Suffolk Birci Report
2010
C O M M O N SANDPIPER Actitis hypoleucos Common passage migrant. Sometimes overwinters. Amber list. None was located between January and March and it was mid-April before the first sightings of the year came in with two at Oulton Marshes, 18th, a single at Snape, 19th and three on the River Deben, at Melton, 22nd. Thereafter, Minsmere had six, April 24th and on the same date there were five at Livermere Lake. In total 15 coastal locations and five inland sites reported this species in April. There were no double-figure counts for the spring passage period, although it was reported from 21 coastal and two inland sites. Peak numbers occurred at Minsmere, May 5th and Melton, May 4th with just four birds. Needham Lake had two birds, May 19th and Livermere Lake had a single on three dates. The last spring bird was a single at Boyton Marshes between June 1st and 4th. Giffords Hall (Stoke-by-Nayland) had the first returning bird, June 18th and the only other June sighting was at Hollesley, 27th. Numbers gradually increased during July but the only double-figure counts came from Trimley Marshes with ten, July 26th and ten at Flixton GP, July 31st. August sightings came from 27 coastal and seven inland localities. The highest totals:Flixton Gravel Pits: nine, Aug 8th; 11, Aug 20th; 41, Aug 27th, this being the highest-ever Suffolk total away from the coast. Oulton Marshes: 11, Aug 27th. Minsmere: four, Aug 24th; six, Aug 27th. Orfordness: eight, Aug 1st; seven, Aug 7th; four up to Aug 24th. Havergate Island: four, Aug 16th. Trimley Marshes: five, Aug 11th; six,Aug 13th; seven, Aug21st. Lackford Lakes: four, Aug 25th. Livermere Lake: nine, Aug 27th. Hinderclay: three, Aug 28th; two, Aug 30th. Good numbers during the first week of September were recorded at Flixton GP with seven, 3rd and four, 5th, while Minsmere held six, September 2nd and seven, 8th. There were six at Benacre sluice, September 2nd and four at Alton Water, 8th. Two birds were noted at both Livermere Lake, September 11th and Lackford Lakes, September 13th. October sightings came from Weybread GP with a single, 1st and Flixton GP had three birds, 3rd. Orfordness recorded a single, October 3rd and there was also a single on Havergate Island, October 10th on which date two birds were noted at Snape. The last bird of the year was a single on Lowestoft North Beach, November 16th, but there was again no evidence of any overwintering birds. G R E E N SANDPIPER Tringa ochropus Fairly common passage migrant. Small numbers overwinter. Amber list. Reported from 15 coastal and four inland sites during January and February, there having been a total of eight in 2009, a 138% increase, with two birds seen at three of the sites. Records for March however were few, coming from only nine sites, passage birds sneaking in with Cavenham GP recording two, 7th rising to four, 28th, four at Pipps Ford, Barking, 16th, six at Cattawade, 20th and five at Tendring Hall, Stoke-by-Nayland, 28th. Early April counts included eight at Cattawade, 7th and two birds were recorded at each of Flixton GP, Carlton Marshes, Orfordness and Cavenham GP. Boyton Marshes hosted three, 19th, seven birds were at Tendring Hall, 13th and Lackford Lakes had eight, 17th, on which date the highest count was of 13 being recorded at Minsmere. Only three sites reported birds in May; Trimley Marshes with a single, 2nd and 12th and one at Bury Beet Factory, 14th which was possibly the same bird as that seen the following day at Lackford Lakes. June records came from 11 sites, the first at Boyton Marshes, 6th. Boyton Marshes, Trimley Marshes, Pipps Ford and Cavendish all reported birds at the start of the month, but
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