Suffolk Birds 1983

pairs were reported but there were mid-summer sightings at 5 other sites.

Reports from regular wintering sites were remarkably consistent; 15 in Jan.-Mar. and 16 in Oct.-Dec. There was evidence of a very small spring passage during April/May which included singles in Christchurch Park, Ipswich, 13th April, and at Lowestoft Denes, 22nd-25th May. Early autumn migrants were at Landguard 21st-22nd Aug. and Southwold 29th Aug (2). 1 was at Minsmere 23rd Oct. and 7 flew south at Landguard between 30th Sep. and 5 th Nov. Pied Wagtail: The largest reported roosts were all inland and included 65 Brandon 11th Oct., 50 Cavenham mid-July, 50 Long Melford 23rd Nov. and 40 Lackford mid-Oct. Southerly passage movements totalled 97 at Landguard in Oct. White Wagtail: Apart from a very early individual at Minsmere 12th Feb. (RSPB), at least 20 were noted on spring passage between 10th Mar. and 11th May. Up to 6 were at Minsmere in April and 3 at Lowestoft Denes 14th April. The only report away from the coastal belt was of 1 at Livermere 24th April.

One at Alton Water 19th Aug. was the only reported autumn migrant.

Wren: 60 + pairs were located in Wolves Wood, Hadleigh; it is interesting to note that after the very cold winter of 1978/79 only 35 pairs were present at this site. At Walpole, a pair used an old Swallow's nest as the base for their own nest.

Dunnock: Regular observations over the last few years have established this species as a regular autumn migrant at Landguard; the number of birds present at this site started to increase in mid-Sep. and at least 50 were present by 27th Sep. Direct southerly movement was recorded at Landguard on 5 dates during 17th-26th Oct. totalling 25 birds and on 29th Oct. 1 was observed to fly in from over the sea.

Robin: Autumn passage was recorded at Landguard between mid-Sep. and early Nov.; the peak count of 38 on 1st Oct. coincided with the main autumn arrivals on the Lincolnshire coast.

Nightingale: It is very encouraging to note a further increase in the number of reported singing males from 187 in 1982 to 218 in 1983 - at some sites birds were present after being absent for several years. The total of 59 pairs at Minsmere is the highest ever recorded on the reserve.

The first autumn migrant was at Landguard on 31st July and at the same site in August singles were recorded on at least 11 dates and 2 on 26th. Coastal reports in Sep. were from Havergate 15th, Minsmere 4th and 15th and Landguard 1 st, 20th-22nd and 26th-27th; this latter individual showed some plumage features characteristic of an eastern race of the species. Finally, one trapped and ringed at Landguard on 1st Oct. is the 4th latest record for Suffolk and the latest since 1958.

Bluethroat: The only spring record was of a male at Minsmere on the early date of 6th April (RSPB). In Sep., one was found at Thorpeness on 11th (AB) and an elusive juvenile at Landguard on 25th remained there until 9th Oct (LBO). These are the first autumn records in Suffolk since 1975.

Black Redstart: The only first winter period record was of 1 at Lowestoft 16th Jan. Coastal spring passage commenced on 13th Mar., but was on a much smaller scale than in 1982, with no distinct peaks. The largest total was 7 at Landguard 3rd April, and the only sightings away from the immediate vicinity of the coast were of singles at Needham Market 3rd April, Santon Downham 20th April and Alton Water and Long Melford, both on 21st April.

A pair bred successfully at Ipswich Docks. At least 4 pairs were present in the Landguard/Felixstowe Docks area and the first juveniles were noted there on 3rd July.

Reports from Lowestoft were of at least 4 pairs, although only 1 was known to be 31