the harrier

The

HarrierDecember 2011 Bulletin No.167

Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group

Inside:• Sandhill Crane• County rarities,

autumn highlights• SORC 2011 update

The Harrier No.167 DEC 2011_SR_The Harrier No.167 DECt 2011_SR 01/12/2011 12:14

Editorial .......................................................................................................................................................1

Sandhill Crane .........................................................................Steve Piotrowski & John Grant ...............2

Lakenheath Cranes.................................................................Katherine Puttick......................................5

Book ReviewThe Norfolk Cranes’ Story .................................................Phil Brown................................................7

Evidence of White-tailed Eagles’ presence in England ....Clive Collins ..............................................8

Short-toed Treecreeper and the weight watcher! ............Nigel Odin ................................................9

BINS Autumn delights ...........................................................Roy Marsh ..............................................10

Colour supplementBINS autumn No. 1Sandhill CraneBINS autumn No. 2

Field MeetingSizewell................................................................................Steve Fryett ............................................14

SORC input ...............................................................................Craig Fulcher ..........................................14

Looking back ...........................................................................Philip Murphy.........................................20

NewsMinsmere hide closure ......................................................................................................................23Lackford Bittern ...................................................................................................................................23

AnnouncementsTrip Leaders’ thank you.....................................................Jean Garrod ............................................23Gift Aid reminder ...............................................................Bill Stone ................................................23Subscription increase.........................................................Bill Stone ................................................24Insurance reminder............................................................Nick Mason ............................................24

Xmas Wordsearch Competition ............................................Brenda Rafe ...........................................24

Cover photograph – The Boyton CranePhotographer: Bill Baston, taken October 2 using a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, focal length 1000, F13, exposure 1/500

Contact details for articles and observations, etc are:Phil Brown, Editor, c/o The Coach House, Denham Road, Dalham, Suffolk CB8 8UB.

[email protected]

All material for the March 2011 Harrier should be with the editor no later than w/e 25 February

Subscription rates (2012)SOG: Adults – £15.00; Family £17.00

Joint SOG/Suffolk Naturalists’ Society: Adults – £28.00; Family – £32.00

Website: www.sogonline.org.uk

Email: [email protected]

Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group Registered Charity No. 801446

Contents


1T H E H A R R I E R – D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 1

Welcome to the latest Harrier

We have a bumper crop of goodies for you this quarter. As it’s beenone of the most stunning autumns on record for rarities, themajority of this issue of the Harrier has been dedicated to them.

We open with two field trips, the second of which caught what is probably destined to becomeSOG’s 2011 Bird of the Year – the Boyton Sandhill Crane. This bird is our lead feature and well-covered in this issue’s colour supplement, but Suffolk’s Common Cranes have not beenoverlooked – nor for that matter have Norfolk’s. Then there’s a substantial BINS report – whileweighing-in at four pages, it still only covers the highlights of this autumn’s many rarities. Nextup is a full SORC update of outstanding descriptions and confirmed status records for 2011. Thenfinally the regular ‘Looking Back’ feature that’s also a little larger than usual.

Because of this bumper autumn several articles previously scheduled for this issue have had to bepostponed until March. These include an article about the Brecks Stone Curlews' status, an interestingdebate between two authoritative birders on bird name standardisation, a piece on a migrationspectacle and a review of the membersship survey findings. This last will now be featured at theAGM on 16th February 2012 and then covered in more detail in the March issue of the Harrier.

Lastly may I, on behalf of the SOG Council, wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy (andprofitable birding) New Year.

Sorry, one final reminder, please note that the deadline for the next issue will be 25 February – soplease keep your articles coming in.

Views expressed in The Harrier are not necessarily those of the editoror the Suffolk Ornithologists’ Group

The

HarrierSuffolk Ornithologists’ Group

December 2011 Magazine No.167

Steve Piotrowski and John Grant

Sandhill Crane –A flight of fancy?

It’s all very well taking a stuffy,studious approach to birding butsometimes, just sometimes,

there’s an ornithological event that

transcends any dry taxonomicdebate or any interminable,po-faced poring over P10 or P6or whatever.

Sometimes it’s as well to steer clear of thescience, stand back and simply enjoy, have abit of fun and let your imagination run riot.Step forward, in stately fashion, our friend theSandhill Crane!


2 T H E H A R R I E R – D e ce m b e r 2 0 1 1

Estonian, Finnish and Suffolk firstsSurely this creature is already engrained in thefolklore of Suffolk birding. An exciting vagrant,a county first, a British tick for most . . .but thisbird, possibly above all others, should neverbe reduced to a mere tick on a list – at leastfor us it never will be. It’s as if it was destinedto be entwined in our lives in such a quirkyway that we are simply left to look back inwonderment. Here’s why. Just before we wereabout to co-lead a Waveney Bird Club trip toEstonia, jaw-dropping news came through ofa Sandhill Crane near Tallinn. Tracked overLaajalahti, in Espoo, Finland, on September5th, becoming a Finnish ‘first’ as a result, itdropped in to Kiia, Estonia, the next day asanother national ‘first’. Right, we thought,we’ll take a detour, be part of this historicoccasion and revel in an international twitch.Alas, the Crane wandered off before wetouched down in Tallinn. Undeterred, we hada wonderful visible migration-filled holidayand returned to Blighty to the equally jaw-dropping news of ‘a’ (we like to think ‘the’)Sandhill Crane being tracked down the eastcoast of Scotland and northern England.

Trapped on OrfordnessWith the Crane merely shimmering as adistant vision somewhere in the recesses ofour consciousness, we headed to Orfordnessto lead the annual SOG trip on October 2. Now,Orfordness is remote. Isolated. You need aboat to get over there (don’t walk down fromSlaughden. Just don’t.) Of more relevance, youneed a boat to get off. Nearing lunchtime, thenews not so much broke, more exploded.

“Crane sp over Kessingland” . . . could it be????Then, atomic explosion, which was somewhatappropriate considering where we were:“Sandhill Crane on South Marsh, NorthWarren!!!” We could see Aldeburgh in thedistance. North Warren is just beyond. ASandhill Crane (we like to think ‘the’ SandhillCrane’) was tantalisingly close, yet we werewell and truly stranded! Boat at 4.00pm –oh dear!!

Crane ahoyDon’t panic Captain Mainwaring! Privately,each and every one of us did panic though.What to do? Get us a boat Steve P! With goodold British stiff-upper-lip pragmatism, wedecided to have lunch by the lighthouse! Thenit went nuclear. The message from our ViceChairman, Steve Abbott, stationed at NorthWarren, came through loud and clear:“Sandhill Crane is now in flight overAldeburgh”, which had us shinning up to theroof of the wartime bomb-ballistics buildingthat affords panoramic views of The Ness andthe River Alde complex. The rest is history –glorious, delicious history! A flock of roostinggulls exploding skywards in the distancealerted us to a descending grey blob that wassoon to become an elegant Sandhill Crane asit alighted in a ploughed field across the riverat Sudbourne. We were afforded distant, albeitunsatisfactory views as our bird slowlywandered around the field in the shimmeringheat of the day. And then, a majestic flyingvision of almost mystical significance as itheaded south over the River Ore at Orford,Havergate, Gedgrave and beyond. Directionswere yelled out by our leaders to ensure thateveryone stayed on our bird, but these werebeing mysteriously echoed by anothermember who was talking to someone on hismobile telephone. Once the excitement haddied down, we were told that our directionswere being relayed to another group of SOGmembers, not attending this field trip, thatwere now in 'headless-chicken' mode havingchased the bird from site to site for several



hours only to find that it had gone momentsbefore they arrived!

BINS trackingRegular updates were being provided bySuffolk’s own Birders Information NetworkServices (BINS), so no need for satellite trackingfor this particular bird. There was a momentarytouch of sadness though when we learnt thatthe BINS supremos had taken a birding break toShetland and no way could they get back! It’sgone and not coming back guys!

Our paths had, magically, crossed at last. Thecrane had come to us. OK, there’s noincontrovertible proof – hard-headed, peer-reviewed, scientific proof – that this was thesame bird that had eluded us in Estonia. Butlook at the dates and locations below. Let yourhearts melt a little. Join us in thinking that thiswas not just ‘a’ Sandhill Crane, it was ‘the’Sandhill Crane and that it had become, insome wonderful, spirit-uplifting way, ‘our’Sandhill Crane to be imprinted in ourmemories for evermore.

The Sandhill Crane’s historic passage intoornithological history:1. September 5, 2011: South-west with Common

Cranes over Laajalahti, Espoo, Finland, becomingthe first for Finland.

2. September 6: In fields with Common Cranes,Kiia, Estonia, becoming the first for Estonia.

3. September 16: South over Dunbar, Lothian,8.15 a.m.

4. September 16: Over A1 at Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland, 10.45 a.m.

5. September 22 to 26: Loch of Strathbeg RSPBreserve, Aberdeenshire.

6. September 29: Various locations from Blyth toWhitley Bay, Northumberland, during themorning into the early afternoon.

7. September 29: south over Kettleness, NorthYorkshire, 2.00 p.m.

8. October 1: South over Rimac, Lincolnshire, noon.9. October 1: In fields at Snettisham RSB reserve,

Norfolk, late afternoon.10. October 2: In fields at Barnby, Suffolk, early-

morning.11. October 2: South over Kessingland, mid-

morning.12. October 2: On South Marsh, North Warren RSPB

reserve, around noon into early afternoon.13. October 2: South over Aldeburgh, landing in

fields at Sudbourne, early afternoon.14: October 2: On Boyton Marshes RSPB reserve,

early afternoon, staying in Boyton area untilOctober 7 when flew high south and out to seaat 10.25 a.m. It had gone!

Footnote: The story does not end at Boyton,but at Badajoz. What was presumably ‘the’Sandhill Crane was found consorting withCommon Cranes in Extremadura, Spain, duringNovember.

Acknowledgements: Thanks are due to BINSfor providing an exemplary service that daythat allowed people all over the county tokeep track of the whereabouts of this majesticbird. It was so exciting! Thanks also to FredStentiford, Chairman of Boyton Parish Council,who organised car parking in Boyton village.His efforts raised over £1800, the moneygoing towards the parish church, so a bigthank you to all the birders who kindlydonated.

Editor: Steve, thanks for this exciting ‘fieldtrip’ report but, sorry to be stuffy, I fearyou’re being a little too romantic about‘the’ Crane (turn to the centrespread tofind out why). Whatever the identity ofthe Strathbeg bird, it then appears to havereverted to type and simply headed south,from A to B as it were – in this instancefrom Aberdeenshire to ultimately Badajoz!



Katherine Puttick, Warden, RSPB, Lakenheath

Cranes atLakenheath Fen

Four hundred years ago theCommon Crane, as its namesuggests, would indeed have

been a common bird in Britain. TheFens of East Anglia then covered 1300square miles of wetland habitat,providing the perfect home forthousands of these magnificent birds.

Local place names such as Cranwich andCransford suggest that Cranes were partof a breeding population rather than justwintering visitors. However, habitat lossand over-exploitation caused the populationto dwindle and eventually die out as abreeding species in Britain.

Cranes returnA small breeding population re-establishedon the Norfolk Broads in 1979, and remainedthe only known breeding population in Britainuntil the Lakenheath Fen Cranes turned up in2007. The Lakenheath Fen Cranes have nowestablished themselves at the reserve andfurthermore have formed the core of a Fenspopulation. It’s fair to say that this appearanceof a pair of Cranes on grazing marsh at thewestern end of Lakenheath caused a bit ofexcitement among staff. It was an excellentrecord for the reserve, but that was as far asit went. Little did we suspect that they wouldstay and attempt to breed.

That first pair of Cranes became known as the‘Breeding Pair’ and were joined in the sameyear by another pair, which were quicklynicknamed ‘Little and Large’ due to the slightdifference in size between the male andfemale bird. The discovery of the first nest

came as a surprise to all, and it was foundmore or less by accident when it was literallytripped over by reserve staff conducting aBearded Tit survey within the reedbed.

Sensitive to disturbanceWe quickly learned that Cranes are verysecretive and elusive birds, and also verysensitive to disturbance. Whereas the first pairsensibly chose a quiet spot well away fromany visitors, ‘Little and Large’ selected anarea within the visited half of the reserve.Unfortunately, their timing also coincided withthe busy summer season, the opening of thenew visitor centre, and the decision to publicisethe Cranes. This all resulted in a large influx ofvisitors and lots of disturbance (albeit at adistance), and the Cranes soon moved to aquieter area of the reserve. Every care is nowtaken to prevent disturbance. It is howeverinteresting to note that both pairs of Craneshave become more habituated to people andregular vehicles. In particular, the reserve’sLand Rover and the grazier’s vehicles nolonger have the effect of making the Cranestake to the air, and they have also beenknown to follow local farmers drilling wheat!

Successful breedingThe initial attempts in 2007 and 2008 wereunsuccessful, failing at either egg or chickstage. ‘Little and Large’ finally fledged theirfirst young in 2009 at about 11 weeks old –the first known Crane chick to have fledged inthe Fens for over 400 years! Interestingly, forthe last few weeks before fledging, the youngCrane was brought out onto an area in fullview of one of the viewpoints.

Visitors regularly saw these Cranes and thechick’s first attempts at flying were evencaught on camera! ‘Little and Large’ wereagain successful in fledging a single young in2010. The ‘Breeding Pair’ have taken theirtime, but this year finally fledged their firstyoung! The family kept us on tenterhooks fornearly 13 weeks (the usual time for a Crane



chick to fledge is about 10 weeks), keepingthe youngster hidden from view for weeks ata time, before it finally took to the skies. If theprevious two years are anything to go by, theyoungster will stay with its parents over thewinter months, before being encouraged tomake its own way early next spring.

The future?The current whereabouts of our five Cranes isunknown (the five consist of the two pairs, plusa solitary), although they have been seen tospend time at the RSPB’s Nene Washes andOuse Washes reserves and WWT’s Welneyreserve, as well as popping back to the reservefrom time to time. It is also important to notethat the Cranes at Lakenheath Fen are nolonger the only breeding pairs in the Fens; apair have successfully bred at RSPB’s NeneWashes reserve for the past two years and, thisSeptember, there was a total of 14 Cranes inthe area. Given the reserve’s size it is possiblethat another pair could become resident atLakenheath Fen – we certainly hope so!

All of us look forward to the day when flocksof Common Cranes, with their evocativebugling calls, once again become a common

sight and sound across the East Anglian Fens.

‘Little and Large’s’ 2010 chick grew up fast –in the space of 8/9 weeks this chick grewinto a strong young adult

Phil Brown (with inputfrom Chris Durdin)

The NorfolkCranes’ storyJohn Buxton andChris Durdin(Wren Publishing, 2011,ISBN 978-0-9542545-5-1,£30.00)

This short, 133pp volume(that’s less than the presentBooker prize winner) is

copiously illustrated (mainly colourphotographs) and tells the nowadaysrare and uplifting tale of conservationsuccess – the re-establishment ofCranes as a breeding species inNorfolk after a 400-year UK absence.

As related to Chris Durdin by John Buxton,the owner of the Horsey estate and in effectthe Horsey Cranes’ guardian, Part one of thebook chronicles the Horsey story from 1979up to 2010.

The Cranes’ achievements for every year arenoted but, because of frequent failures, some

Book Review

Editor: By way of a counterpoint to AdamGretton’s review of ‘Goodbye to the Cuckoo’s’distressing theme in our last issue, here’ssomething much more positive:



of these annual entries are short (at an earlystage John had calculated that, over a ten-yearperiod, 30 Crane eggs were laid on the Estate,yet only four chicks were fledged1. The species’susceptibility to disturbance during breedingand the vulnerability of their eggs and chicksto predation explains the brevity of manyentries. Nevertheless, by the time we reachthe present day, the species’ success issubstantial with at least 13 nesting pairs,numerous solitaries and unconfirmed pairs,plus a regular winter Broadlands flock of50 – altogether a real success story.

In Part two the history2 and the future ofCranes in the UK are reviewed, along withobservations about Crane behaviour andvarious management issues. Finally, in Partthree, penned by the filmmaker Nick Upton,the species’ European context is considered.His descriptions of the birds on migrationreminded me of my own Hortobágyexperiences where I’ve witnessed thesky filled from horizon to horizon by thesemonumental birds’ evening return to roostat the area’s fishponds. Like Nick you feelprivileged to see and hear them en masseand it has encouraged me to get back over the

Suffolk border to see them again next year.

All together a very readable, thorough andfascinating read – my only tiny niggle, thebook’s lack of an index. But don’t let thatstop you purchasing it.

The Norfolk Cranes’ Story is hardback with 65colour photos, six black & white photos and threecolour illustrations, price £30. It is on sale inbookshops and nature reserves, including RSPBMinsmere and RSPB Lakenheath Fen, viawww.norfolkcranes.co.uk or directly from theauthors. Chris Durdin can be contacted at 36Thunder Lane, Norwich, NR7 0PX, tel. 01603300552, email [email protected].

1 Happily the latest breeding productivity averages prove to be much more positive than this.2 Editor: Interestingly, paralleling Clive Collin's article on the ‘earn’ in this issue of the Harrier, the book notesthat the name of Cranwich near Brandon, a mere six miles from Lakenheath Fen, translates from Old Englishas 'the bog where cranes breed'. So the Cranes' appearance at the Fen should have been expected.

Editor: The last issue’s piece on White-tailedEagles stirred this interesting informationfrom one of our members:

Clive Collins

Some historicalevidence for theWhite-tailed Eagles’presence in England

Richard Rafe, in his conver-sation with Phil Brown aboutthe proposed reintroduction

of the White-tailed Eagle to Suffolk,made the interesting point thatevidence from place-names suggestedthat the species was once wide-spread in England. Let me add afew examples to illustrate this fact.



Kings in the Severn Valley, Erneleie in 996and 1086 respectively, from earn and leah –a woodland clearing where eagles are found.Another Earnley, recorded as Earneleagh asearly as the 8th Century, is on Selsey Bill,hardly Golden Eagle territory, but close toChichester Harbour and the Solent, so perfecthabitat for White-tailed Eagle. One from theWest Country, Yarnscombe in Devon,Hernescome in the Domesday Book, fromearn and cumb – eagle valley, also probablyrefers to the White-tailed Eagle; it liesbetween the Torridge and the Taw valleys,and near the cliffs of the North Devon coast.

Suffolk connections?Unfortunately I haven’t been able to findany eagle names in Suffolk4. We have to becontent with Gosbeck, a stream frequented bygeese, Yaxley, a woodland clearing where thecuckoo is found, Jacheslea in 1086, from theOld English word gaec for a cuckoo, and Greatand Little Finborough, Fineberga in 1086,woodpecker hill, from the Old English fina, awoodpecker. We can’t even claim Crowfield; itderives from “open land near a corner”. AndMagpie Green near Diss must have beennamed much later, because until the 16th.Century the usual name for the bird was“haggister”. The modern name is a contractionof “maggot pie”: Macbeth speaks of “magot-pies, and choughs, and rooks”.

The Old English word for the eagle was“earn”3, and this occurs as an element inabout 25 names for villages and naturalfeatures across England. It does not, of course,distinguish between the two species, Goldenand White-tailed; both species would at onetime have been common. However, if wereasonably assume that the Golden Eaglewould have been confined to upland, openhabitats – giving us Arncliffe in the YorkshireDales and Ingleby Arncliffe on the edge ofthe North York Moors, for example – this stillleaves a good number which could refer tothe White-tailed Eagle, since, as Richard pointsout, the habitat for this species includeswetlands and broad river valleys.

Domesday evidenceIf we look at the earliest written records forsome place-names, and many of these arefrom the Domesday Book of 1086, we can seehow they have evolved from “earn”. There areArnold in the Trent Valley near Nottingham,Ernehale in 1086, and Arnold, Aernhale in1190, between Hornsea Mere and the HumberEstuary, from earn and halh – a piece of landfrequented by eagles; Upper Arley and Arely

3 ‘Earn’ was just one of several terms in use – there was also the Middle English ‘erne’ and ‘erens’ can befound in some Medieval documentation4 Ed.: Adam Gretton suggests Yarn Hill at Iken might be a possible contender

Editor: I’ve always found these ancient andtraditional terms fascinating and wonder ifany other members would care to contributean article on old Suffolk terms for birds?



Nigel Odin

Weight-gain and fatstorage accumulationin a ‘migrant’ Short-toed TreecreeperCerthia brachydactyla

The Short-toed Treecreeper isgenerally described as a highlysedentary species (Cramp et al

19935) with almost no publishedinformation on its migratory habits.

Nevertheless one appeared at LandguardPoint, Suffolk from 24th March to 6th April thisyear. It was trapped several times over thisperiod and during its stay the recorded weightincreased from a low of 7.6g, noted early

morning on the second day, to 9.2g on theafternoon of the last day of its 14-day stay.

During this period the bird’s fat scoreincreased from 0 to 3, with the pectoralmuscle score remaining the same throughout.These weights appear to be within the rangeof the small sample published in BWP. While abird gaining weight after a long flight is notground breaking news, I can find no publisheddata on weight gain or an increase in the fatscore of an individual migrant of this speciesand, as such, it may be of interest.

Editor: We were all delighted to have thissedentary species turn up at Landguard inthe spring. Nigel Odin now casts some lighton the reason why it may have hungaround so long.

Editor: It is also interesting to see that thiswoodland species could find sufficient foodat this often bleak and windswept site tofatten up before departing.

Date 24th 25th 26th 27th 29th 31st 1st 4th 5th 6th

Hour 07 06 06 07 07 09 09 10 10 14

Weight 7.8g 7.6g 8.0g 8.2g 8.6g 8.7g 8.7g 9.0g 8.9g 9.2g

Fat 0 1 0 2 2 2 3 3 3 3

Pec 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

5 Cramp, S & Perrins, C.M. (eds) (1993) The Birds of the Western Palearctic Vol. VII. p.365 – 376



Roy Marsh

Suffolk BINS –‘Bumper AutumnHarvest’

Following on from what was agreat summer overall, andmoving into the autumn, who

would have predicted it would havethrown up so many surprises, andwhat must be considered a fantasticpast three months.

I suppose at this point, I should really mentionthat Crane thingy-me-bob, but having beenone of many Suffolk birders on Shetland, Ipersonally didn’t really see what all the fusswas about! Ok, yes, alright, it was prettyspectacular I suppose, but what else did theautumn have up its sleeve?...

...Suffolk, the new Cornwall?September – The month of Septemberproduced what can only be described as aspectacular sea bird passage over a couple ofdays, with the highlight being a superb Fea’sPetrel spotted north past Ness Point at 18:00hrs on the 15th, and a Sooty/Bridled Ternreported past Southwold that same morning.The 16th saw an amazing passage of sea birdsnoted off the Suffolk coast, with some sixGreat Shearwaters, thirteen Cory’s, twoBalearics, good numbers of both Manxies andSooties also being noted throughout the day,with a Sabine’s Gull, several Long-tailed Skuasand good numbers of Bonxie, Arctic and PomSkuas helping to make this one of the mostremarkable Suffolk sea-watching periods formany a moon.

Other September Highlights: On the 4th and5th, Covehithe Broad produced a Pectoral

Sandpiper, with a Wryneck noted there onthe 7th. The 9th saw another or the samePec again at Covehithe until the 10th. Whilea possible further bird frequented Minsmerefrom the 11th,, being joined by a second birdfrom the 15th. The 11th was a good day,with a Barred Warbler at Felixstowe, Juv.Rosy Starling at Minsmere, and a BalearicShearwater off Southwold. A Cattle Egret wasnoted over Ipswich on the 17th, with fourBlack-necked Grebes off Levington that sameafternoon. The 18th produced the first Yellow-browed Warbler of the autumn at MinsmereNorth wall, with an ‘Icky’ also there. An adultDotterel was found at Levington on the 19th, afurther ‘Icky’ was found along ‘Flycatcher Alley’on the 25th, a drake Fudge (Ferruginous) Duckwas discovered at Leathes Ham on the 26th,and an Arctic Warbler reported along the RiverGipping, Ipswich on the 29th, with a number of‘usual suspect’ common migrant passerines andwaders making up the month of September.

Headless chickens aplenty...October – Well, where do we start? At thebeginning I hear you cry, and surely whatoccurred on that Sunday, 2nd will live in thememory of many forever, when an adultSANDHILL CRANE, a first for Suffolk, was seen,heard calling, and photographed as it flewsouth along the Suffolk coast. It is thought thebird was originally on Kessingland levels as itwas seen to gain height from this area beforeheading south. The bird was then seen to landat North Warren and observed by five luckySuffolk birders before it took flight after justhalf an hour. It was again tracked south withthe help of Suffolk BINS, where we sent anincredible 2080 messages to our memberson that day alone, where it next stopped atSudbourne Marsh, then Gedgrave and finallysettling down for most of the afternoon onfields between Boyton Marsh RSPB andHollesley Marshes, to be admired by themasses from far and wide, until the 7th whenit flew high south from Boyton Marsh RSPB at10:25hrs and was sadly lost to view. Despite



the quality of our scopes I just couldn’t pick itup from Shetland, although Lee sinking up tohis waist in a peaty ditch that afternoon didbring a short respite to my depression! Thismust surely be a prime candidate for ‘Bird ofthe Year’, but the month of October was farfrom over...

Other October Highlights: What a monthindeed... The 1st saw a Richard’s Pipit flysouth over Landguard, a Juv. Fudge Duckdiscovered at Leathes Ham, and the Dotterelremained at Levington to set the month off toa good start. The 5th saw two Glossy Ibis fly inoff and land on Hollesley Marshes. A probablePallid Swift was seen over Minsmere on the6th, 7th saw a Glossy Ibis located on DingleMarsh where it remained on the shore poolstill the 8th. Also on the 8th, a Juv. WoodchatShrike was found at Links Road car park,Lowestoft where it remained until the 14th.The 9th saw a Glossy Ibis found on WestScrape, Minsmere, with a second bird notedto fly over, whilst the sea produced two Cory’s,one off Felixstowe, and the second offThorpeness, plus a Balearic Shearwater, witha Richard’s Pipit noted low over SizewellCommon. For the 10th we again turned to thesea, where yet another Fea’s Petrel was seento fly north past Thorpeness, a Cory’s and 56Bonxies making up the supporting cast. The13th turned into a bumper day with two Red-flanked Bluetails, one at Minsmere, andanother trapped and ringed on Orfordness, witha Little Bunting also trapped there helping thisto be a great day for the Ness, with four GreatGrey Shrikes also noted around the Lowestoftarea. The 14th produced another crackingmega for the county, with only the secondIsabeline (Daurian) Shrike for the countybeing found at Dunwich, although sadly thisonly remained for the 2.5 hours that afternoon,but provided an opportunity for many to gripthis one back on those lucky enough to haveconnected with the only other record atBoyton over a decade ago.

With it only being the 15th, the glut of raritiescontinued when the north of the countycontinued with its good run of form, withthe discovery of an Olive-backed Pipit inSparrows Nest Park where it remainedthrough to the 16th although generally elusiveat times. Also on the 15th, three Glossy Ibiswere noted to fly over Tuddenham Avenue,Ipswich, and a welcome addition to thegarden list for me! The 16th produced yetanother county mega, with the discovery ofa Booted Warbler at Landguard, whichperformed well throughout the day, andprovided excellent views for the large crowdwhich passed through the site, whilst nearbya Red-throated Pipit was seen, albeit for ashort period in fields east of Martlesham Creek.

The 20th saw a Glossy Ibis fly north overMinsmere in the morning, with possibly thesame bird north over Dingle later thatmorning. We knew it wouldn’t be long beforethe north of the county would come uptrumps again when, on the 21st a drakeGreen-winged Teal was noted at Benacre



Broad, whilst the 22nd saw a Dusky Warblertrapped at Kessingland sewage works. The31st saw the last of the month’s biggies, witha Pallid Swift seen to fly south over Landguardat 09:55. Throughout the month of October,there were also numerous decent scarcities,including Yellow-browed Warblers, waders,further Great Grey Shrikes and the sea wasseemingly worth a look at any time, ensuringOctober will be a month people will rememberfor many a year – oh yeah, and that Crane.

The excitement continues...November – Providing no let-up in asensational autumn for the county when onthe 1st five Glossy Ibis were noted to fly lowwest over Rigbourne Hill Lane, Beccles at06:15hrs and a Great Grey Shrike was againseen at West Stow country park by the maincar park with the first Waxwing of theautumn/early winter being noted at CastleMarsh SWT by the visitor centre, also a GreatGrey Shrike was seen by the farm siloes. The2nd saw the first of four Pallas’s Warblers ofthe month, discovered along the disused railtrack just south of the bridge on Stirrup’s Lane,while the drake Green-winged Teal was againnoted at Benacre. The 6th saw a Dusky Warblerfound at North Warren, which remained untilthe 10th, with a possible Pallid Swift seenover Leiston town centre early morning. AHume’s Leaf Warbler was seen and heard incopse opposite Bawdsey Hall on the afternoonof the 8th, the first of three for the month, butsadly no sign of this one the next day. ThreeTaiga Bean Geese were seen mid-afternoonon Barsham Drain, viewable from Rooshallcottage on the 9th.

The north of the county was at it again on the13th when the second Hume’s Leaf Warbler ofthe month was discovered at Dip Farm, Guntonat 10:35hrs before moving to the shelter-beltby the car park, and remained until the 15that least, whilst a Dusky was trapped andringed on Orfordness. The 14th and Landguardwas again on the map when a Red-flanked

Bluetail was trapped, ringed and released justprior to 09:00hrs, and remained on site untilmid-afternoon, although was very elusive,while the drake Green-winged Teal remainedat Benacre Broad. Lizzard Land was again onfire today, 15th, with the discovery of yetanother Hume’s Leaf Warbler, where it wasfound in Sycamore trees opposite Tesco’sbehind The Crop Shop on London Road Northand performed very well throughout the dayand was still present until the 16th at least,whilst a Dusky Warbler was trapped, ringedand released at a private ringing site at ShingleStreet, then re-found in Buckthorn just west ofthe Martello tower, though generally elusive.

So as we now enter the winter period, let’shope the ‘rares’ continue to flow, but mostimportantly, let’s continue to get out thereand enjoy our bird-watching in what is afantastically productive county with manyareas and habitats to explore.

Please, please don’t forget to submit thoseall-important records via your area recorders,including an SORC form for the county rarities(you can down-load one from our sogonlinewebsite), and a BBRC form for those numerousnational rarities this autumn, in what has beena genuinely bumper autumn harvest.

For any of our SOG members reading this,and wanting to enjoy daily updates, superbphotography and much, much more, pleasevisit the Suffolk BINS website at:http://www.freewebs.com/suffolkbirding/,as there was so much more that Phil couldn’tinclude in this edition, so it’s well worth a look.

Finally, I would again like to pass on mycontinued thanks to all our BINS membersfor their tremendous and ongoing efforts –we couldn’t do it without you, and the nexttime I feedback to you, will be well into thenew year, so I would also like to take thisopportunity to pass on our best wishes fora wonderful Christmas and happy New Year.



Continuing north we reached Kenton Hills andoverlooked the Minsmere levels. Here manymore pipits were seen in longer grass withsome finches that may well have beenLinnets. High above the tree line two distantHobbies were seen picking off insects as theypassed south.

Returning we stopped off at Kenton HillsBridge where a large tit flock containedmainly Long-taileds. A very brief sighting,by just one member, of a Kingfisher wasnoteworthy. As we continued our return moreMeadow Pipits were spotted amongst thedunes. During the meeting we also notedSmall Copper and Small Heath with anexcellent specimen Parasol Mushroom.Harebell and Scabious were in flower andprovided additional interest.

Steve Fryett

Sizewell forSummer MigrantsSeptember 24thLeader: Steve Fryett

Eight members attended a ratherlow-key event at Sizewell thatwould clearly struggle to provide

much in the way of excitement ornoteworthy bird records given thatit was a warm sunny day – clearlybetter for a barmy sail at sea thanornithology. The previous two weeks’excellent passage, including astupendous sea movement causedby a tail end of a hurricane from thesouth-east, would not be surpassed.

To begin, we moved north noting that ourchances of anything remotely tern or skua-likefrom the Sizewell rigs was thwarted by ashutdown on pumping from the powerstation. Personally I have never seen theserigs so bereft of seabirds. Checking the areabetween ‘A’ and ‘B’ stations a male BlackRedstart was welcome, followed by a juvenile,confirming breeding at this site once againthis year. The nearby Sycamores held at leastthree Chiffchaff with one small warbler spremaining unidentified. One would hope torecord a Wheatear and, on cue, a south-boundsingle individual was duly noted. SeveralMeadow Pipits were seen passing overhead ordisturbed from the grass, but remained in lownumbers for the time of year.

Field Trip Report


BINS Bumper Autumn Harvest

1

2

3

4

Sandhill Crane & Orford Lighthouse,Bill BastonWoodchat Shrike, Links Road carpark, Lee WoodsRed-flanked Bluetail, Minsmere,Jon EvansIsabelline (Daurian) Shrike,Dunwich Heath, Jon Evans

1

3

4

2


“The Crane h

The Boyton Sandhill Crane landedon October 2nd and was thenseen by well over 2000 birders

before departing southwards. Ashas been variously reported, thisbird was only the fourth British recordand a first for Suffolk. So it's a strongcandidate for becoming Suffolk’s2011 ‘Bird of the Year’.

A Miocene crane fossil, thought to be about ten million yearsold, was found in Nebraska and is structurally identical tothe modern Sandhill Crane, making it the oldest known birdspecies still surviving!

Fun Crane Fact


has landed!”

The Sandhill Crane is the most abundant of theworld's fifteen Crane species with a populationestimated at over half a million1. Not surprisinglyit has more subspecies than any other Cranetoo. Six races have so far been identified.

Where it came from is an interesting questionposed earlier in this issue by Steve Piotrowski?The UK bird is most likely to be Grus canadensistabida from the Great Lakes Northern race.Originally it may have been intending overwintering in Central Florida until being‘kidnapped’ by Katia. Its response to its fourthousand mile translocation was to then revertto form and head south and land at Boyton.

The identity of the Finnish/Estonian bird mightbe more interesting. It's arrival was too early

for Katia and it may in fact have been caughtup in the earlier Hurricane Irene that hadskirted the eastern seaboard of the US in lateAugust. Again it could be a tabida – or, morefancifully, a G c canadensis from Eastern Siberiathat unaccountably flew over the Pole!

As to whether the Estonian bird would thenfly due west along 59°N for almost a thousandmiles as Steve would wish is howeverdebateable. While in terms of timing it’s apossibility, this journey would have beenunusual. It would have taken a minimum of22 hours of continuous flight, most of it overopen water2, probably against a head windto become the Scottish bird. Sadly I thinkthe science is against Steve on this one!

Flight sequence by David Hermon

1 This is the ‘official’ estimate from the ‘Handbook of the Birds of the World’ volume 3, however Mark Coker at the NovemberIndoor Meeting reported that the Nebraska fly-way is estimated to be 600,000 + Sandhills, which could mean a total NorthAmerica/Mexico/Cuba population in excess of a million.2 The previously recorded longest continuous flight was 575kms in 9.5 hours.


BINS Bumper Autumn Harvest

4

1

2

3

4

Olive-backed Pipit, Sparrows Nest,Chris DarbyBooted Warbler, Landguard BirdObservatory, Lee WoodsYellow-browed Warbler, JamesKennerleyHume's Leaf Warbler, London Road,Lowestoft, Andrew Easton

3

1 2


13T H E H A R R I E R – S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 1

Suffolk Ornithological Records Comittee –2011 Report

Here is the latest table of accepted records for this year and hopefullyyou’ll find some of your records here!

Second is a list of the sightings that still require descriptions for 2011. Please take the time toread through them and, if you have seen any of these birds, please fill in a SORC description form,which can be found on the SOG website, then email it to the relevant recorder.

Date(s) Species Location(s) Observer(s) Status03/01/11–11/01/11 Green-winged Teal North Warren C Holden et al. A10/01/11–14/01/11 Taiga Bean Goose x4 Boyton Marshes Multi-Observer (photo) A16/01/11–30/01/11 Rough-legged Buzzard King’s Forest/Berner’s Heath DF Walsh, N Moran,

L Gregory et al. (photo) A19/01/11–27/01/11 Ferruginous Duck – 1st Winter Female Needham Lakes J Rankin et al. (photo) A22/01/2011 Hooded Crow Slaughden T Hodge A25/01/2011 Black Brant x 2 Adults Bawdsey Quay P + J Kennerly A29/01/11–04/02/11 Black Brant x 2 Adults Felixstowe Ferry W J Brame A30/01/2011 Goshawk Ampton C Fulcher A06/02/2011 Northern Bullfinch Dunwich G Grieco S12/03/11–13/03/11 Coue’s Arctic Redpoll - Male Mayday Farm L Gregory, S Abbot et al. (photo) A16/03/2011 Serin Landguard Bird Observatory D Pearsons et al. S20/03/2011 White Spotted Bluethroat Carlton Marshes RC Smith (photo) A21/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Minsmere R Chittenden (photo) A28/03/2011 Cattle Egret Carlton Marshes A Easton, R Wilton et al. (photo) A29/03/2011 Nordic Jackdaw Landguard Bird Observatory P J Holmes, GJ Jobson et al. P04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Breydon South Wall – 09.38 hrs R Fairhead A04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Hopton – 10.10 hrs As per Bird news services A04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Corton – 10.33 hrs As per Bird news services A04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Lowestoft – 10.38 hrs A Easton (photo) A04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Carlton Coalville – 11.00 hrs C Buttle + R Hammond A04/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Bradwell R Fairhead A07/04/2011 White-tailed Eagle Ipswich M May P17/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Southwold S Howell S17/04/2011 Bee-eater Ashwell, Sizewell J Gibbs A17/04/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Male Kessingland C Darby (photo) A21/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Orfordness A Howe, D Fairhurst +

G White (photo) A22/04/2011 Serin Minsmere D Fairhurst, C Lodge,

E Marsh + R Drew A25/04/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Ringtail Minsmere R Drew, C Fulcher, S Mayson +

L G Woods A26/04/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – 2nd summer

male (melanistic) Landguard Bird Obs T Holland et al. A28/04/11–03/05/11 Woodchat Shrike – 1st summer male Halesworth Multi-observer (photo) A30/04/11–03/05/11 White-winged Black Tern Minsmere Multi-observer (photo) A04/05/2011 White tailed Eagle – Juvenile (same) Leiston – 17.45 hrs M Cartwright A04/05/2011 White-tailed Eagle – Juvenile (same) Eastbridge – 18.05 hrs As per Bird news services A04/05/2011 White-tailed Eagle – Juvenile (same) Walberswick – 18.39 hrs As per Bird news services A04/05/2011 White-tailed Eagle – Juvenile (same) Dunwich Forest – 18.45 hrs S Abbot, D Fairhurst, R Marsh

et al. A04/05/2011 White Stork (same) Needham Market – 13.50 hrs J Rankin A04/05/2011 White Stork (same) Minsmere – 16.29 hrs Multi-observer A04/05/2011 White Stork (same) Southwold – 17.40 hrs As per Bird news services A04/05/2011 White Stork (same) Reydon – 18.14 hrs B Small + D Fairhurst A

STATUS OF 2011 RECORDS



Date(s) Species Location(s) Observer(s) Status05/05/2011 White-tailed Eagle – Juvenile (same) Oulton Broad – 09.10 hrs As per Bird news services A06/05/2011 White Stork (same) Barnaby Broad – 10.30 hrs J Trew A06/05/2011 White Stork (same) Minsmere – 12.10 hrs Multi-observer A06/05/2011 White Stork (same) Shadingfield – 13.25 hrs J Trew A07/05/2011 Honey Buzzard Hasketon A Batley S07/05/2011 White Stork North Cove R Fairhead A07/05/2011 Honey Buzzard – female Trimley Marshes et al. 09.45 hrs W J Brame, E Marsh, D Pearsons,

EM Zantboer + J Zantboer A08/05/2011 Black Kite Minsmere R Harvey, S Nixon et al. (photo) A09/05/2011 White Stork (same) Carlton Coalville et al. 10.45 hrs N Loath A09/05/2011 White Stork Bawdsey N Andrews A09/05/2011 White Stork Lakenheath Fen As per Bird news services A14/05/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Ramsholt M L Cornish + N Mason A14/05/2011 Red-rumped Swallow Minsmere J A Rowlands et al. A16/05/2011 Purple Heron Minsmere Multi-odserver A19/05/11–21/05/11 Quail x 2 West Row N Mason + P Whittaker A20/05/11–01/06/11 Purple Heron Minsmere Multi-observer (photo) A21/05/2011 Quail Erwarton R Tomlinson A24/05/2011 Quail Gunton R Wilton et al. A30/05/2011 Red-necked Phalarope Great Livermere D Balmer + P Wilson (photo) A30/05/2011 White-winged Black Tern Minsmere A Rowlands et al. A07/06/11–08/06/11 Purple Heron Minsmere Multi-observer A09/06/2011 Quail x 2 Barsham S Pitrowski A10/06/2011 Quail Havergate Island K A A14/06/2011 Quail Pipp’s Ford J Rankin A16/06/11–02/08/11 Ferruginous Duck Minsmere M Muttit et al. (photo) A21/06/2011 Quail Freckenham N Mason A06/07/2011 White-rumped Sandpiper Orfordness D Crawshaw et al. A12/07/2011 Bee-eater Stowmarket/Woolpit A Berry S15/07/2011 Quail x 2 Kenny Hill N Mason + P Whittaker A28/07/2011 Marsh Warbler Oxley Dairy, Shingle Street B Thompson et al. S30/07/2011 Cattle Egret Minsmere P Green et al. A31/07/2011 Black Kite Benacre Gi Grieco S01/09/2011 Raven x2 Benacre B Galpin et al. S10/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater Sizewell J H Grant A11/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater Southwold L G Woods et al. A11/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater Southwold S Mayson et al. A16/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater East Lane, Bawdsey N Mason S16/09/2011 Great Shearwater Landguard Bird Observatory J Clarke + K Perry S16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Slaughden D Marsh S17/09/2011 Cattle Egret Ipswich M Riley S10/10/2011 Balearic Shearwater Thorpeness S Mayson + T Hodge SA = Accepted. NP = Not Proven. P = Pended. C1 = First circulation. C2 = Second circulation.

Date(s) Species Location(s)03/01/2011 Hooded Crow Walberswick Common22/01/2011 Hooded Crow Blythburgh27/01/2011 Hooded Crow Covehithe30/01/2011 Black Brant – x2 adults Trimley Marshes12/02/2011 Hooded Crow Covehithe13/02/11–20/02/11 Taiga Bean Goose North Warren21/02/11–18/03/11 Ferruginous Duck – 1W drake Oulton Broad22/02/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Norton/Tuston05/03/2011 Nordic Jackdaw Westleton08/03/2011 American Wigeon Trimley Marshes10/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Somerleyton18/03/2011 Spotted Crake – x2 Westwood Marshes19/03/2011 Hooded Crow Dingle

OUTSTANDING DESCRIPTIONS FOR 2011

STATUS OF 2011 RECORDS (Continued)



Date(s) Species Location(s)19/03/2011 Rustic Bunting Southwold21/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Minsmere22/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Minsmere22/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Boyton23/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Boyton27/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Ipswich28/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Kessingland29/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard North Cove29/03/11–30/03/11 Nordic Jackdaw North Cove30/03/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Woodbridge/Westleton02/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Aldeburgh02/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Lound03/04/11–05/04/11 Siberian Chiffchaff Trimley Marshes04/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Southwold04/04/2011 Alpine Swift Dunwich04/04/2011 Alpine Swift Great Glemham – 1045hrs04/04/2011 Alpine Swift Leiston – 1400hrs16/04/2011 Hooded Crow Leiston17/04/2011 Bee-eater – x4 Sutton Common20/04/2011 Serin Landguard Bird Obs.21/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Benacre22/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Benacre22/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Aldeburgh24/04/2011 Purple Heron Minsmere24/04/2011 Honey-buzzard Lakenheath Fen24/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Shingle Street24/04/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Male Trimley Marshes24/04/2011 Raven Chelmondiston25/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Copdock25/04/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Oulton Marshes25/04/2011 Goshawk Bawdsey Manor26/04/2011 Raven Westleton Heath01/05/2011 Kentish Plover Kessingland01/05/2011 Bee-eater Covehithe07/05/2011 Honey-buzzard Harkstead – 091507/05/2011 Red-necked Phalarope Orfordness10/05/2011 Black Kite Woodbridge11/05/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Male (same) Westleton Heath12/05/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Male (same) Minsmere12/05/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Male (same) Sizewell12/05/2011 Honey-buzzard Westleton Heath12/05/2011 Honey-buzzard Kessingland13/05/2011 Black Kite Stowmarket14/05/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Reydon Marshes14/05/2011 Red-rumped Swallow Alton Water15/05/2011 Honey-buzzard N Warren15/05/2011 Honey-buzzard – x3 Wherstead15/05/2011 Red-rumped Swallow Landguard Bird Obs.20/05/2011 Black Kite Sibton21/05/2011 Honey-buzzard Pipps Ford25/05/2011 Quail Henstead30/05/2011 Quail Thorpeness30/05/2011 Quail Wenhaston06/0/611 Quail Mutford11/06/2011 Bee-eater St James South Elmham12/06/2011 Serin Landguard Bird Obs13/06/2011 Red-footed Falcon Corton14/06/2011 Bee-eater Dingle27/06/2011 Quail Benhall05/07/2011 Honey Buzzard Lakenheath Fen

OUTSTANDING DESCRIPTIONS FOR 2011 (Continued)



Date(s) Species Location(s)08/07/2011 Honey Buzzard Castle Marshes15/07/2011 Honey Buzzard Minsmere16/07/2011 Ferruginous Duck – Male Minsmere20/07/2011 Honey Buzzard Breydon Water South Wall01/08/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Female Woodville, Ipswich03/08/2011 Montagu’s Harrier – Female Minsmere06/08/2011 Dotterel Gorleston08/08/2011 Black Kite Stutton Mill16/08/11–17/08/11 Purple Heron - Juvenile Benacre Broad20/08/2011 Woodchat Shrike Pipp’s Ford21/08/2011 Bee-eater Ashbocking23/08/2011 Red-necked Phalarope Gt Livermere23/08/2011 Dotterel Landguard Bird Observatory23/08/11–24/08/11 Icterine Warbler Minsmere24/08/2011 Alpine Swift Bury St Edmunds26/08/2011 Greenish Warbler (probable) Thorpeness26/08/2011 Dotterel (probable) Bawdsey, East Lane27/08/2011 Hoopoe Gosbeck04/09/11–05/09/11 Pectoral Sandpiper Covehithe Broad11/09/2011 Barred Warbler Landguard Bird Observatory11/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater Southwold11/09/2011 Rose-coloured Starling Minsmere12/09/2011 Sabine’s Gull – Adult Felixstowe15/09/2011 Honey Buzzard – Juv Ashbocking16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Lowestoft – North – 10.10 (same as below?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Kessingland – North – 10.03 (same as above?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Kessingland – North – 10.3516/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Pakefield – North – 15.33 (same as below?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Southwold – North – 14.43 ( same as above?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Benacre – North – 13.07 (same as below?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Sizewell – North – 12.53 (same as above?)16/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Sizewell – North – 13.0516/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Bawdsey, East Lane – North – 8.4016/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Bawdsey, East Lane – North – 12.0016/09/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Felixstowe – South – 12.5516/09/2011 Great Shearwater (probable) Lowestoft – North – 09.10 (same as below?)16/09/2011 Great Shearwater (probable) Kessingland – North – 09.05 (same as above?)16/09/2011 Great Shearwater Southwold – North – 08.40 ( same as above?)16/09/2011 Great Shearwater x 2 Kessingland – North – 11.5016/09/2011 Balearic Shearwater Lowestoft16/09/2011 Sabine’s Gull – Adult Thorpeness – South – 14.5016/09/2011 Sabine’s Gull – Juv Sizewell – South – 10.1516/09/2011 Sabine’s Gull – Juv Bawdsey, East Lane – South – 12.3018/09/2011 Icterine Warbler Minsmere19/09/2011 Quail Pakefield19/09/2011–03/10/2011 Dotterel Levington24/09/2011 Tawny Pipit (probable) Landguard Bird Oberservatory25/09/2011 Icterine Warbler Lowestoft26/09/2011 Ferruginous Duck Leathes Ham, Lowestoft01/10/2011 Ferrugimous Duck (Juv) Leathes Ham, Lowestoft01/10/2011 Richard’s Pipit Landguard Bird Obervatory02/10/2011 Honey Buzzard Ipswich03/10/2011 Great Shearwater Lowestoft (north mid pm)08/10/2011 Woodchat Shrike (Juv) Lowestoft09/10/2011 Richard’s Pipit Sizewell09/10/2011 Balearic Shearwater (probable) East Lane, Bawdsey09/10/2011 Cory’s Shearwater (probable) Thorpeness09/10/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Landguard Bird Observatory09/10/2011 Grey Phalarope (fly by) Landguard Bird Observatory10/10/2011 Cory’s Shearwater Thorpeness




Date(s) Species Location(s)10/10/2011 Balearic Shearwater Thorpeness13/10/2011 Little Bunting Orfordness15/10/2011 Goshawk Dunwich ( In Off)15/10/2011 Richard’s Pipit Corton (south 9am)16/10/2011 Red throated Pipit (probable) Martlesham Creek19/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Covehithe (in off and south 9.35am)19/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Southwold (south 9.50am)20/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Havergate (west 12.30pm)20/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Boyton (12.50pm)21/10/2011–14/11/11 Green winged Teal Benacre Broad22/10/2011 Dusky Warbler Kessingland Sewage Works23/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Sudbourne24/10/2011 Grey Phalarope x2 (fly by) Bawdsey28/10/2011–01/11/11 Rough-legged Buzzard Orfordness28/10/2011 Rough-legged Buzzard Havergate02/11/2011–05/11/11 Pallas’s Warbler Corton02/11/2011 Grey Phalarope (fly by) Dunwich05/11/2011 Black necked Grebe x2 Thorpeness05/11/2011 Nordic’ Jackdaw Thorpeness06/11/2011 Grey Phalarope (fly by) Thorpeness06/11/2011 Grey Phalarope (fly by) East Lane, Bawdsey06/11/2011–10/11/2011 Dusky Warbler North Warren

07/11/2011 Puffin Bawdsey07/11/2011 Red necked Grebe (fly by) Bawdsey07/11/2011 Puffin Landguard Bird Observatory08/11/2011 Puffin Landguard Bird Observatory09/11/2011 Puffin Landguard Bird Observatory09/11/2011–11/11/11 Taiga Bean Goose x 3 Barsham09/11/2011 Grey Phalarope (fly by) Dunwich09/11/2011 Pallas’s Warbler Lowestoft09/11/2011 Pallas’s Warbler North Warren12/11/2011 Pallas’s Warbler Lowestoft13/11/2011 Dusky Warbler Orfordness14/11/2011 Hooded Crow North Warren14/11/2011 Hooded Crow Felixstowe


Philip Murphy

Looking back –October to December1961 and 1986

Selected highlights from 1961and 1986 Suffolk Bird Reports forthe period October to December

50 years agoCoastal recordsThis was a remarkable three-month period forcoastal birders with a particular interest in

visible migration. October witnessed someimpressive totals of passerines moving southat Minsmere including 2350 Tree Sparrows inthree hours on 11th, 50 Bullfinches on 21stand 40 Dunnocks on 12th. On 25th Octoberobservers at Lowestoft witnessed a southerlymovement of Goldfinches, Greenfinches,Yellowhammers and Meadow Pipits totalling2500 birds.

A huge immigration of thrushes, particularlyof Blackbirds, was apparent along the wholelength of the Suffolk coast during 4th and 5thNovember. On the latter date at Walberswick“a constantly changing population of severalthousand blackbirds was present in the fieldsand hedges and on the shore”. On the same



date, it was estimated that up to 3000Blackbirds were at Minsmere.

As well as witnessing large numbers ofthrushes, the period 4th to 6th November wasalso noted for a very big southerly movementof ducks, geese and waders while largenumbers of Lapwings, Starlings, Sky Larks,Rooks, Jackdaws, Chaffinches and MeadowPipits were crossing the coast and heading offwestwards. At Lowestoft the movement,which included unexpectedly high totals ofCommon Snipe, was thought to be the largestfor 30 years.

Severe weather just after Christmas killedmany Redwings and brought in large totalsof ducks, geese and waders, while a ‘fall’of at least 100 Woodcock was apparent atMinsmere. The harsh weather was presumablyalso responsible for single Bitterns, beingnoted well away from the breeding areas atMildenhall, 17th December and Long Melford,26th December.

Perhaps the most unexpected waterbird recordinvolved a Greylag Goose that was picked upby a trawler in the North Sea near SouthDogger Bank, 9th November and brought intoLowestoft where it recovered in captivity. Alsoat Lowestoft, 25 Scaup were present, 6thNovember and a long-staying Great NorthernDiver remained in the vicinity of WaveneyDock, 5th November to 29th December.

Suffolk’s third record of Red Kite since 1901involved an immature at Minsmere, 28th and29th November with what is assumed to havebeen the same individual at Tunstall, 10thDecember and Snape, 13th December. Whatmust have been a fascinating sight involveda Hen Harrier being chased out to sea by 15Carrion Crows at Benacre, 5th November.Single Ospreys were present in mid-Octoberat Minsmere and Nacton.

Little Stints recordAvocets did not overwinter in Suffolk 50years ago – the last of the year were two atHavergate Island, 20th November. Notably latewaders were a Temminck’s Stint at Walberswick,5th October and a Red-necked Phalarope atHavergate Island, 8th October. Undoubtedlythe most remarkable wader record, not just ofthis period but of the year, was the presenceof as many as 22 Little Stints at Minsmere aslate as 15th December.

Laggard summer visitors included a Swift,Southwold, 8th October; Common Redstart,Covehithe, 4th November; House Martin,Lowestoft, 26th November and Swallow,Bucklesham, 1st December. Suffolk’s first mid-winter record of Black Redstart since 1953involved one at Aldeburgh, 19th December.

Suffolk’s third record of Yellow-browedWarbler was at Minsmere, 2nd October, thesecond having been seen as long ago as 12thSeptember 1915 at Aldringham; the observersof the 1961 bird would surely have beenamazed at the number of Yellow-browedWarblers that have occurred in Suffolk 50years later. The only other scarce warbler wasa first-winter Barred Warbler at Walberswick,8th October.

There was a good showing by other scarcepasserines, although it was a poor autumn forShore Larks with a maximum of only three atWalberswick in late October. Up to five GreatGrey Shrikes were located on the coast from21st October onwards. The first Waxwing wason 9th November and the subsequent smallinflux peaked at 23, Reydon, 23rd November.An impressive total of 270 Twite was atWalberswick, 26th November while up to 15Lapland Buntings frequented a stubble field atMinsmere during November and December. TwoBearded Tits late in the year at an unspecifiedlocality in south-west Suffolk constituted thefirst site record for up to 40 years.


19T H E H A R R I E R – D e ce m b e r r 2 0 1 1

25 years agoLandguard recordAs we have come to expect, this was anotherexcellent three-month period for rarities andscarcer species, principally at Landguard wherethe site’s hard-working observers added yetanother species to the Suffolk list. A GreatGrey Shrike in the Observatory compound, 6thDecember did not look quite right – it wastrapped and a detailed description obtained.It was eventually identified as being of thesouthern race “pallidirostris”, the first recordfor Suffolk and only the third for Britain. Adecade later this race was elevated to fullspecies’ status as Southern Grey Shrike byBOURC. Additional scarce species at Landguardinvolved a Little Bunting, 10th October (thefirst in Suffolk since 1976), Barred Warbler, 5thto 13th October and a total for the autumn ofseven Yellow-browed Warblers including adistinctly tardy individual, 13th November. Thescarcest passerine elsewhere was a Red-breasted Flycatcher at Lowestoft, 18th October.

A Leach’s Storm Petrel collided with somecrane wires at Felixstowe Docks, 12th October;it was caught, taken into care and released atFelixstowe beach the next day. Another Leach’swas off Aldeburgh, 30th October. Observers atCovehithe counted 142 Northern Gannetsheading north offshore, 12th October – at thetime this was a record total for Suffolk.

Offshore passageA northerly airflow in the first three days ofNovember induced a marked offshorepassage, principally of ducks and seabirds. Thehighlights were seven Velvet Scoters off bothLowestoft and Benacre, 2200 Brent Geese offLowestoft (the highest total recorded offSuffolk in autumn 1986), the unexpected sightof 71 Gadwall north off Covehithe and fourAtlantic Puffins off Benacre. The weatherconditions were also ideal for bringing LittleAuks down into the southern North Sea –totals included 60 off Lowestoft, 52 off

Covehithe and one well inland on The BlackBourn at Fakenham Magna, 2nd November. Alsoon 2nd November, up to 4000 Black-leggedKittiwakes were off Lowestoft and a stragglerinland at Cavenham. The main influx of Red-throated Divers occurred in mid-December andresulted in at least 600 being noted on 14thbetween Minsmere and Easton Bavents.

The year’s only Grey Phalarope occurredinland in the Stour Valley at Thorington StreetReservoir, Stoke-by-Nayland, 29th October;the only other scarce wader species was atMinsmere where two Pectoral Sandpiperswere present, 8th to 13th October. Additionalnotable wader sightings included 30 PurpleSandpipers, Lowestoft, 17th November (max.nine in November 2009), 40 Bar-tailedGodwits on the Orwell Estuary at Levington,16th November, 22 Sanderling on the OrwellDecember BoEE (now WeBS) count and eighttardy Whimbrel north, Lowestoft, 2ndNovember on which date one was alsoat Covehithe.

An Iceland Gull, now in adult plumage, hadreturned for its fourth successive winter atFelixstowe on 5th November; it was originallynoted in first-winter plumage on 18th January1984 at this site to where it subsequentlyreturned each winter up to and including1991/92. What is assumed to have been thesame late juvenile Arctic Tern was at Benacreand Sizewell, 1st November.

Owl influxThere was a widespread influx of Long-earedOwls on the British East Coast in mid-November, with Landguard hosting as manyas 20 on 15th – elsewhere, there were five atAldeburgh, 18th. Additional sightings ofparticular interest at Landguard during thisperiod included 13 Short-eared Owls passingthrough the site during 11th October to 13thNovember, a peak of ten Black Redstarts, 19thOctober with three overwintering in



December, Shore Lark, 6th to 14th Octoberand up to three Firecrests in November.

Big flocks of sparrows, finches and buntingsfeatured prominently in Suffolk in December1986. Up to 400 House Sparrows were notedon 10th at Sproughton Beet Factory Pits whereon 26th as many as 350 Bramblings werepresent – these latter birds also frequentedChantry Park, Ipswich at this time. The year’slargest gathering of Tree Sparrows was of120, Lakenheath, 21st. The small reedbed inChantry Park was used as a roost site by upto 340 European Greenfinches during themonth, while on the Orwell Estuary saltings atLevington as many as 300 Twite were present,7th. On the coast, the Sudbourne/Orfordnessarea held 130 Snow Buntings, 20th.

Wryneck an unexpected laggardA completely unexpected late summermigrant was the Eurasian Wryneck at Benacre,6th to 8th November – this remains as thespecies’ latest-ever recorded date in Suffolk.Other notably late migrants included aCommon Swift, Kessingland, 31st October withwhat was possibly the same bird at Lowestoft,7th November; single Barn Swallows at bothMinsmere and Benacre, 6th December; HouseMartin, Walberswick, 6th December; RingOuzel, Landguard. 20th November and GardenWarbler, Landguard, 6th November. Anotherrecord breaker was the first-winter YellowWagtail discovered at a small sewage farm atHolbrook Bay, 27th December that remainedthere into 1987 – this is the first recordedattempt by this species to overwinter in Suffolk.

Finally, sightings of general interest includingan adult Red-breasted Goose, initially presentin the Gedgrave/Havergate area, on 16th and17th November, then it moved south toFalkenham where it created much excitementamongst the birding community from 25thNovember onwards into 1987. Unfortunatelyits close association with Canada Geese and

eventual over-summering meant that it wasclassified as being an escapee. Elsewhere, aRuddy Duck was on the sea off Felixstowe,11th November and a Bearded Tit was presentin the small reedbed in Chantry Park, Ipswich,2nd to 4th December. Perhaps the mostunexpected behavioural sighting was of aEurasian Treecreeper noted bathing in apuddle on a road at Cavenham 9th December;having bathed, it hopped across the asphaltsurface before ascending a roadside tree.


Minsmere hide improvementsAs some of you were aware the Island MereHide was recently closed for replacement.The new hide, which is part of the MinsmereDiscover Nature Project, is planned to becomplete by the end of November. It will beall on one level – equivalent to the old hide’supper level – and will be eight metres furtherforward to improve views along the reed edgeand up the ditches running east and west fromthe hide. The new hide will also have largedeep windows to improve the all-round viewingand will be accessed via a longer ramp toensure it is fully wheelchair accessible.

The EA sea defences project mentioned in thelast issue is also progressing well. It is currentlyahead of schedule, with the main body ofwork on the North Wall completed, as haswork on the two cross bunds along thefrontage. The contractors are presently workingon the new sluice through the North Wall.

Lackford BitternIan Goodall reported the first Bittern ofthe season on Wednesday afternoon (16thNovember) at Lackford. “It obligingly stayed inview for about 40 minutes before flying out ofsight. But we did manage to capture it on film”:

Caption: shot with a Canon 1DMk 3 and Sigma150-500mm


News

Nick Mason

Don't Forget Your Insurance

This is just a little reminder to birders of theneed to keep insurance policies up to date. Theprice of many optics have risen considerablyand replacements, on a like-for-like basis, formany will be up in the thousands of pounds.

Recently I had to get a new pair of bins(Leica 10 X 42 HD) on insurance in October. Toreplace them with what is now the equivalentcosts £1500. Because I hadn’t increased theirprice on my insurance schedule I was onlygiven the original cost. I will now have to forkout £800 to update.

Oh, and if that’s not stupid enough, keep themround your neck and don’t place your bins ontop of the car when you are transferring fromone to another!

Announcements

Gift Aid declaration formrequest from your Treasurer

SOG’s claim to HM Revenue & Customs inrespect of Gift Aid is now in hand. At presentfor every £1 paid in membership fees SOG canclaim an extra 28p by claiming Gift Aid.However, before a claim can be made againstmembership fees a Tax Declaration needs tobe completed by the member. To date only130 forms have been returned. As this is sopotentially valuable to the Group I would,therefore urge all members who have not yetcompleted a SOG Gift Aid declaration form todo so. They are available for download on ourSOG website or direct from me, my contactdetails are above.



Bill Stone

2012 Membership Fees

From 1 January 2012 SOG IndividualMembership will be £15.00 and SOG FamilyMembership will be £17.00. For those ofyou who hold joint membership of theSuffolk Naturalists’ Society, individual jointmembership will be £28.00 and family jointmembership £32.00.

To join SOG or renew your membership,contact: The Membership Secretary, c/o 27Draymans Way, Ipswich IP3 9JT

Brenda Rafe

Christmas Wordsearch

Find 40 common Scottish birds; the vagrantrail (if found) should not be included. Lettersmay be used more than once, but birds canonly be found up or down, backwards or

forwards, not diagonally. The unused letterstaken in order, left to right, top to bottom,give the name of a mountain in north-westScotland. Please send the list of 40 birdsalphabetically and the name of the Scottishmountain to the Editor by 31st January 2012.The first correct answer drawn from a hatwill receive a book token prize.

Jean Garrod

A big thank you toField Trip Leaders

Jean Garrod has asked me to convey her thanksto all of our trip leaders for their sterling effortsin supervising the 23 outdoor meeting SOG puton this year (and helping with the planning for2012). For those of us who participate, they area very valuable feature of the SOG programmeand we all much appreciate the leaders’ timeand effort to make these trips as effective asthey are. A big thank you to you all.


Phil Whittaker

Thrushes all at sea:a striking migrationspectacle

On 13th October 2011 I spentfive hours at Thorpeness sea-watching and during my stay

I saw a variety of seabirds. I wasusing a 30X scope and 10x40binoculars. The weather was mainlyovercast, with a few sunny spellsbreaking through occasionally. Windswere light, south-easterly perhapsabout 5-7mph. I noticed a numberof groups of passerines coming infrom the east during the sea watchand these were mainly, Skylarksand Meadow Pipits.

Individual Fieldfares and Redwings werealso seen throughout the stay. These birdshowever, appeared to be finding it difficultto reach land. The first bird I picked out wasat a considerable distance from the shoreand although I initially considered it to be apasserine, I became confused when it landedon the water and sat bobbing about. The firstthought was I was actually watching a petrelsp. This idea was soon dashed when it liftedoff with some difficulty and regained itspursuit of the coast. Eventually it revealeditself as a thrush sp.

Predators interveneAs it got closer I could see it more clearly andrealised I was watching a Fieldfare. Its flightwas very hesitant and close to the sea andit was obviously in difficulty. The bird’scircumstances changed quite dramatically


when it was about 100yds offshore and itwas attacked by 4 Herring Gulls which harriedit and hit it repeatedly with their bills. TheFieldfare swerved and dipped continuouslyand eventually out flew its assailants and madeit to the beach flying up and over the cliff.

Throughout my day thrushes appeared atinfrequent intervals and all sighting involvedonly lone birds, both Redwings and Fieldfaresin similar difficulties. The second bird I notedwas not as fortunate as the Fieldfare and wasseen to disappear in a flurry of gull wingsabout 500yds out – presumably taken by oneof the dozen attacking gulls. Other similargatherings of gulls seemed to indicate furtherbirds being taken further out to sea. Again andagain I saw single birds dipping onto the seaand resting for 2 or 3 minutes, three or fourtimes before they could make land. It appearedthat they just could not fly anymore, but werefinally able to muster the last drops of energyneeded to make it ashore. One was takenby a juvenile Peregrine which I did not seeapproaching, but I watched it lift off the waterwith a Redwing firmly held and dispatchedwith repeated beak to head thrusts whilstflying strongly south. This falcon may alsohave been migrating and sustaining itselfon its fellow travellers.

The last bird I saw landed on the water fourtimes during its pursuit of the coastline andmaking its final leap for shore from about15yds out. It looked like a very weak effortbut, when it finally made it, it landed a fewfeet from the tide line where it sat motionlesswith eyes fully closed for over 30 minutes.I eventually walked down to the beach tocheck the bird out and it did not move as Iapproached. It was seemingly unaware of mypresence at about 2 meters and I could havepicked it up easily, but decided to leave it toits own devices.

An interesting spectacleThis scene presented an interesting spectacle of



Photo credits:Bill Baston (front cover & colour supplement #1), Chris Darby (colour supplement #4), Andrew Easton (coloursupplement #4), Jon Evans (page 3 & colour supplement #1), Ian Goodall (page 23), David Hermon (page 4and colour supplement #2 & #3), James Kennerley (colour supplement #4), Jonathan Lawley (back cover),Nigel Odin (page 9), Pat Rolph (page 6) and Lee Woods (colour supplement #1 & #4)

Illustration credits:Szabolcs Kokay (page 8), Mike Langman (page 7)

visible migration and it was quite a surprisingphenomenon, one I had not experienced before.I have talked to a number of Suffolk birderswho had had similar sightings on the Suffolkcoast, but none were in good weather. Whythese birds were in such distress when theweather at least in Suffolk was good remainsto be seen. Perhaps they had hit some poorweather much farther out at sea. That said, Iassume that the pipits and larks presumablyhad experienced the same journey yet beenunaffected as many seemed to be approachingthe coast from the same direction. It has beensuggested to me that a possible answer as

to why the thrushes suffered more than theLarks and Pipits might have been due to theirrespective sizes – the larger birds having toexpand more energy output to make theirsea crossing. The gulls and the Peregrineseemed to be essential parts of this snapshotof migration and took clear advantage of theeasy prey.

The pure exhaustion of these birds landing onthe sea so close to the shore provided quite acontrast to the many Redwings and FieldfaresI have seen migrating over my local patch inmid-Suffolk this October.


Council for 2011:Officers MembersHonorary President: Steve Piotrowski Jean Garrod [to 2014]Chairman: Roy Marsh Robin Harvey [to 2014]Vice-Chairman: Steve Abbott Adam Gretton [to 2012]Secretary: Phil Whittaker Roger Walsh [to 2012]Treasurer/Membership Secretary: Bill Stone Jon Warnes [to 2013]Project Officer: Mick Wright Paul Gowen [to 2013]Magazine Editor: Phil BrownWebsite Co-ordinator: Gi Grieco Honorary Vice-PresidentsBird Report Editor: Nick Mason Jean & Ken GarrodEvents Organiser – Outdoor: Jean Garrod Mike JeanesEvents Organiser – Indoor: Adam Gretton Mike Hall

Robin Hopper

Bird Recorders

North East Area Recorder:Andrew Green, 17 Cherrywood, HARLESTON, Norfolk IP20 9LP

Tel: 07766 900063 Email: [email protected]

South East Area Recorder:Scott Mayson, 8 St Edmunds Close, Springfields, WOODBRIDGE IP12 4UY

Tel: 01394 385595 Email: [email protected]

West Area Recorder:Colin Jakes, 7 Maltwood Avenue, BURY ST EDMUNDS IP33 3XN

Tel: 01284 702215 [email protected]


Suffolk Ornithologists’ GroupWho we are

and what we doAs an independent Group, SOG provides a network and a voice for birdwatchers inthe county. Administered by Suffolk birdwatchers, for Suffolk’s birdwatchers, thisGroup keeps birders in touch with what is going on and with each other.

Through the Group’s Council, SOG has links with other naturalist and conservationorganisations throughout the region.

Trips and meetingsSOG organises an extensive programme of fieldmeetings – an opportunity for members, young orold, novice or expert, to see birds, and to sharecamaraderie with fellow enthusiasts.

Indoor meetings are also arranged in Ipswich withquality speakers entertaining members with stories of birds and birdwatching, bothlocal and from around the world.

MediaThe Group has a strong web presence with

www.sogonline.org.uk. Thesite is regularly updated andis chock full of sightings, newsand photography.

The Group’s magazine, The Harrier, is published quarterly andkeeps members in touch with what’s going on – with a mixtureof articles about birds, conservation, reserves, organisations andpeople.

Once a year the Group and its team, with the support of the Suffolk Naturalists’Society, publish the Suffolk Bird Report.

Protecting birdsSOG organises and promotes surveys and projects about the birds of Suffolk andprovides an opportunity for members to participate. SOG is also able to supportworthwhile projects through bursaries.

Membership of SOG is open to anyone with an interest in the birds of Suffolk.

Suffolk Birds 2010

About birds and birding – for birders

www.sogonline.org.uk


the harrier

Documents

sandhill cranebins autumn

autumn highlights sorc

colour supplementbins

bins autumn delights

updatethe harrier

phil brown

sandhill crane county

suffolk cb8