Last updated 17:30 on January 1st 2003
Lounge Lizards Xmas meal 2002
The recent oil pollution
affecting our stretch of coastline finally appears to be coming to an
end; no oiled auks appear to have come ashore in the last week. The
timing is fortunate as numbers of Cormorants and Red-throated Divers
have increased dramatically over the same period, and auk numbers will
probably pick up shortly as well.
RED-THROATED
DIVER Gavia stellata
Kessingland - 1st (1N 2S), 2nd (348 N, 33 S, 10 o.s.),
3rd (498 N, 90 S, 178 o.s.: During the 90 minute period between 9:30-11:00
they moving north at the rate of 330 per hour), 4th (17 N, 36 S, 4 o.s.),
5th (468 N, 20 S, 3 o.s.), 6th (1 N), 8th (2 N), 9th (1 N, 1 S), 10th
(5 N), 11th (1 N, 6 S), 12th (60 N, 8 S, 6 o.s.), 13th (3 N, 2 S, 1
o.s.), 14th (30 N, 17 S, 3 o.s.), 15th (1 S), 16th (25 N), 17th (20
N, 22 S, 3 o.s.), 18th (61 N, 62 S, 4 o.s.), 19th (67 N, 23 S, 3 o.s.),
20th (14 N, 41 S, 2 o.s.), 21st (31 N, 4 S, 2 o.s.), 22nd (2 N, 13 S),
23rd (17 S), 24th (1 N, 33 S, 5 o.s.), 25th (18 N, 9 S), 26th (1 N,
15 S), 27th (1 N, 37 S, 1o.s.), 28th (47 N, 216 S, 52 o.s.), 29th (84
N, 30 S, 7 o..s), 30th (61 N, 341 S), 31st (70 N, 13 S, 1o.s.).
Lowestoft - Lightly oiled birds were in Hamilton Dock
7th (1), 8th (1), and Lake Lothing 7th (3), 11th (2), 15th (1).
Beccles - A lightly oiled bird was on the pits near Safeways
at Beccles Marshes on the 8th.
BLACK-THROATED
DIVER Gavia artica
Noted past Kessingland on the 3rd (3 N), 14th (1 N), 15th (1 N), 17th
(1 N), 21st (1 S).
GREAT NORTHERN
DIVER Gavia immer
Noted past Kessingland on the 7th at 10:15 when one flew north approximately
500 metres from the beach, with another northbound there on the 17th.
GREAT
CRESTED GREBE Podiceps cristatus
Kessingland - 10th (1 N), 11th (1 S), 13th (1 o.s.),
14th (1 o.s.), 17th (1 o.s.), 18th (1 N), 19th (1 N, 1 o.s.), 20th (2
N, 3 S, 2 o.s.), 21st (1 N, 2 o.s.), 27th (1 S), 28th (1 S), 29th (1
N, 1 S), 30th (2 S).
FULMAR Fulmarus glacialis
Noted past Kessingland on the 25th (1 N) and 29th (1 S). The first
sightings since October 9th when 2 flew north.
SOOTY SHEARWATER Puffinus griseus
Kessingland - two very unseasonal birds put in an appearance
on the 11th as they headed north at 9:28 and 9:35. Both birds were progressing
north with high languid shearing arcs, then lost to view in the wave
troughs before appearing again on the next arc. A third bird was noted
on the 13th also northbound and less than 100 metres offshore. The silver
underwing was clear even in poor visibility. The flight was relaxed
shallow shearing with occasional rotations to reveal the upper or underside
of the body and wings.
GANNET Morus bassanus
Kessingland - 2nd (6 N), 3rd (1 N), 4th (1 S), 8th (1
N), 11th (1 S), 12th (3 N), 14th (1 N), 18th (5 N), 19th (9 N, 1 S),
20th (1 N), 22nd (2 N, 6 S), 23rd (3 N), 24th (3 N, 1 S), 25th (1 S),
26th (1 N, 1 S), 30th (3 N), 31st (1 N).
Ness Point - 7th (1 N).
CORMORANT
Phalacrocorax carbo
Kessingland - 1st (1 o.s.), 2nd (1 N, 3 S), 3rd (17 S,
1 o.s.), 4th (1 N, 10 S, 1 o.s.), 5th (60 N, 9 S), 6th (37 N, 23 S,
2 o.s.), 7th (19 N, 1 S, 3 o.s.), 8th (134 N, 51 o.s.), 9th (8 N, 1
S), 10th (8 N), 11th (1 N, 2 S, 1 o.s.), 12th (1 N), 13th (28 N, 43
S, 1 o.s.), 14th (1 N, 1 S), 16th (1 N, 16 S), 18th (1 N), 19th (1 S),
20th (4 S, 1 o.s.), 21st (1 N, 1 S), 22nd (2 N), 24th (1 N, 2 S), 25th
(12 N, 4 S), 26th (3 N, 4 S), 27th (8 N, 14 S, 1 o.s.), 28th (9 N, 1
S), 30th (10 N, 1 S), 31st (3 N, 6 S, 1o.s.).
Lowestoft - Up to 200 have been seen feeding at sea off
Ness Point in the first week of December.
The orange ringed bird from Abberton Reservoir in Essex was again present
on Lake Lothing on the 15th, it is now eleven years old and has been
present in Lowestoft every winter since 1991.
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SHAG
Phalacrocorax aristotelis
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BEWICK'S
SWAN Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii
A flock of nine flew south-westwards over Corton on the 8th.
WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE Anser albifrons
A lone bird flying eastwards over Lake Lothing was a rather unexpected
sight on the 7th.
BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla
Kessingland - 1st (5 N), 2nd (8 S), 3rd (2 S), 6th (73
S), 7th (5 N, 26 S), 8th (4 N, 70 S), 9th (1 N, 5 S), 10th (1 N, 13
S), 11th (8 S), 12th (1 S), 13th (2 S), 14th (4 N, 2 S), 15th (16 S),
17th (19 S), 18th (3 N, 1 S), 19th (3 S), 23rd (1 N, 7 S), 24th (1 S),
25th (10 S), 31st (6 S).
Ness Point - 7th (15 S, 2 N), 8th (8 N. 58 S).
One was feeding on the North Denes camp site on the 3rd.
EGYPTIAN
GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiacus
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Twenty
six were in the gull roost field at Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville
on the 8th, and four were on Oulton Broad on the 17th. A count of
40 at Burnt Hill Lane Carlton Marshes was a site record on the 28th. Picture - Andrew Easton. |
SHELDUCK
Tadorna tadorna
Kessingland - 2nd (1 S), 4th (2 S), 5th (1 S), 7th (55
S), 8th (113 S), 9th (2 N), 11th (19 S), 13th (8 N), 14th (3 N, 6 S),
15th (3 S), 16th (1 N, 4 S), 17th (2 N), 19th (1 S), 21st (1 S), 22nd
(1 S).
Ness Point - 8th (144 S).
WIGEON
Anas penelope
Kessingland - 1st (9 S), 3rd (14 N), 4th (5 N, 87 S),
5th (2 N, 13 S), 6th (17 N, 5 S), 7th (11 N, 51 S), 8th (90 N, 182 S),
10th (2 S), 11th (7 S), 12th (12 S), 13th (34 S), 14th (35 N), 15th
(5 S), 16th (6 S), 23rd (11 N, 1 S), 25th (13 S), 27th (30 N, 15 S),
31st (21 N).
Ness Point - 8th (31 N, 69 S).
PINTAIL
Anas acuta
Kessingland - 8th (1 N, 8 S), 10th (5 S), 13th (12 S),
15th (1 N), 24th (5 S), 25th (4 S), 27th (13 S), 31st (12 S).
SHOVELER Anas clypeata
Noted past Kessingland on the 4th (1 S), 14th (4 N), 26th (4 S).
TEAL
Anas crecca
Kessingland - 3rd (30 N), 4th (3 S), 5th (2 S), 7th (2
S), 8th (13 S), 13th (26 S), 14th (1 S), 15th (8 S), 24th (2 S), 25th
(14 S), 26th (33 S).
POCHARD
Aythya ferina
Three were on Leathes Ham on the 15th.
TUFTED DUCK Aythya fuligula
Kessingland - 15th (2 S), 28th (2 S), 30th (6 S).
Lowestoft - Sixteen were on Leathes Ham on the 15th.
SCAUP Aythya marila
Kessingland - 12th (4 N), 21st (2 N).
Two females were present on the fishing pits a couple of hundred
yards south of Kessingland sewage works filter beds on the 28th. On
the 30th and 31st four were present ( 3 females and an immature male).
They are viewable from the footpath where it bends sharply to the west
as it meets the arable fields overlooking the Kessingland Levels.
EIDER Somateria mollissima
Kessingland - 5th (160 N), 6th (18 N, 1 S), 7th (2 N),
8th (9 N), 9th (62 N), 10th (34 N, 7 S), 13th (3 N), 17th (1 N), 18th
(1 N, 2 S), 19th (1 S), 21st (2 N), 23rd (16 N), 29th (1 S), 31st (1
N).
Ness Point - 7th (70 N, 23 S), 10th (15 N, 7 S), 11th
(5 S).
COMMON
SCOTER Melanitta nigra
Kessingland - 2nd (5N, 1S), 3rd (2 N, 80 o.s.), 4th (5
N), 5th (4 N), 6th (4 S), 7th (14 N), 8th (2 N), 10th (1 N), 12th (3
N), 14th (2 N, 25 S), 17th (19 N, 11 S), 18th (16 N, 1 S), 19th (149
N), 20th (3 N, 2 S), 21st (2 N), 23rd (16 N), 24th (1 S), 25th (7 N),
27th (1 N, 33 S), 28th (20 S), 30th (1 N).
VELVET
SCOTER Melanitta fusca
Kessingland - 15th (1 N), 16th (3 N, 2 S).
GOLDENEYE Bucephala clangula
Kessingland - 6th (1 N), 9th (1S), 14th (2 S), 23rd
(2 S), 25th (1 S), 26th (1 S).
Oulton Broad - 11th (1).
Ness Point - 15th (2 S).
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER Mergus serrator
Kessingland - 1st (2 S), 4th (5 S), 6th (1 N), 7th (1
N, 1 S), 8th (3 N), 10th (5 S), 11th (1 S), 12th (2 N), 13th (1 S),
14th (2 S), 22nd (1 S), 23rd (2 S), 26th (2 S), 30th (1 S), 31st (2
N).
GOOSANDER Mergus merganser
Ness Point - Two males flew south at Ness Point on the
8th (2 S), 11th (3 S).
PEREGRINE Falco peregrinus
Two (probably males) were seen over the River Waveney at Carlton Marshes
on the 28th.
HEN
HARRIER Circus cyaneus
One ringtail flew north over the B1074 near Somerleyton church on
the 8th. A ringtail was also seen at Carlton Marshes on the 27th and
28th along with a male on the 27th.
COMMON BUZZARD Buteo buteo
One was perched on a roadside fence at Herringfleet on the 11th.
BUZZARD Sp. Buteo sp.
One was seen over Mutford Wood on the 13th, probably a Common
B. buteo, but it was not seen well enough to be certain.
WATER RAIL Rallus aquaticus
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 16th.
OYSTERCATCHER Haematopus ostralegus
One flew south past Kessingland on the 13th and one on the 22nd.
RINGED PLOVER Charadrius hiaticula
Three were along Lake Lothing on the 11th and two were feeding with
Dunlins in Mutford Lock basin, Lake Lothing on the 15th.
GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis apricaria
Sixty flew south at Ness Point on the 8th. A flock of about 200
were noted at Mutford on the 13th.
GREY
PLOVER Pluvialis squatarola
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Noted
past Kessingland on the 1st (6 S), and at Lake Lothing on the 11th
(1) and 17th (1). Picture - Andrew Easton. |
LAPWING
Vanellus vanellus
Kessingland - 4th (1 S).
Ness Point - 10th (3 N).
Mutford - 107 were following a plough on the 13th.
KNOT
Calidris canutus
Kessingland - 10th (50 S).
Ness Point - 8th (18 S).
SANDERLING Calidris alba
One was at Ness Point on the 8th.
Four were on Lowestoft South Beach on the 25th, just south of the Claremont
Pier.
PURPLE SANDPIPER Calidris maritima
Two were at Ness Point on the 8th and 12th, with one in Hamilton
Dock on the 30th.
DUNLIN Calidris alpina
Lowestoft - Lake Lothing 11th (12), 15th (22), 17th (15).
SNIPE Gallinago gallinago
Noted in flight on the 28th at Low Farm Drive, Carlton Colville
(11) and Carlton Marshes (32).
Noted past Kessingland on the 6th (2 S).
WOODCOCK Scolopax rusticola
One was at Beccles Marshes on the 8th, and one was at Kessingland
sewage works on the 16th. One was seen at Corton disused railtrack on
the 28th.
REDSHANK Tringa totanus
Kessingland - 13th (4 N, 5 S).
Ness Point - 8th (16 S), 15th (1 S).
CURLEW Numenius arquata
Kessingland - 8th (6 S), 10th (1 N), 11th (3 N).
One flew south at Ness Point on the 7th. One was heard in flight over
Lowestoft on the evening of the 12th (a late night Xmas shopping trip
was not quite such a tedious chore as a result!).
BAR-TAILED GODWIT Limosa lapponica
Kessingland - 12th (4 S), 14th (6 N, 2 S).
COMMON SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos
One was feeding along Lake Lothing on the 7th, 17th and 29th.
TURNSTONE Arenaria interpres
Noted at Kessingland on the 1st (1 N), 3rd (1 on beach), 4th (2 o.b.),
15th (2 o.b.), 19th (5 o.b.), 20th (4 o.b.), 22nd (8 o/b), 24th (8 o/b),
25th (8 o/b), 26th (2 o/b), 28th (1o.b.), 31st (18 o.b.).
POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
At 9:15 on the 26th a dark phase Pom was attacking gulls 100 metres
from the beach at Kessingland, it then settled on the sea, drifting
slowly north until lost to view 55 minutes later. The seawatching season
of 2002 was brought to a close by a dark phase bird attacking a Kittiwake
off Kessingland on the afternoon of the 31st.
ARCTIC
SKUA Stercorarius parasiticus
A pale phase second winter bird flew north close inshore at Kessingland
on the 9th.
| MEDITERRANEAN GULL Larus melanocephalus | |
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A quiet month
for this species with just three reports: |
LITTLE
GULL Larus minutus
Singles flew south at Kessingland on the 9th (S), 14th (N), 27th
(S), 30th (N); and one was at Ness Point on the 11th.
BLACK-HEADED GULL Larus ridibundus
An adult bearing a Finnish white plastic ring was seen at Oulton
Broad on the 7th. It was ringed as an adult on the breeding grounds
in May 1998 so is at least seven years old.
KITTIWAKE Rissa tridactyla
Kessingland - 1st (5 S), 2nd (2 N, 38 S), 3rd (28 N),
4th (2 N, 6 S), 5th (1 S), 6th (2 N), 7th (2 N), 8th (3 N), 9th (33
N), 11th (5 N), 12th (2 N), 14th (1 N, 9 S), 15th (2 N), 16th (1 S),
17th (2 N), 18th (2 N), 19th (2 N, 11 S), 20th (1 S), 21st (4 N), 22nd
(1 N), 23rd (9 S), 24th (1 N, 6 S), 25th (7 S), 26th (76 S),
27th (3 S), 29th (1 N), 30th (1016 N, 251 S), 31st (282 N). During seawatches
on the 26th & 27th large numbers of gulls, of which the majority
were Kittiwakes, were noted feeding as they move slowly south at a distance
of 3 kilometres from the beach. They were passing at a rate of approximately
100 birds every 2 minutes, similar numbers return north 3 or 4 metres
above the surface.
GLAUCOUS GULL Larus hyperboreus
On the 24th at 10:20 a 2nd winter Glaucous Gull flew south past Kessingland
close to the beach.
GUILLEMOT Uria aalge
One was along Lake Lothing on the 27th.
RAZORBILL
Alca torda
One oiled bird was found dead on Lowestoft North beach on the 8th,
and a rather unhealthy looking individual was at Ness Point on the 11th.
At Kessingland a single bird was noted close inshore on the 15th.
LITTLE AUK Alle alle
Kessingland - 17th (5 N), 18th (1 N).
PUFFIN Fratercula arctica
One flew north past Kessingland on the 15th, with two there on the
17th.
AUK sp. Alcidae
Kessingland - 1st (1 o.s.), 2nd (59 N, 21 S, 2 o.s.),
3rd (1 N, 1 S, 1 o.s.), 4th (12 N, 1 S, 1 o.s.), 5th (3 N, 1 S), 6th
(6 N), 10th (1 N), 11th (1 N, 1 S), 12th (2 o.s. oiled), 13th (8 N,
1 o.s.), 14th (1 N, 3 S, 4 o.s., 1 oiled), 15th (16 N, 2 S), 17th (21
N, 16 S, 3 o.s.), 18th (47 N, 4 S, 2 o.s.), 19th (12 N), 20th (1 N,
4 S), 2 2nd (3 N), 23rd (2 N, 2 S), 24th (1 N), 26th (1 S), 27th (1
N), 30th (23 N, 13 S), 31st (46 N, 9 S).
BARN
OWL Tyto alba
Carlton Marshes is really excellent at the moment for owl watching.
Up to three have been hunting over the grassy fields between the visitors
centre and the overhead telephone cables during the afternoon. They
have been seen in recent days from 2:30 onwards. 8th (2), 27th (3),
28th (2).Two were hunting together at Carlton Marshes on the 8th and
27th.
LITTLE OWL Athene noctua
One was being mobbed by finches along the disused railway line at Corton
on the 3rd. One was seen at Mutford on the 28th.
SHORT-EARED OWL Asio flammeus
Two have been performing well at Carlton Marshes in the same area
as the Barn Owls being seen on the 24th, 27th and 28th from 2:30 onwards,
one was still present on the 30th.
KINGFISHER Alcedo atthis
At least one was along Lake Lothing on the 7th, being seen on mooring
ropes at the old Brooke Yachts shipyard and later at Mutford Lock. Two
were present on the 27th with one on the 28th to 30th.
PIED
WAGTAIL Motacilla alba
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The Pied Wagtails continue to roost in the trees outside Dorothy Perkins in Lowestoft town centre. Seven were there on the 12th and six on the 13th. The
photo at left shows the roost in November when up to 20 birds
were using it each evening. The increase in disturbance marked
by the start of late night shopping in late November tends to
see a marked reduction in numbers. The displaced birds seem to
move to adjacent roofs instead. Picture - Andrew Easton |
DUSKY
WARBLER Phylloscopus fuscatus
After a very poor October showing of Asian vagrants the discovery
of a Dusky Warbler at Kessingland sewage works on the 30th came as an
unexpected year end bonus. It ranged widely along the hedgerow and fence
bordering the sewage works, and also crossed the track into the dense
scrub opposite, though as it was quite vocal it was fairly easy to keep
track of (if not always to see!). It proved even more elusive, and less
vocal on the 31st.
CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus collybita
One was at Kessingland sewage works on the 16th with two there on
the 28th and 30th.
SISKIN Carduelis spinus
A flock of about 50 feeding around Somerleyton railway station on
the 8th were accompanied by one or two Redpolls C. cabaret
and Goldfinches C. carduelis. Four were seen at Corton
on the 28th.
SNOW BUNTING Plectrophenax nivalis
Noted on the beach at Kessingland on the 1st (20), 4th (20), 5th (5),
8th (25), 10th (17), 12th (23), 13th (29), 16th (22), 18th (24), 19th
(24), 20th (25), 23rd (25) 24th (25), 25th (28), 26th (25), 27th (22),
28th (25), 30th (27), 31st (25).
CORN BUNTING Miliaria
calandra
Five were perched on overhead power cables at Carlton Marshes on the
28th. Another was seen in fields at Low Farm Drive, Carlton Colville
on the 28th, along with three Reed Buntings. Up to five have been present
in fields adjacent to Low Farm Drive recently.
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Other
Wildlife
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A Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena was seen close inshore at Kessingland on the 1st, and a Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi was seen to the south of Kessingland Church on the 17th.