SuffolkRingingReport 2014 RED-RUMPED SWALLOW Scarce
Cecropis daurica
visitor.
There w e r e t h r e e birds recorded in 2014, all in spring, w h i c h brings t h e County t o t a l t o A records involving 47 birds. Easton Bavents: south, May 9th (C Buttle, T Butler). Minsmere: Apr 17th (E Patrick et al.). Hollesley: May 12th (P R Kennerley). CETTI'S WARBLER Fairly common
Cettia cetti
resident
and rare passage
migrant.
The n u m b e r of t e r r i t o r i e s continues t o increase w i t h , perhaps, some 200 birds north of tf River Aide. M i n s m e r e counted 74 and t h e Walberswick area reported over 40. South of t h e Aide t h e coastal region d o w n t o t h e Essex border was not so populated but thei w e r e m o r e t h a n 30 k n o w n males. In t h e west Lakenheath RSPB had a m a x i m u m count of 29, w i t h breeding at Lackford for th first t i m e and isolated birds in, at least, five o t h e r localities. The Orfordness Report emphasised h o w little m o v e m e n t of this species is tracked wit singletons in April and t h e a u t u m n , although t h e latter did stay for 50 days f r o m October 5th unt N o v e m b e r 23rd. LONG-TAILED TIT Very common
Aegithalos
resident
caudatus
and scarce passage
migrant.
This easily identified and m u c h loved species maintains its status w i t h i n t h e county. Howeve it must be noted t h a t t h e n u m b e r of sightings received for analysis f r o m t h e three regions, namel north-east, south-east and west, were 1 3 9 , 4 4 3 and 17 respectively. They were f o u n d in 20 of th 4 1 BBS 1 k m squares surveyed involving 8 1 birds in all compared w i t h 76 in 2013 and 88 in 200 in t h e middle of t h e Atlas w o r k . GREENISH WARBLER Rare
Phylloscopus
trochiloides
visitor.
This makes t h e county t o t a l 17, all since 1981. This is t h e highest-ever annual t o t a l in Suffolk The Southwold birds were seen and heard singing simultaneously f r o m t h e Sewage Works bushes Southwold: Aug 29th and 30th (B J Small); Aug 30th only, second bird, both singing (C Fulcher, P J Kennerley J A Kennerley). Landguard: singing in the Holm Oaks, May 27th (T Bagworth, W J Brame, M May). The fifth site record. PALLAS'S LEAF WARBLER Uncommon
autumn
Phylloscopus
passage
proregulus
migrant.
A n o t h e r blank year for this species in Suffolk w i t h t h e others this century being 2006 and 2012 YELLOW-BROWED WARBLER Uncommon
autumn
passage
Phylloscopus
inornatus
migrant.
The r e m a r k a b l e expansion o f t h e w e s t e r n m i g r a t i o n of this species continues w i t h national weekly a u t u m n records in t h e UK of hundreds of birds and t h e expectation elsewhere of numerous birds t o appear w h e r e once t h e r e was none. W h e r e t h e m a j o r i t y w i n t e r is u n k n o w n although m a i n l a n d Spain holds some as d o t h e Canary Isles. A current t h e o r y is t h a t global w a r m i n g has enabled reverse migrants t o survive and return to t h e breeding grounds and create a viable westward migrating population. Another concept is that t h e y o u n g birds re-orientate and get t o t h e i r traditional w i n t e r i n g areas. In Suffolk t h e first a u t u m n bird, of a seasonal total of perhaps as many as about 40, appeared at Burgh Castle on September 20th and t h e r e was t h e n a steady f l o w w i t h a m a x i m u m site count of f o u r at Lowestoft on October 15th and a final bird at Southwold on November 10th.
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