EAST ANGLIA
Highlights
A dung heap at Sedgeford, Norfolk, proved an irresistible draw for birders during the month, as it was the favoured locality of a beautiful blue-headed Eastern Yellow Wagtail, which appeared to be of the far eastern form, also known as Alaskan Yellow Wagtail.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: The Pallas’s Warblers remained at Paradise NR, Cambridge (to 2nd). Siberian Chiffchaffs were at Stirtloe and Cambridge. A Rough-legged Buzzard was at Fen Drayton (6th). A Red-necked Grebe was at Maxey Pits (1st-28th). Two Smew were at Needingworth Quarry Lakes (1st) and St Ives (15th), with three at Paxton Pits (31st). Grafham Water held two Scaup and a Slavonian Grebe (29th). Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700 245 from a landline or mobile phone cost 65p per minute plus your phone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia – for enquiries please call 0330 3336946 or 07941333970. www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk twitter.com/BirdlineEAnglia facebook.com/robinchittenden7
ESSEX
METROPOLITAN: Two Cattle Egrets remained around Hall Marsh. A Scaup was at Walthamstow Wetlands. A Bittern, Smew and 21 Goosanders were around Seventy Acres. Holyfield Hall Farm attracted a Brambling and 26 Yellowhammers. King George V Reservoir held a Scaup, Merlin and Smew. The Wetlands had two Firecrests and a Common Sandpiper. Three Common Sandpipers were at Bow Creek. Two Caspian Gulls were at Eagle Pond. Creekmouth had an Iceland Gull, 11 Chiffchaffs, a Siberian Chiffchaff and Black Redstart. Woodcocks were in the Ingrebourne Valley and at Warren Gorge where there was also a Bittern. Firecrests were at three sites. Two Rock Pipits were on Wanstead Flats. Goosanders were at Connaught Water and at Hainualt Forest CP (15th). Six Crossbills flew over Romford. A Hen Harrier was at Beckton STW. MID ESSEX: Abberton Reservoir logged five Cattle Egrets, 11 Great White Egrets, six Bewick’s Swans, six Scaup, two Long-tailed Ducks, a Black-necked Grebe, Ring-necked Duck, 36 Goosanders, three Smew, 4,210 Teal, a Merlin and Hen Harrier. West Mersea had a Black Brant, seven Mediterranean Gulls and a pale-bellied Brent Goose. Three Great Northern Divers were in the mouth of the Blackwater. A Red-necked Grebe was off Tollesbury, and then off Osea, along with five Slavonian Grebes, a Great Northern Diver, 64 Red-breasted Mergansers and 14 Common Scoters. Old Hall Marshes held two Red-necked Grebes, a Black Brant, three Short-eared Owls and two Spotted Redshanks. A Shag was at Heybridge. A Great White Egret was at Langford. East Mersea had a Red-necked Grebe, Eider and three Bewick’s Swans. A Hen Harrier was at Alresford. A Swallow was at The Hythe. A Great Northern Diver and three Russian Whitefronts were off Brightlingsea. NORTH ESSEX: The Naze logged three Firecrests, a Merlin, Short-eared Owl, 15 Snow Buntings and a Little Auk. Five Snow Buntings and a Black Brant were at Colne Point. Three Bewick’s Swans flew over St Osyth. The Stour held 30 Red-breasted Mergansers, 11 Goldeneyes, a Slavonian Grebe, Great Northern Diver and seven Scaup. Hamford Water hosted 21 Marsh Harriers, three Hen Harriers and two Merlins. A Short-eared Owl was at Kirby-leSoken. Four Purple Sandpipers were at Holland Haven. Frinton maxima included two Black-throated Divers, 221 Red-throated Divers, three Scaup, two Great Northern Divers, two Guillemots, two Velvet Scoters, 93 Common Scoters, 192 Cormorants, a Red-necked Grebe, Razorbill, Great Skua and 48 Kittiwakes. RAINHAM MARSHES: Highlights included a Cattle Egret, two Ruff, 44 Avocets, a Little Stint, Jack Snipe, 1,107 Dunlin, two Knot, ten Caspian Gulls, a Goshawk, Hen Harrier, Merlin, five Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, Peregrines, a Red Kite, eight Brent Geese, a Goosander, Ravens, the odd Short-eared Owl, Barn Owls, Bearded Tits, Water Pipits, Firecrests and a Shag. SOUTH ESSEX: Wallasea had seven Short-eared Owls, four Hen Harriers, 15 Marsh Harriers, Merlins, Peregrines, three Great White
Egrets, a Glaucous Gull and five Twite. Two Great White Egrets were at Paglesham Lagoon. Two Whooper Swans were at Fleet Head, with three at Wickford. Red Kites flew over South Fambridge and West Canvey. A Hen Harrier was at North Fambridge. Two Shags were off South Fambridge. Three Water Pipits remained at Vange Marshes. A Cattle Egret was on Fobbing. Bradwell BO had a Short-eared Owl, Merlin, 28 Twite and a Dartford Warbler. Firecrests were at Gunner Park (two) and St Mary’s in Shoebury (three). Canvey logged 54 Red-throated Divers, two Black-throated Divers, a Velvet Scoter, Eider, 60 Common Scoters, 130 Great Crested Grebes, a Shag and five Mediterranean Gulls. A Great Skua was off Southend Pier. TTNP had 16 Brent Geese, 12 Common Scoters, a Red-throated Diver, Black Redstart, three Twite and 27 Corn Buntings. A Long-tailed Duck and 12 Goosanders were at Hanningfield Reservoir. Howard Vaughan
NORFOLK
HIGHLIGHTS: A potentially wild Eurasian Eagle Owl was at Winterton (to 11th). An Eastern Yellow Wagtail was near Sedgeford (from 23rd). An exceptionally late Red-breasted Flycatcher was at Waxham (1st). A Richard’s Pipit was at Horsey (3rd). Seven Shore Larks were at Holkham, with two more at at Lynn Point (1st). The Lesser White-fronted Goose was found again near Burnham Market (14th and 18th). A Grey-bellied Brant was near Sedgeford (23rd) and then Shernborne (29th-30th). Eight taiga Bean Geese were at Buckenham and Cantley Marshes (1st). Black-throated Divers were in Brancaster Harbour and at Burnham Overy Staithe (to 4th). There were a few sightings of White-billed Divers off the east coast. Black-necked Grebes were at Filby Broad (to 5th) and at Holkham Park (from 27th). The Rough-legged Buzzard remained at Wells, with another at Thorpe Marshes (2nd). BREYDON WATER: Highlights include a Cattle Egret (from 13th), three Great White Egrets, and a Shag (20th). There was a record 1,087 Shovelers and an exceptional 3,660 Black-tailed Godwits. Bitterns were noted on four dates. Marsh Harriers, Buzzards, Peregrines, Merlins and six Short-eared Owls hunted. There were five Stonechats and 31 Linnets. Maxima included 51 Little Egrets, 13,000 Pinkfeet, 23 Whitefronts, 526 Greylags, 20 Canada Geese, 28 Egyptian Geese, 57 Shelducks, 26,000 Wigeon, 214 Gadwall, 2,000 Teal, 116 Pintails, 156 Mallards, 206 Avocets, ten Oystercatchers, 54 Ringed Plovers, 22,400 Golden Plovers, 45 Grey Plovers, 8,400 Lapwings, 114 Knot, 5,260 Dunlin, 21 Snipe, 65 Bar-tailed Godwits, 1,000 Curlews, 1,240 Redshanks, a Spotted Redshank and Greenshank.
NOA HOLME BIRD OBSERVATORY:
Maxima included eight Whitefronts, 700 Golden Plovers, 1,000 Lapwings, 210 Fieldfares, four Stonechats, four Bullfinches, four Long-tailed Ducks, 397 Common Scoters, two Goldeneyes, 24 Red-breasted Mergansers, 16 Red-throated
Divers, three Great Northern Divers, two Razorbills, three Guillemots, three Woodcocks, three Bearded Tits, three Blackcaps, 12 Twite, three Barnacle Geese, 430 Brent Geese, 1,600 Wigeon, six Pintails, six Kittiwakes, 12,000 Pinkfeet, two Gannets, two Rock Pipits, four Eiders, six Snipe, six Bramblings, ten Whooper Swans, two Water Rails, 45 Snow Buntings, 110 Black-tailed Godwits, three Mistle Thrushes, 12 Fulmars, 32 Great Crested Grebes, a Goosander, Great White Egret, Peregrine, Merlin, Chiffchaff, Barn Owl, Red Kite, Hen Harrier, Short-eared Owl, Greenshank, Spotted Redshank, Kingfisher, Red-necked Grebe, Swallow and Siskin. NOA REDWELL MARSH: Highlights included 24 Redshanks, 60 Curlews, 20 Shovelers, 250 Wigeon, 163 Teal, 150 Pinkfeet and two Little Egrets. CLEY AREA: Maxima included five Velvet Scoters, two Great Northern Divers, three Caspian Gulls, two Slavonian Grebes, five pale-bellied Brent Geese, 86 Snow Buntings, a Little Auk, Whitefront, Ruddy Shelduck, Water Pipit, small-race Canada Goose, Black Brant, Shore Lark, Black-throated Diver, Red-necked Grebe and Hen Harrier. Pete Allard, Sophie Barker (www.noa.org.uk) and Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700 245 from a landline or mobile phone cost 65p per minute plus your phone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia – for enquiries please call 0330 3336946 or 07941333970. www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk twitter.com/BirdlineEAnglia facebook.com/robinchittenden7
SUFFOLK
HIGHLIGHTS: The Siberian Stonechat remained at Hollesley Marshes. A Little Bunting was at Wrentham (31st). A Glossy Ibis was at Minsmere (5th) and Southwold (15th-16th). The Rough-legged Buzzard remained at Bawdsey, with one near Snape (23rd). A Black-necked Grebe was at Felixstowe (7th-19th) and the River Orwell (to 21st). Also on the Orwell were a Great Northern Diver, Black-throated Diver and Long-tailed Duck. The Great Northern Diver stayed at Aldeburgh, with one on Benacre Broad. Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700 245 from a landline or mobile phone cost 65p per minute plus your phone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia – for enquiries please call 0330 3336946 or 07941333970. www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk twitter.com/BirdlineEAnglia facebook.com/robinchittenden7