EAST ANGLIA
The Blue Rock
Thrush at
Winterton Dunes, Norfolk, was a big story, but faded into insignificance compared with not one Alpine Accentor (at Slaughden, Suffolk) but two, with a second at Blakeney Point, Norfolk, at the end of the month. Some birders got Pallid Harrier, Desert Wheatear and Long-billed Dowitcher at Cley before the walk to the Point.
CAMBRIDGESHIRE
HIGHLIGHTS: Grafham Water had an American Wigeon (1st-27th), Pectoral Sandpiper (to 10th), Long-tailed Duck (from 17th), Slavonian Grebe (from 26th), Garganeys (4th-8th and 28th), seven Little Stints (from 3rd), up to three Curlew Sandpipers (to 12th), a Ring Ouzel (11th and 14th), Red-breasted Merganser (20th) and four Common Scoters. A Dartford Warbler was at Cambourne, east of Whomping Willow Lake (8th- 20th), with a Ring Ouzel there (10th). A Pallid or Common Swift flew over Doddington (30th).
The Pectoral Sandpiper remained at Dernford Reservoir (to 17th). A Dotterel was near Fowlmere (29th-30th). A Little Stint was at Longstanton (2nd-8th). Glossy Ibises were at Fen Drayton Lakes, Ouse Fen, Mare Fen and Berry Fen. A Garganey was at Paxton Pits (6th, 10th and 15th). Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700245 cost 65p per minute plus your telephone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia for enquiries please call 07941333970 www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk
ESSEX
FRINTON-ON-SEA: Totals included 46 Gannets, three Pomarine Skuas, six Arctic Skuas, a Great Skua, 22 Little Gulls, a Red-breasted Goose, Fulmar, 54 Kittiwakes, 16,068 Brent Geese, 1,308 Wigeon, 176 Common Scoters, 523 Dunlin, two Velvet Scoters, two Great White Egrets, seven Spoonbills, five Short-eared Owls, two Merlins, 767 Skylarks, five Woodlarks, 555 Swallows, 6,105 House Martins, 3,001 Meadow Pipits, 501 Redwings, 144 Song Thrushes, a Ring Ouzel, 479 Pied Wagtails, two Yellowbrowed Warblers, six Bearded Tits, ten Tree Sparrows, 1,611 Chaffinches, 52 Bramblings, two Crossbills, 165 Greenfinches, 9,722 Goldfinches, 569 Siskins, 2,725 Linnets, 152 Redpolls, a Snow Bunting and Lapland Bunting.
METROPOLITAN ESSEX: A Blue-winged Teal was at Fairlop. Seventy Acres had a Bittern, with a Cattle Egret nearby. Walthamstow Wetlands had two Goosanders, two Rock Pipits and two Ring Ouzels. Wanstead Flats had 382 Redwings, 61 Fieldfares, 31 Song Thrushes, two Dartford Warblers, a Whinchat, Tree Pipit and Rock Pipit. A Long-eared Owl was in the Upminster farmland with a Short-eared Owl at Galley Hill. Merlins were at Wanstead Flats and Woodford Green. Two Russian Whitefronts were in Rainham. Wood Pigeon migration included 22,326 over Upminster.
MID ESSEX: Abberton held 24 Great White Egrets, a Cattle Egret, Spoonbill, 280 Black-tailed Godwits, 13 Curlew Sandpipers, a Little Stint, Bar-tailed Godwit, Wood Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Jack Snipe, Garganey, four Red-crested Pochards, 640 Pintails, 17 Goosanders, 65 Goldeneyes, several Caspian Gulls, two Mediterranean Gulls, a Black Tern, five Red Kites and a Hobby.
Tollesbury had ten Cattle Egrets, a Short-eared Owl, 21 Greenshanks, 58 Mediterranean Gulls, 17 Rock Pipits, a Sandwich Tern and Common Tern. Mersea had 429 House Martins, 34 Mediterranean Gulls, two Eiders, a Short-eared Owl, Black Brant and 13 Grey Partridges. Old Hall Marshes had Cattle Egrets, a Hen Harrier and Great Northern Diver. Hen Harriers were at Great Totham, Abbotts Hall and Fingringhoe Wick. A Honey Buzzard flew over Highwoods CP. The Stanway White Stork remained. A Grey Phalarope was in at Wivenhoe.
NORTH EAST ESSEX: The Naze had the county’s fourth Radde’s Warbler, a Pallas’s Warbler, five Yellow-browed Warblers, a Barred Warbler, two Woodlarks, ten Bearded Tits, three Black Redstarts, 1100 House Martins, a Hen Harrier, two Short-eared Owls and a Merlin. Holland Haven had 5,000 House Martins, four Bearded Tits, a
Short-eared Owl, Pomarine Skua, Yellow-browed Warbler, Woodlark, Siberian Chiffchaff, Ring Ouzel, Lapland Bunting, 17 Rock Pipit, two Purple Sandpipers, a Dartford Warbler and Black Redstart. Hen Harriers were at Leewick and Walton Hall.
A Cattle Egret was at Howlands Marsh. A Black-throated Diver was off St Osyth.
Wigboro Wick Farm held five Spoonbills, three Great White Egrets, a Short-eared Owl and Ring Ouzel. Hamford Water had a Short-eared Owl and Spoonbill. A Purple Sandpiper was at Clacton. An Osprey was at Mistley Quay. A Yellow-browed Warbler and Common Tern were in Harwich. A Willow Tit in Stones Green was the first county record in over ten years.
RAINHAM MARSHES: Highlights included Hobbies, an Osprey, 119 Black-tailed Godwits, two Sandwich Terns, Rock and Water Pipits, a Cattle Egret, three Ruff, Green Sandpipers, Bearded Tits, Dartford Warbler, 15 Stonechats, a Whinchat, 341 House Martins, three Swallows, a Sand Martin, Brambling and Woodlark.
SOUTH EAST ESSEX: East Tilbury had three Stone Curlews and four Little Stints. Canvey had 57 Kittiwakes, a Red-breasted Merganser, four Great Skuas, three Arctic Skuas, three Pomarine Skuas, 95 Common Scoters, a Scaup and Red-necked Grebe. A Great White Egret roamed the South Essex Marshes. Bowers had two Spoonbills, two Little Stints and 20 Bearded Tits. Vange held seven Spotted Redshanks, four Greenshanks and five Water Pipits. A Woodlark flew over West Canvey.
Two Tree Islands had a Curlew Sandpiper and Black-necked Grebe. Southend Pier had a Red-throated Diver. Gunners Park had a Dartford Warbler, five Bramblings, a Great Northern Diver and two Great White Egrets. Shoebury had a Black Redstart, Black Brant and two pale-bellied Brent Geese. Wallasea hosted a Great White Egret, Hen Harrier, Osprey, Merlin and Ring Ouzel. South Woodham Ferrers had a Ring Ouzel and Goshawk. Deal Hall had a Dartford Warbler, two Bramblings and a Snow Bunting. Howard Vaughan
NORFOLK
HIGHLIGHTS: A Blue Rock Thrush was at Winterton (20th). An Alpine Accentor was at Blakeney Point (30th-31st). A Pallid Harrier ranged between Salthouse and Titchwell (29th-31st). A Red-footed Falcon was at Potter Heigham Marshes (6th-8th). A Rough-legged Buzzard was in the Warham Greens-Wells area (4th-8th). Four Pallid Swifts ranged between Sheringham and Overstrand (24th-29th), with others at
Horsey/Winterton (27th-28th) and Great Yarmouth (28th).
A Desert Wheatear was at Cley Marshes (30th-31st). A Rustic Bunting was at Horsey Corner (1st-2nd). A Common Rosefinch was at Burnham Overy Dunes (19th). A Hoopoe at Beeston Bump ranged as far as West Runton (20th-30th). A Dusky Warbler was at Winterton (21st). Pallas’s Warblers were at nine sites. A Wood Warbler was at Gypsy Lane, Titchwell (1st), with one or two at Holkham (20th-28th). The Red-backed Shrike remained at Holkham Freshmarsh (to 3rd).
An Olive-backed Pipit was at Titchwell (20th). Richard’s Pipits were at four sites. A few Waxwings were seen. Twenty Shorelarks were logged. A Long-billed Dowitcher was at Cley Marshes and Salthouse (from 19th). Pectoral Sandpipers were at Buckenham Marshes (1st and 12th-17th) and East Wretham Heath (9th). Glossy Ibises were at four sites. A Garganey was at Thompson Water (11th). A Slavonian Grebe was at Whitlingham CP (from 31st).
A Leach’s Petrel flew east past Cley (6th). Grey Phalaropes were off Winterton (11th), Cley (7th-12th) and Holkham (25th). Holkham Bay had a Black-throated Diver,
Great Northern Diver, five Slavonian Grebes, a Long-tailed Duck, Red-necked Grebe and five Velvet Scoters. A Black-necked Grebe was off Titchwell (16th and 18th). The Hooded Crow remained at Warham Greens.
BREYDON WATER: Highlights included a Glossy Ibis (8th and 12th), a reported Pallid Swift (28th), one or two Cattle Egrets (to 11th), a Yellow-browed Warbler (2nd) and Ospreys (2nd and 9th). There was a Little Gull (9th), 1,800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, 630 Great Black-backed Gulls, the first Short-eared Owl of autumn (11th), a Caspian Gull (27th), five Stonechats and Grey Wagtails (9th and 21st).
Maxima included 93 Little Egrets, three Great White Egrets, 8,520 Pinkfeet, 390 Greylags, 137 Egyptian Geese, 400 Wigeon, 95 Pintails, 290 Teal, 110 Mallards, nine Great Crested Grebes, 16 Oystercatchers, 56 Avocets, 25 Ringed Plovers, 3,940 Golden Plovers, 32 Grey Plovers, 630 Lapwings, 1,293 Black-tailed Godwits, 19 Bar-tailed Godwits, six Spotted Redshanks, 1,370 Redshanks, 1,012 Curlews, 1,320 Dunlin, two Curlew Sandpipers, a Greenshank, Green Sandpiper, Common Sandpiper and four Ruff.
NOA HOLME BIRD OBSERVATORY: Maxima included two Swallows, five Cetti’s Warblers, two Chiffchaffs, ten Blackcaps, six Stonechats, 15 Red-throated Divers, eight Spoonbills, 21 Bearded Tits, eight Tree Sparrows, five Greenshanks, 54 House Martins, two Jack Snipe, 14 Snow Buntings, 100 Meadow Pipits, 12 Rock Pipits, four Barn Owls, two Ravens, 105 Razorbills, 60 Guillemots, 25 Little Gulls, three Whooper Swans, eight Eiders, 14 Common Scoters, five Red-breasted Mergansers, 99 Gannets, two Pomarine Skuas, five Short-eared Owls, 55 Black-tailed Godwits, 200 Goldcrests, 750 Blackbirds, 33 Fieldfares, 150 Song Thrushes, 1,400 Redwings, 100 Robins, five Grey Wagtails, 40 Bramblings, five Lesser Redpolls, 30 Siskins, 4,727 Starlings, four Mistle Thrushes, ten Snipe, 780 Golden Plovers, three Water Rails, two Goosanders, and a Purple Sandpiper, Spotted Redshank, Firecrest, Red-necked Grebe, Goldeneye, Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, Little Auk, Yellow-browed Warbler, Great White Egret, Avocet, Sandwich Tern, Mediterranean Gull, Slavonian Grebe, Puffin, Arctic Tern, Arctic Skua, Woodcock, Merlin, Peregrine, Water Pipit, Hen Harrier, Osprey, Pallas’s Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart,
Cattle Egret, Waxwing, Marsh Tit, Ring-necked Parakeet and a swift species.
NOA REDWELL MARSH: Highlights included a Stonechat, two Cetti’s Warblers, 20 Redwings, a Curlew, Black-tailed Godwit and 500 Pinkfeet.
CLEY AREA: Highlights included a Yellow-browed Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Black Redstart, Great Northern Diver, three Little Stints, two Curlew Sandpipers, a Tundra Bean Goose, Hen Harrier, five Jack Snipe, 35 Snow Buntings, a Red-necked Grebe, two Black-throated Divers, two Water Pipits, five Cattle Egrets, a Spotted Redshank, Pallas’s Warbler, 238 Little Gulls, a Firecrest, Redstart, Richard’s Pipit, Velvet Scoter, two Shore Larks, two swift species, three Caspian Gulls and two Short-eared Owls. Pete Allard and Sophie Barker (www.noa. org.uk) and Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700245 cost 65p per minute plus your telephone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia for enquiries please call 07941333970 www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk
SUFFOLK
HIGHLIGHTS: An Alpine Accentor was at Slaughden, Aldeburgh (27th-29th). A Fea’s-type Petrel flew past Southwold, Lowestoft and Corton (9th). A Sabine’s Gull flew past Southwold (19th) and Aldeburgh (20th).
Puffins were off Saugeen (19th) and Southwold (20th). A Black-throated Diver flew past Southwold, Sizewell and Bawdsey (19th). A Grey Phalarope and Leach’s Petrel flew past Bawdsey (9th). A Leach’s Petrel flew past Landguard (12th).
The Grey Phalarope remained at North Warren (to 3rd). Pectoral Sandpipers were at Walberswick (1st) and Trimley Marshes (5th). Pallid Swifts were at Benacre and Covehithe (24th), Lowestoft (24th-25th) and Landguard (25th), with a possible bird at Minsmere.
A Little Bunting was at Sizewell (19th). A Rose-coloured Starling was at Benacre Sluice (17th). A Great Grey Shrike was at Easton Bavents (7th). Dusky Warblers were at Southwold (20th-28th) and Benacre Beach Farm (23rd).
A Barred Warbler was at Felixstowe Ferry (18th and 21st). Pallas’s Warblers were at Landguard (20th), Aldeburgh (20th) and Walberswick (23rd). A Rough-legged Buzzard was at Hollesley Marshes (21st). Honey Buzzards flew over Kessingland (4th), Hen Reedbeds (7th) and Lowestoft (8th).
Glossy Ibises were at Carlton Marshes (9th-18th), Minsmere (18th-20th), North Warren (19th-25th), Thorpeness (19th), Benacre Broad (22nd) and Southwold (22nd and 26th).
A Black-necked Grebe was at Snape (19th). A Tundra Bean Goose flew over Carlton Marshes (29th). Robin Chittenden. For the latest bird news please phone 09068 700 245. Calls to 09068 700245 cost 65p per minute plus your telephone company access charge. Service provided by Birdline East Anglia for enquiries please call 07941333970 www.birdlineeastanglia.co.uk