.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta
One flew in off the sea at Ness Point at 17:55 on the 22nd.

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
40 flew north and 20 south at Ness Point on the 17th.

Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Six on the mudflats at Burgh Castle on the 19th. On the 22nd six were again at Burgh Castle and several more were feeding on the nearby South Flats, Breydon.

Knot Calidris canutus
Four were on the South Flats at Breydon Water on the 22nd.

Curlew Sandpiper C. ferruginea
Three adults were on the South Flats at Breydon Water on the 22nd. Up to 15 adults were roosting near the hide on the north side that morning.

Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Seven on the mudflats at Burgh Castle on the 19th. On the 22nd there were four on the South Flats, Breydon Water and seven again on Burgh Castle mudflats. Good numbers of Black-tailed Godwit Limosa limosa and Whimbrel were also feeding on the South Flats on the 22nd.

Curlew Numenius arquata
One flew south past Ness Point on the 17th.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres
One flew south at Ness Point on the 21st and four were on the rocks there on the 22nd before flying south.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult flew north at Ness Point on the 17th and 18th. Two were along the north beach on the 22nd.

Little Gull L. minutus
At least ten, mostly adults flew north at Ness Point the afternoon of the 17th.
Large numbers of Kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla and several Common Sterna hirundo and Sandwich Terns S. sandvichensis were also passing north there on the same date.

Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis
One adult, apparently the same individual that has been returning in late summer for at least four years was noted along the north beach on the 19th and 22nd.

Starling Sturnus vulgaris
One partially leucistic juvenile was feeding with a flock along the south shore of Breydon Water on the 22nd. The head and underparts appeared normal but the wings, tail and mantle were a very pale creamy brown in colour, with the outer primaries being almost white..

Seabirds at Lowestoft north beach

At left is a picture taken at Lowestoft north beach on the 21st, when many of the groynes were occupied by large numbers of gulls and terns. In this picture can be seen Sandwich Tern (juvenile back right and adult centre right), first summer Kittiwake (front left in flight), Black-headed Gull (centre left behind Kittiwake) and Common Terns (adult back left and juvenile front right).

Other Wildlife
A bull Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus was lingering offshore along the north beach Lowestoft on the 21st and a single Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, was off Ness Point on the same morning. A Common Seal Phoca vitulina was off Ness Point on the 22nd.

WEEK ENDED JULY 15, 2001

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Small numbers were feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 14th.

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
Small numbers were passing offshore at Ness Point on the 14th & 15th.

Little Egret Egretta garzetta
One flew south close inshore past Ness Point on the 11th. Still a quite a rarity in north Suffolk.

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
30 flew north at Ness Point on the 14th, and three were drifting south on the sea there on the 15th.

Curlew Numenius arquata
One flew south past Ness Point on the 15th.

Greenshank Tringa nebularia
One flew over calling at Haddiscoe Bridge early evening on the 9th.

Turnstone Arenaria interpres
One was at Ness Point on the 14th.

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
At least four, two light phase together and at least two dark phase, were lingering offshore at Ness Point on the 15th. In between attacks on gulls they would settle on the sea and drift south with the tide.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult was feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 14th, and it or another was in flight over the North Denes on the 15th.

Little Gull L. minutus
One adult and a first summer were feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 14th. At least ten, mostly adults were drifting past on the sea there on the 15th.

Herring Gull L. argentatus

Herring Gull One pair was confirmed as nesting amongst chimney pots on residential buildings along Denmark Road, central Lowestoft. The adults had been swooping down aggressively at passing pedestrians recently so breeding was suspected, but no young were seen until the 9th. They have been nesting on house roofs in nearby Commercial Road for a few years now but this is the first chimney nesting in Lowestoft by this species as far as is known.
The photo at left shows a nesting Herring Gull which decided that a discarded wooden pallet on the quayside near Lowestoft bascule bridge would make a des res.

Siskin Carduelis spinus
One flew west over Sussex Road, Lowestoft on the morning of the 15th.

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
One was seen and heard in flight at Lound on the 13th. Hopefully we will get a rerun of the 1990 summer irruption.

Parakeet species
Two unidentified parakeets were seen at Oulton village on the 13th, with another at nearby Fir Lane, Lowestoft the same evening.

Other Wildlife
A Lunar Hornet Moth Sesia bembeciformis was noted at Carlton Colville on the 9th, and a Hummingbird Hawkmoth Macroglossum stellatarum was seen at Mutford on the 13th. An earlier example was seen at Haddiscoe on June 27th. A Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus and two Harbour Porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, were seen at Ness Point on the 14th. There were at least three Porpoises there on the 15th. A Horntail or Wood Wasp Urocerus gigas was seen at Ness Point on the 15th, not surprisingly it didn't hang around as there aren't too many trees to lay eggs in around there!

WEEK ENDED JULY 08, 2001

Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Small numbers were feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 8th.

Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
11 flew north past Ness Point on the 8th.

Grey Heron Ardea cinerea
Two flew west over central Lowestoft and headed out to sea on the 6th.

Quail Coturnix coturnix
One was reported on the pager services as calling near Blundeston Prison on the evening of the 5th. None have been heard at Gisleham this year so far.

Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Two on the mudflats at Burgh Castle on the 8th.

Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
One was feeding at Ness Point on the 6th.

Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Five on the mudflats at Burgh Castle on the 8th.

Eurasian Curlew Numenius arquata
Four flew south past Ness Point on the 8th.

Common Redshank Tringa totanus
One flew south past Ness Point on the 8th.

Greenshank Tringa nebularia
One flew south calling over central Lowestoft during the afternoon of the 7th.

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
One was watched walking up the driveway of the observers house in Sharon Drive, central Lowestoft on the 7th. It seems a few waders were caught up in the heavy rain around at the time.

Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
One pale phase bird was chasing gulls for a short time at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 8th.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult was feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 8th.

Little Gull L. minutus
One adult was feeding at the sewage outfall at Ness Point on the 8th.

Common Tern Sterna hirundo
The nesting colony along Lake Lothing has at least 24 adults present, so a minimum of twelve pairs seems reasonable, and seven broods totalling 14 young could be seen on the visible sides of the sloping roofs on the 8th. At least one of these young was already making short flights.

Little Owl Athene noctua
One at Gisleham on the 6th.

Skylark Alauda arvensis
A deafening chorus at dusk at Gisleham on the 6th. Their numbers seem to be holding up well here at least, and as a result it was hard to hear the Corn Bunting because of the Skylarks drowning it out!.

Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava
One at Gisleham on the 6th, apparently nesting in the crops.

Willow Tit Parus montanus
One was seen at Haddiscoe on the 8th, so they are not quite extinct in this area of the Waveney Valley.

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra
One singing well in crops at Gisleham on the 6th.

Other Wildlife
At least two, possibly three, Harbour Porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, were feeding close inshore off Ness Point on the 8th. Large numbers of Summer Chafers (July Bugs)Amphimallon solstitialis were making observation difficult at Gisleham on the 6th by persistently and noisily harassing the observers.

WEEK ENDED JULY 01, 2001

Hobby Falco subbuteo
Single birds were seen at Carlton Marshes, and North Cove Marshes on the 25th. One at St Olaves on the 30th was terrorizing the local House Martins Delichon urbica. Whilst one at Carlton Marshes the same day was doing its best to thin out the Norfolk Hawker Aeshna isoceles population.

Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Despite ample room on numerous flat roofs in Lowestoft at least three pairs are now nesting on top of residential chimneys.

Common Swift Apus apus
500 south past Corton on the evening of the 27th were part of a feeding flock navigating around thunderstorms. Such groups will travel large distances to avoid adverse weather systems.

Common Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Seven were reported near the Hopton Timber Mills at Lound on the 30th. Probably immigrants from the continent as there have been none reported in the area early in the year.

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