SuffolkRingingReport
2007
areas. T h e B B S f o u n d Little O w l s in 8% of the 59 squares surveyed (14% in 1997, 5 % in 2002), with a c o m b i n e d total of five birds. Perhaps this species is in retreat? N o b r e e d i n g pairs w e r e f o u n d at North W a r r e n and A l d r i n g h a m W a l k s f o r the first time since the site b e c a m e a reserve and their annual census f o r the past ten years s h o w s a s u d d e n , sharp decline. 1998 4
Little Owls at North Warren and Aldringham Walks - Breeding Pairs 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 3 4 1 5 5 4 2 1 0
T h r e e pairs w e r e n o t e d in f o u r k i l o m e t r e s along the W e s t l e t o n to Y o x f o r d r o a d . O n O r f o r d n e s s , 1 -2 were seen in each month except July, August, October and D e c e m b e r . There w a s no sign of breeding on O r f o r d n e s s this year, but an adult was retrapped in N o v e m b e r that had bred there in 2 0 0 6 . T A W N Y O W L Strix aluco Common resident. Reported f r o m a total of only 51 sites in 2 0 0 7 (67 in 2006, 62 in 2005), with 12 of these in the north-east, 15 in the south-east and 24 in the w e s t . T a w n y O w l s continue to be underreported. The B B S f o u n d the species in just 2 % of the 59 squares surveyed ( 5 % in 1 9 9 7 , 0 % in 2 0 0 2 ) , with a c o m b i n e d total of o n e bird. N o r t h W a r r e n and A l d r i n g h a m W a l k s reserve noted " a poor year, with a 50% decline from 2006 and no breeding pairs found on the Walks. This may be explained by the large corvid roost in the woods at the Walks adjacent to the outdoor pig units ". 1998 10
Tawnv Owls at North Warren and Aldringham Walks - Breeding Pairs 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 6 7 6 14 9 11 9 10 5
A pair was seen with three fledged j u v e n i l e s in Somerleyton Park. N o less than four road casualties w e r e f o u n d d e a d along the A 1 4 , including t w o at the H a u g h l e y B e n d s within a w e e k during April and t w o w e r e f o u n d dead on the road close to Barton M e r e , in A u g u s t and October. L O N G - E A R E D O W L Asio otus Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. Scarce resident. U p to 12 birds w e r e reported as f o l l o w s : Bradwell: Sep 27th. Lound: Waterworks. Mar 14th. Lowestoft: Nov 17th. Orfordness: Nov 25th. Felixstowe: Fagbury.Nov 19th. Landguard: Sep 27th; Oct 5th; two Nov 20th Lackford Lakes: flew over the entrance track at dusk, Oct 24th. Icklingham: flew across West Stow road near the junction with Al 101 at 1.25am, Jan 25th. Another found dead on the road near the village during May. S H O R T - E A R E D O W L Asio flammeus Uncommon winter visitor and passage migrant. Scarce resident. Amber list. Scarce in the first winter period, w h e n the only records c a m e f r o m : Westleton Heath/Minsmere: Mar 4th. Orfordness: 1-2 intermittently from Jan 1st through to two, May 14th, with three. Mar 13th. Deben Estuary: flying south-east down river, seen from Hemley during an SOG trip, Jan.27th. Pakenham: Puttock's Hill, two hunting the ditches and field margins, Jan 26th and Feb 7th. Singles at G a p t o n M a r s h e s , Bradwell, M a r c h 24th and Carlton M a r s h e s . April 11th were
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