Suffolk Birci Report
2006
E U ROPE AN SHAG Phalacrocorax aristotelis Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. Amber list. The northern and southern extremities of the county again produced the bulk of the records. First winter period reports were as follows: Lowestoft: Lake Lothing/Hamilton Docks, Jan.4th to 15th; Ness Point, Jan. 11th. Ipswich: Docks, Jan.8th to 22nd, with a first-winter and two adults present, Jan. 15th; Feb.3rd.
For the second consecutive year May produced a sighting, when a north-bound bird passed Kessingland on 24th. Even more unseasonal, however, was a single on the sea off the same location, June 4th. In the second winter period the reports came from: Lowestoft: Lake Lothing, a first-winter bird, Dec.10th.
Kessingland: Nov. 25th. Minsmere: Dec 5th. Thorpeness: Dec.8th. Ipswich: Docks, Dec.23rd to 29th; two, Dec.30th. W h e r s t e a d : T h e Strand, Dec. 27th, probably the same as the Ipswich Docks bird.
GREAT BITTERN Botaurus stellaris Slowly increasing breeding population, scarce resident, passage migrant and winter visitor. Red List. At Minsmere there were nine booming males and nine nests (ten booming males and eight nests in 2005; nine booming males and nine nests in 2004; eight booming males and nine females in 2003). Of the nine nesting attempts, at least one and probably two, nests were re-lays, following the failure of at least four nests due to poor weather in the spring. It is not clear if any nests successfully fledged young, but note that the nests are not visited in order to avoid undue disturbance. One distinctive female, known as the " V " female because of an unusual kink in her neck, nested for the tenth successive year. Nine males represent 20% of the total British population of 44 booming males in 2006. There were a total of only 27 British nesting attempts in 2006 and the Suffolk coast as a whole had two- thirds of all nesting attempts in the country. Other breeding records are as follows; the sites correspond to those used in the 2004 Suffolk Bird Report (page 65): Site A: three boomers, two nests.
Site B: no information. Site C : The first booming was heard, February 13th and three young fledged from a single nest. A second male boomed on a number of occasions in suitable habitat capable of supporting at least two nests. Site D: five b o o m e r s , four nests. Site E: three m a l e s were booming/grunting in the main reedbed, April 7th and three nests were c o n f i r m e d in June. Two nests are thought to have been successful.
The grand total of 23 booming males for the county is three more than in 2005. There was encouraging news from Lakenheath Fen, where a booming male was present from April until August, giving further hope for the eventual return of the Bittern as a breeding species to the Suffolk fens. The wintering bird at Lakenheath Fen from 2005, was present until late February. At Lackford Lakes the wintering bird from 2005 continued roosting near the Atlas Hide each evening and remained until March 14th. A returning bird, quite probably the same individual, was first seen by Jason's Pool, November 2nd and had settled into its usual pattern of roosting near the Atlas Hide by November 5th, continuing to do so until the end of the year. A second bird was present mid-November. Bitterns were also seen at the following locations: Sizewell: saltmarsh, Aug. 18th. Boyton Marshes: Nov. 1st. Harkstead: Nov.5th. Trimley Marshes: Mar.4th to 11th and Mar.25th. Nunnery Lakes: Feb.23rd.
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