Suffolk Birds 1983

200 Chantry Park, Ipswich; 4th Jan.; 100 Shrublands Park, Coddenham, 23rd Jan.; 50 Bourne Park, Ipswich, 13th Mar.; and 25 Ashby, 17th Feb. The only May records were of a female Landguard 1st and a male Minsmere 24th.

A singing male was present at a site in the county from 21st June-9th July.

The first autumn migrant was at Landguard on 29th Sep., and on the next day reports were from Gunton (5), Minsmere (2) and Landguard. At this latter site passage continued until 6th Nov. but the autumn total was only 30. Very few passage birds were noted elsewhere and, not surprisingly, wintering groups were scarce with no more than 10 being noted at 15 sites.

Serin: A singing male at Bedingfield, near Eye, 30th May (BW) is only the seventh County record.

Greenfinch: An excellent autumn passage was meticulously recorded at Landguard between 17th Sep. and 20th Nov. The October total of c. 14,625 is the highest ever monthly figure for the site and included c. 4750 on 20th (see Tree Sparrow). The only other autumn passage report was of c. 250 Lowestoft, 28th Oct. Only 3 large winter flocks were reported: 250 Long Melford 8th Nov., 200 Elveden 19th Mar. and 150 Aldringham early Jan. Goldfinch: A small southerly passage occurred at Landguard in May with c. 90 on 14th and c. 20 on 18th. 20 pairs were located in the breeding season at Long Melford (12 in 1982).

This was the most numerous finch species recorded at Landguard between 17th Sep. and 29th Nov. with the remarkable total of c. 24,275, of which c. 23,900 were in October; as with the other finch species, the peak occurred on 20th Oct. when c. 4250 flew south.

The largest winter flock was of 50 Holbrook 27th Nov. Siskin: A poor year for this species compared with 1982. Birds were reported from only 16 localities up to early April. The largest groups were of 60 Minsmere Feb., 60 Rendlesham 12th Mar., 50 Walberswick 14th Jan. and 35 Brandon 6th Mar. Birds were noted in midsummer at one coastal and two Breck sites; there was no confirmed breeding, although the species was described as 'quite numerous' at one of the Breck sites in July.

The only recorded coastal autumn migrants were at Landguard, where 35 flew south between 1st Oct. and 9th Nov. As with the same period in 1982, wintering numbers were low, apart from 80 Cavenham Heath 23rd Dec., 60 Staverton 27th Nov. and up to 25 Minsmere throughout Nov. 1-12 were reported from 15 other sites throughout the county, mainly from mid-Nov. onwards.

Linnet: The largest winter flocks were 600 Chantry Estate, Ipswich, 2nd Jan., and 350 Aldringham lst-3rd Jan. Spring passage was noticeable on the coast from late April to mid-May. Notable flocks were at Denes Oval, Lowestoft, on 20th-21st Apr. (400) and 3rd May (250), and at Minsmere Sluice 4th May (200). At Landguard 315 flew south 11th-18th May. The only site to report coastal passage in the autumn was Landguard, where the October total of c. 11,530 was more than three times the Oct. 1982 total. Overall, c. 11,650 were recorded at Landguard between 17th Sep. and 15th Nov. with the maximum day-total of c. 2750 occurring, as with other finch species, on 20th Oct. Twite: This species was reported from only five coastal sites in Jan./Feb.; apart from 200 Felixstowe Ferry 13th Jan., no site total exceeded 30. Away from the immediate vicinity of the coast, 50 were at Alton Water 13th Feb. None were reported between 1st Apr. (8 at Walberswick) and early October. Direct southerly passage at Landguard in October totalled only 53 (530 in Oct. 1982) and 35 on 7th Nov. Elsewhere, reports were from 11 coastal sites; encouraging totals were noted at Walberswick - 155 29th Oct., increasing to 200 20th Nov., and 120 still 40