Black Redstart
on Lowestoft North Beach seawall
WEEK
ENDED JUNE 02, 2002
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No
count has been made yet of the local breeding population of large Gulls.
This Herring Gull Larus argentatus has constructed quite
a substantial nest for itself. Some of the roofs along Lake Lothing
have been cleaned during the winter but this doesn't seem to have deterred
the Gulls from nesting there as they have been seen collecting large
beak fulls of nesting material from as far away as Burgh St Peter across
the River Waveney in Norfolk.Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Noted past Kessingland on the 27th (10), 28th (8) and 31st (14).
Gannet Morus bassanus
Noted past Kessingland
on the 27th (1), 28th (9) and 31st (24).
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigra
Noted past Kessingland on the 27th (14), 28th (12) and 31st (61).
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
Two flew south at Kessingland on the 28th.
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
An adult flew north very close inshore at Kessingland on the 31st.
Mediterranean Gull Larus melanocephalus
A second summer bird was at Kessingland on the 31st.
PUFFIN Fratercula arctica
As well as three distant indeterminate auks, a single Puffin flew north
at Kessingland on the 31st, it was close enough inshore for some of the
bill colouration to be apparent.
WEEK
ENDED MAY 26, 2002
Fulmar Fulmarus
glacialis
Noted past Kessingland on the 20th (2), 21st (4), 22nd (7), 23rd (4),
24th (14), 25th (7) and 26th (8).
Gannet Morus bassanus
Noted past Kessingland on the 20th (5), 21st (4), 22nd (4), 23rd (11),
24th (22), 25th (9) and 26th (6).
Common Scoter
Melanitta nigra
Noted past Kessingland on the 21st (42), 22nd (8), 23rd (58), 24th (24)
and 26th (5).
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
One was seen at Kessingland on the 25th.
OTHER WILDLIFE
Three Painted Lady Butterflies Cynthia cardui were seen
at Kessingland on the 24th.
WEEK
ENDED MAY 19, 2002
Red-throated
Diver Gavia stellata
One flew north at Kessingland on the 13th.
Great Northern Diver G. immer
One flew north at Kessingland on the 13th.
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Nine were noted past Kessingland on the 13th (9), 14th (1), 15th (1),
17th (11), 18th (7) and 19th (5).
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
One flew north at Kessingland on the 17th.
Gannet Morus bassanus
Noted at Kessingland on the 13th (6), 14th (17), 15th (8), 16th (8), 17th
(12), 18th (22) and 19th (2).
Eider Somateria mollissima
Two flew north past Kessingland on the 13th.
Hobby Falco subbuteo
One arrived in off the sea at Kessingland on the 14th.
POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew north past Kessingland on the 17th.
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
A pale phase sub-adult flew north at Kessingland on the 13th.
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW Hirundo daurica
Two were reported in a group of around 200 Swallows feeding and perched
on wires at Flixton on May 19th.
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Continuing the bumper spring for this species locally one was found away
from the immediate coast at Fisher Row, Oulton on the 15th.
WEEK ENDED MAY 12, 2002
Red-throated
Diver Gavia stellata
Two flew north past Ness Point on the 6th.
Black-throated Diver G. arctica
One flew north past Kessingland on the 12th.
Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Small numbers were passing Ness Point on the 6th, but when the inshore
fishing boats boats appeared over the horizon and headed back to port up
to 60 could be seen in the air at once escorting them to scavenge the fish
offal thrown overboard. Fifty one were noted past Kessingland on the 6th
Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus
One flew north at Ness Point on the 6th.
Gannet Morus bassanus
Small numbers were passing north past Ness Point on the 6th and 7th. At
Kessingland noted on the 6th (33), 7th (66), 8th (13), 9th (14), 10th (12),
11th (4) and 12th (9).
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Shag
Phalacrocorax aristotelisLITTLE
EGRET Egretta garzetta
A flock of eleven flew north past Kessingland at 6:45am on the 11th.
Egyptian Goose Alopochen aegyptiacus
One pair were grazing on Barnards Meadow on the 8th and 9th, probably having
wandered from Leathes Ham to have a change of diet from slices of bread.
Eider Somateria mollissima
A pair were on the sea off Kessingland on the 11th.
Hobby Falco subbuteo
Two were at Carlton Marshes on the 7th, and one was at Corton on the 11th.
Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta
On the 12th one flew north along Kessingland Beach before returning south
to Benacre Pits.
Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
One was at Ness Point with five Turnstones Arenaria interpres
on the 11th.
Grey Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Three were on Kessingland Beach near the sluice on the 9th.
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Twenty one flew north past Kessingland on the 7th. Four were on the North
Denes at Lowestoft on the 8th and seven flew south there on the 11th.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Nine flew north at Ness Point on the 6th with 27 north past Kessingland
the same day. Two were on Lowestoft North Denes with four Bar-tailed
Godwits on the 8th, and one was again in the MoD field at Corton on
the 9th. Two flew north at Kessingland on the 10th with 29 past there on
the 11th.
Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos
Three were at Carlton Marshes on the 7th, three were on Lake Lothing at
Mutford Lock on the 8th and two were at Ness Point on the 11th.
POMARINE SKUA Stercorarius pomarinus
One flew north past Kessingland on the 8th.
Arctic Skua S. parasiticus
Three headed north past Kessingland on the 6th, two more went past there
on the 7th, with further singles on the 9th and 12th.
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvichensis
A steady passage continues with birds past Kessingland on the 6th (57),
7th (48), 8th (14), 9th (18), 10th (40), 11th (64) and 12th (27).
Common Tern S. hirundo
Noted past Kessingland daily but generally in smaller numbers than the Sandwich
Terns.
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Four flew north at Ness Point on the 7th, and a further flock of ten flew
north there on the 8th, four also flew north at Kessingland on the 8th..
Razorbill Alca torda
Two summer plumaged birds flew north together close inshore at Ness Point
on the 6th. Many more rather distant auks were passing as well.
Puffin Fratercula arctica
One flew north past Kessingland on the 6th, another was just south of our
area on the 7th passing north at Covehithe.
Auk sp. Alcidae
Variable numbers of Auks have been heading north this week with seven past
Kessingland on the 6th, 78 on the 7th, and 21 on the 8th, but most have
been too far out to specifically identify, though many do seem to be Razorbills
which in this area are quite scarce compared to Guillemots.
Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava
One was on Lowestoft North Denes on the 7th, and a more brightly coloured
individual was in the same place on the 8th, accompanied by three Yellow
Wagtails M. f. flavissima. Two Yellow Wagtails were also
at Kessingland Sewage Works on the 8th.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
One was at Kessingland
on the 9th.
Black Redstart Phoenicurus
ochruros
The regular pair were again along Hamilton Road on the 9th and the male
was there again on the 11th.
Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus
A male was at the Denes Oval on the 7th.
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
Females were at Carlton Marshes on the 7th, Lowestoft North Denes on the
8th and 10th, at Corton on the 9th and 10th, and on the North Denes Campsite
on the 11th.
Stonechat S. torquata
One was on Lowestoft North Denes on the 8th and 9th.
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
One was on Lowestoft North Denes on the 8th, several more had arrived on
the 9th with seven at Corton, three on Lowestoft North Denes and four along
Hamilton Road. On the 10th three were at Corton, five were on Lowestoft
North Denes and three were on Kessingland Beach. On the 11th five were still
on the North Denes, three were at Hamilton Road and two were on Kessingland
Beach.
Cetti's Warbler Cettia cetti
Singing birds have been heard at Carlton Marshes, Oulton Broad, Oulton Marshes
and Somerleyton Marshes. After a succession of mild winters this is now
a quite common bird locally but nonetheless still an infuriatingly difficult
one to see well.
Sedge Warbler Acrocephalus schoenobaenus
One was singing in bushes in the old MoD compound at Corton on the 9th and
10th.
Reed Warbler A. scirpaceus
One singing at Leathes Ham had managed to find the few remaining reed stems
following the almost complete die back of the reedbed due to excessive flooding
there. It may take a while for the reedbed to re-establish itself.
Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix
One was singing along the main track running north through Gunton Woods
on the 12th. (Not Corton Woods as I put on in error earlier)
Spotted Flycatcher Muscicapa striata
One was at Kessingland on the 10th.
Pied Flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca
One female was along the north wall of the Denes Oval on the 9th.
Reed Bunting Emberiza schoeniclus
A female was on the North Denes Campsite on the 10th and 11th.
OTHER
WILDLIFE
Three male and one female Variable Damselflies Coenagrion pulchellum
were seen at Oulton Marshes on the 7th, due to the cool damp weather they
weren't flying very much at all. A small black and orange caterpillar found
sheltering on the seawall at Ness Point on the 7th turned out to be from
a Marbled Beauty moth Cryphia domestica , a species that feeds
on Lichens, no great surprise as there isn't much vegetation to feed on
at Ness Point. Offshore from there a single Harbour Porpoise Phocoena
phocoena was seen on the 7th and 11th.
WEEK ENDED MAY 05, 2002
Fulmar
Fulmarus glacialis
Noted at Kessingland on the 29th (5).
Gannet Morus bassanus
Small numbers were passing north and south past Ness Point on May 5th, with
one adult settling on the sea briefly close inshore there before heading
south.
Gadwall
Anas strepera
A pair flew north at Ness Point on May 5th.
Eider Somateria mollissima
Three were on the sea off Ness Point on May 5th.
Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus
Three migrants were noted on the 29th. Two were watched arriving, about
an hour apart, in off the sea battling hard against the wind; with the third
seen crossing the A12 near Safeways. The latter had no doubt just arrived
after a sea crossing as well.
Common
Buzzard Buteo buteo
One was over St Olaves on the 4th.
RED-FOOTED FALCON Falco vespertinus
A male appeared over Nicholas Everitt Park at about 10:25 on May 4th,
it spent about five minutes in the area, often accompanied by a Kestrel
F. tinnunculus . It was lost to view when it dropped below
treetop height and could not be relocated there. During the early afternoon
it was seen again at nearby Carlton Marshes before appearing to head north
towards Fisher Row.
Hobby Falco subbuteo
One arrived in off the sea at Kessingland on May 1st, then headed south,
and two were at Carlton Marshes on May 2nd. On the 4th one was at Haddiscoe
and two were at St Olaves on the 5th.
Peregrine Falco peregrinus
One was at St Olaves on the 4th.
COMMON CRANE Grus grus
One has been seen intermittently on the marshes between Barnby and Carlton
Marshes between the 1st and 4th May.
Little Ringed Plover Charadrius dubius
A single bird has been seen at Corton between the 1st and 5th May.
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Noted at Kessingland on the 2nd (1), Haddiscoe on May 1st (16), Corton May
2nd (3), at Carlton Marshes on May 4th (1) and Ness Point on the 5th (16
flew north).
Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus
Single were at Thorpe Marshes, Norfolk on the 4th and at Somerleyton Marshes
on the 5th.
Arctic Skua Stercorarius parasiticus
A sub-adult loitered briefly offshore at Kessingland on May 2nd to harry
a tern before continuing north, and a dark phase adult flew north there
on the 5th.
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvichensis
Two flew north at Ness Point on May 5th.
Common
Tern S. hirundo
At least ten were feeding on Oulton Broad on May 4th and were presumably
from the Lake Lothing breeding colony.
Black
Tern Chlidonias niger
Two flew north at Ness Point on May 5th.
Turtle Dove Streptopelia turtur
A pair were at Haddiscoe, Norfolk on the 5th.
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
One was at Carlton Marshes on May 3rd.
Common Swift Apus apus
At least 15 were seen at Haddiscoe, Norfolk on May 1st, and a good passage
took place north over Oulton Broad on May 4th, often in groups of up to
20. A fairly typical arrival date for this area.
House Martin Delichon urbica
Passing through in reasonable numbers now, with at least 10 at Haddiscoe,
Norfolk, on May 1st. For the last two or three years this species has been
quite scarce in this area, perhaps a recovery is now underway? May 4th saw
large numbers of Swallows Hirundo rustica , Sand
Martins Riparia riparia and House Martins heading north
again after a brief lull in their passage.
Blue-headed Wagtail Motacilla flava flava
A pair were at Corton on May 3rd.
Yellow Wagtail M. flava flavissima
Three were at Corton on May 1st and a pair were on Lowestoft North Denes
also on May 1st.
Nightingale
Luscinia megarhynchos
One was singing at Warrenhouse Wood on May 2nd.
Whinchat Saxicola rubetra
A male was at Corton on May 1st.
Wheatear
Oenanthe oenanthe
Three were seen at Corton on May 1st and three were on Kessingland Beach
on May 2nd accompanied by a female Snow Bunting Plectrophenax
nivalis.