Suffolk shoreline report ....................................................Alan Miller

We then finished off the meeting at Boyton Marsh with Sedge and Cetti’s Warblers noted, and at least three Yellow Wagtails and eight Avocets on the flash. A small flurry of Swallows and Sand Martins passed over with a Green Sandpiper dropping in and giving excellent views. A male Reed Bunting noted was nothing exceptional, other than the fact it was ringed, a rather unusual species to find ringed. We had an interesting day with some noteworthy spring migrants that made the day worthwhile.

As a species the Dartford Warbler has a history of suffering severely in the winter4. During the harsh winters of 1961/3 the UK southern counties’ Dartford Warbler population crashed from 450 to just 10 pairs. Since that time these warblers had grown both in numbers and range to a UK total of 2800-3500 pairs by 2006. Experts consider this was partly due to a succession of milder winters.

Suffolk is now recognised as a growth area and should remain so with the continued management and restoration of the Suffolk Sandlings –a species stronghold. However a note of caution now needs to be added after the very cold winters in 2009/10 and 2010/11. As a result, the expansion we have recently

Whitethroat Editor:I was disappointed to miss the Dartford Warbler and I asked Steve for further explanation:

Hollesley Common

We then moved on to Upper Hollesley Common for lunch. The Common was surprisingly quiet but for several Yellowhammers and a fairly distant singing Woodlark. The third Buzzard of the day was noted passing overhead. The intended target species of the Common were Redstarts but they could not be seen or heard. Sparrowhawk and Whitethroat completed the species noted on the Common. Sadly we did not record Dartford Warbler for the first time in several years. The last two winters have been severe and appear to have taken their toll on Dartford’s at Hollesley Common, although at least one pair has been noted in recent weeks.

Cetti’s Warbler

4 As Cramp et al has observed, the British population’s size displayed “marked fluctuations due to severe winters.”