Review of the Year is the highest count of the year. Two sub-adult Caspian Gulls frequented the Blyth Estuary on 15th and a third, an adult, was seen at North Warren on 23rd. On 16th, there were 14 Water Pipits at Minsmere and a flock of 120 Snow Buntings on Orfordness. There was a very low total of just eight Hen Harriers in the coastal roosts, but there were several sightings of Rough-legged Buzzards, including two on the Deben Estuary between 23rd and 30th.
Smew Peter Beeson
At least four Merlins wintered along the coast and eight or nine Peregrines. The numbers of Pink-footed Geese seen in the county are increasing year by year; as more birds winter in Norfolk, some push further south and the 5000 at Burgh Castle on 22nd sets a new mark. The rarity of the month was without doubt the Black Guillemot, which flew north close inshore off Sizewell on 24th; there were only four confirmed records of this species in Suffolk during the whole of the last century. The four Hawfinches recorded at Sotterley Park on 27th proved to be the highest count of the year for this charismatic finch, while the 115 Bewick's Swans which flew over Minsmere on 31st must have made a fine spectacle. February The first twelve days were similar to late January, with a blocking anticyclone dominant and rather quiet, mild and dry conditions. Strong sunshine on 12th took temperatures up to 13C (55F), but then winter arrived with a vengeance on 13th, when a very cold, persistent, northerly airstream set in, which was to last until the month s end. During this spell, there were showers of hail, sleet and snow and then a heavier snowfall on 23rd, when nearly 75mm (three inches) was measured in Ipswich. More snow and hail showers gave another covering early on 27th. Rainfall in Ipswich was a little above the long-term average. Three Black Redstarts seen at the Sizewell power stations on 6th were presumably over-wintering there. Up to three Smew were reported at Minsmere throughout the month and there was also a redhead on Alton Water. A drake Green-winged Teal on Lakenheath Washes from 12th to 16th was seen on the Suffolk side of the county boundary on 12th and 13th at least. That scarce auk, the Puffin, was seen offshore at Felixstowe on 14th and Southwold on 22nd and 24th, while the scarce gulls were represented by a second-winter Iceland Gull at Minsmere/Sizewell from 19th until March 13th and a first-winter Glaucous Gull in Lowestoft harbour on 21st. The long-staying Glossy Ibis was seen occasionally at Burgh Castle throughout the month. Among high WeBS counts reported in February were 730 Avocets and 4819 Lapwings on the Aide/Ore Estuary; 1408 Curlews on the Stour; a total of 4348 Redshanks on the four southern estuaries and 575 Turnstones on the Orwell and Stour. March The northerly winds and consequent wintiy weather persisted well into March, with some heavy snow showers in the first few davs. Over the period 2nd to 4th, a total of 100mm (four inches) of snow was measured in Ipswich and overall it was the coldest early-March weather since 1987. From 10th onwards there was a slow rise in temperature and then a warm southerly airstream took the mercury to 19C (67F) on 16th, well above the seasonal 9