Recent bird sightings in our area

			Current News
January	March	April

WEEK ENDING MARCH 3, 2002

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
46 were seen in flight off Kessingland during two short seawatching spells on the 28th. All but two were heading north, 28 Auks and five very distant Gannets Morus bassanus were also noted.

ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus
The adult female at Haddiscoe Marshes was still present on the 2nd March at least. A ringtail Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus is currently being seen regularly in the same area.

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Ten were at Ness Point on March 3rd.

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One, probably a first year, showing a slightly pale belly but no appreciable tail extension was seen at Kessingland at 10:25am on the 26th, initially flying south it then settled on the sea. What was probably the same bird was also seen there on the 27th and 28th.

Arctic Skua S. parasiticus
One pale morph probably third year type showing a good tail extension flew south past Kessingland at 10:20am on the 26th.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
A summer plumaged adult flew south past Kessingland on the 26th.

CASPIAN GULL L. cachinnans
An adult was reported in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on March 3rd.

Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis
A third winter bird was in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on the 25th

GLAUCOUS GULL L. hyperboreus
A first winter bird was seen off Lowestoft Harbour mouth on the 28th, and in the Harbour on the 1st to 3rd March.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
One was in Flycatcher Lane behind the Denes Oval, Lowestoft on the 2nd.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
On the 28th eight were on the beach at Pakefield, with nine at Kessingland beach the same day.

OTHER WILDLIFE
The first butterflies and bumblebees are beginning to emerge from hibernation, a Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae was noted on the wing on 28th February in central Lowestoft.

WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 24, 2002

ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus
The adult female at Haddiscoe Marshes was still present on the 20th and 24th at least where it was perched on telegraph posts. Although it has been difficult to find at times in strong winds.

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Nine were at Ness Point on the 20th, with ten there on the 23rd and 24th.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
A summer plumaged adult was in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on the 20th and 22nd.

CASPIAN GULL L. cachinnans
An adult was in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on the 20th, 22nd and 24th. Three were present on the 23rd, two adults and a third- year bird. On the 24th.

GLAUCOUS GULL L. hyperboreus
The good run of this species this winter continued this week. The first-winter was again in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft on the 20th and 21st, what was thought to be a different individual was at the Burnt Hill Lane roost, Carlton Colville on the 22nd. The Carlton Colville bird was again present on the 23rd and 24th. Also on the 24th one was following a boat offshore at Ness Point the same time the Carlton bird was present.

Barn Owl Tyto alba
One was seen at Browston Manor golf course, near Lound on the 19th.

Little Owl Athene noctua
One was near the visitor centre at Carlton Marshes on the 19th.

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
One was at Kessingland Sewage Works on the 19th, along with 40-50 Pied Wagtails M. alba.

Stonechat Saxicola torquata
Two were at Carlton Marshes on the 19th.

Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita
One was in a garden in South Lowestoft on the 18th. A wintering bird or possibly the first spring migrant?

Jackdaw Corvus monedula
An individual showing characteristics of one of the northern or eastern races was at Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville on the 22nd.

Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Nine were on the beach at Pakefield on the 19th.

WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 17, 2002

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
One was in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft on the 16th.

LITTLE EGRET Egretta garzetta
One flew north over Haddiscoe Bridge at 3:45 on the 13th. With a bit of luck it will stay in the area although will probably be tricky if it does! At least two were on the Norfolk side of the River Waveney at Burgh Castle on the 16th.

GREAT WHITE EGRET Ardea alba
A potential addition to the Lounge Lizard list. One appeared on Haddiscoe Island, Norfolk, just across the River Waveney, on the 16th and moved progressively farther north across Halvergate Marshes during the afternoon. We are not sure yet if it was seen on the Suffolk side of the River Waveney before it was seen on Haddiscoe Island.

Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus
38 flew north over Haddiscoe Bridge at 9:45 on the 13th.

Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Two were along Lake Lothing on the 16th.

Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
Two were seen at Haddiscoe Marshes on the 14th with one there on the 16th. At least two Marsh Harriers C. aeruginosus were present on the 14th as well.

ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus
The adult female at Haddiscoe Marshes was still present on the 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th and 18th at least where it was perched on telegraph posts. One or two Common Buzzards B. buteo have also been seen in the Herringfleet and Ashby area in the last few days, passage birds normally pass through this area each year in early March and April.

Merlin Falco columbarius
One was on Haddiscoe Marshes on the 16th.

Peregrine Falcon F. peregrinus
The regular pair were again on Haddiscoe Island on the 14th and 16th.

Sanderling Calidris alba
Two were present in Hamilton Dock on the 16th.

Yellow-legged Gull Larus michahellis
An adult was in Kirkley Fen on the 17th.

Barn Owl Tyto alba
Three were seen at Haddiscoe Marshes on the 14th.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Two were seen at Haddiscoe Marshes on the 12th.

Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros
An adult male was seen along Lake Lothing on the 16th seen near the boatyard just west of the footbridge bridge that crosses the railtrack.

Fieldfare Turdus pilaris
A flock of 47 were at Lound Waterworks on the 16th.

Yellowhammer Emberiza citrinella
Five were near Corton church on the 16th.

WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 10, 2002

Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis
One was in Hamilton Dock, Lowestoft on the 10th.

Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus
Twelve were seen from Smock's Mill, Herringfleet on the 10th.

Common Buzzard Buteo buteo
One was seen from Smock's Mill, Herringfleet on the 10th.

ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD B. lagopus
The bird at Haddiscoe Marshes was present on February 4th, 5th and 8th where it was perched on telegraph posts in the morning. We have recently learned that this bird has been seen regularly from the river wall at Smock's Mill OS grid ref TM 465 976. Last week it was seen on one or two occasions on gate post on the Norfolk side of the river. At mid-day on January 30th it circled up and headed east towards Herringfleet, an area it has fed in previous winters.

Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Ten were at Ness Point on the 9th and 10th, apparently the highest count so far in 2002.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
One adult was at Ness Point on the 9th.

GLAUCOUS GULL L. hyperboreus
The first-winter was again showing very well in the north east corner of Hamilton Dock on February 4th.

CASPIAN GULL L. cachinnans
Two adults were in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on February 4th.

WEEK ENDED FEBRUARY 3, 2002

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis
One was in Hamilton Dock on the 29th.

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
As last week large numbers of Cormorants have been gathering to feed in the early morning, apparently on the Sprat Sprattus sprattus shoals that gather here each winter close inshore off Lowestoft. This week has seen around 400 there (maximum 420). They fly in from the north and after feeding they head back north possibly to Breydon Water and Fritton Lake. On February 2nd about three hundred flew south-eastwards over Gunton at 9.15am.

Common Scoter Melanitta nigra
14 were on the sea off Gorleston on the 3rd.

Peregrine Falco peregrinus
One flew south over Ash Farm, Mutford on the 29th.

Hen Harrier C. cyaneus
A female was seen at Haddiscoe Marshes on February 2nd.

Sanderling Calidris alba
Seven were feeding in Hamilton Dock on the 29th, with six at Gorleston on February 3rd.

Purple Sandpiper C. maritima
Seven were feeding at Ness Point on the 29th, with at least two there on February 2nd, and five on the 3rd.

POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew past Lowestoft Harbour mouth on the 28th, and it or another was seen off Kessingland on the 31st.

Arctic Skua S. parasiticus
One was seen to the north of Ness Point on the 28th, at Kessingland on the 31st (at the same time as the Pomarine) and off Lowestoft again on the 1st February.

Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
Two adults were offshore at Ness Point on the 29th, one was in Hamilton Dock on February 2nd, with one at Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville on the 3rd.

Little Gull L. minutus
A smart 1st winter bird flew south close inshore past Ness Point on the 29th. Large numbers of of gulls are present along the coast between Benacre and Lowestoft at the moment. There may have been one or two adults further out but were a little distant to be sure.

Third winter Caspian Gull CASPIAN GULL L. cachinnans
Three adults and a third winter bird were in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on February 1st, with four adults and the third winter on the 2nd. It seems six different individuals have been seen over these two days. At least two adults were there on the 3rd.

To the left is a videograb by Brian J Small of the third winter bird taken at Carlton Colville on February 2nd. A videograb of three Caspian Gulls together has been added to the Lowestoft Gallery.

Yellow-legged Gull L. michahellis
Two adults and a third winter were also in the Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville flock on February 2nd.

GLAUCOUS GULL L. hyperboreus
The first-winter was again showing very well in the north east corner of Hamilton Dock at low tide on the 29th where it was feeding on a dead gull. It was still present on the 2nd February again mostly in Hamilton Dock often perched on the wall giving very close views. Possibly two birds were in the area on the 3rd with one first winter seen at Burnt Hill Lane, Carlton Colville for most of the day, and late afternoon a first winter was seen at Gorleston Cliffs and in Hamilton Dock again. All we need now is for an Iceland Gull L. glaucoides to stay around and it will be just like the old days of the late 1970's and early 1980's.

Guillemot Uria aalge
One was in Hamilton Dock on the 29th with another summer plumaged individual offshore from Lowestoft North Denes.

Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
One was seen from Smock's Mill, Herringfleet Hills on January 29th with presumably the same bird seen at Haddiscoe Marshes on February 2nd. Records are very few and far between this winter.

LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dendrocopos minor
Late news from Friday 18: One was seen in Oulton at Parkhill Hotel, along road 200 yds north of hotel. It was perched in a tree before flying west over the road. Lesser spotted Woodpeckers are a real mega nowadays in the Lowestoft area!!!

Rock Pipit Anthus petrosus
Two were between Ness Point and Hamilton Dock on the 29th, and February 2nd.

Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Up to ten were in the Grove Road area of Carlton Colville on the 28th, the flock was also seen back at the water tower end of Bloodmoor Road on the 30th and 31st.

OTHER WILDLIFE
Ten Common Seals Phoca vitulina were seen off Pakefield on February 2nd, presumably attracted by the same Sprat shoals that the Cormorants are currently tucking into.