Review of national and county rarities in Suffolk in 2020: Nick Mason

Compiled by Nick Mason and Brian Small

though the bird report shouldn’t concentrate on rare or scarce birds in Suffolk, there is inevitably an interest from most birders in what extralimital species have been found during the year – for some it is the icing on the cake and the result of a lot of hard work in the field (plus a small slice of luck)!

Below is a summary of rare and scarce bird found through the county. for whatever reason, there is clearly a lack of rarities in the first part of the year: some scarce species were still about from 2019, but few new birds were found in the first three months. Despite lockdown kicking in from late March, there were some notable species found. Some no doubt frustrated at being unable to travel to see some of these, but it also meant that many explored areas closer to home. fewer observers visiting sites where rarer species tend to be found raises the question as to what may have been missed in 2020?! it is also notable that all of the BBrc records below are on, or very near, the coast; likewise, the great majority of the Sorc records, 112 out of 125, also come from the coastal strip.

January

there were three good rarities remaining from 2019: the Siberian Stonechat at Hollesley Marshes remained until January 4th, the Eastern Yellow Wagtail was still present on Havergate island until february 13th and the well-watched Black-throated Diver at Bramford Water Park until March 20th. the Rough-legged Buzzard near Bawdsey also remained all month. An elusive drake Green-winged Teal was at Minsmere from the first day of the year remaining until March 12th. A first-winter Black Guillemot on the Stour estuary on 15th, unfortunately did not stay for longer than an hour or two – this is a much-needed species for many and is a true rarity in Suffolk.

February

the find of a first-winter Black Brant at the typical location, falkenham creek, from 12th, was excellent and it was last seen on March 3rd. A Black-throated Diver was off Minsmere on 15th.

Eastern Yellow Wagtail on Dingle Marshes in November Sean Nixon

March

the Green-winged Teal at Minsmere was last seen on 12th and on the same day a Blackthroated Diver was recorded off Landguard. Lockdown began on 16th, and another drake Greenwinged Teal was at Southwold from 21st until April 1st. Whitetailed Eagles were reported from Westleton and oulton Broad near the end of the month and records continued into April…

April

A Serin was at Hollesley Marshes on 6th. White-tailed Eagles were the thing to look out for during lockdown, with birds at Minsmere, ipswich, Pipps ford

and Needham Market, at least. others were claimed but not submitted to Sorc. A Purple Heron was at Southwold from 16th to 22nd and the same bird was likely seen at Westwood Marshes on 27th. An Iberian Chiffchaff was singing at Minsmere from 19th and was present until July 17th; initially kept quiet due to lockdown, once this was eased a bird that was much enjoyed by many. on 30th an early Melodious Warbler was trapped and ringed at Landguard and, on the same day, two Black Kites were over Minsmere, before one was later seen over Aldringham and the other Westleton.

May

Purple Herons were at Minsmere from 2nd until 4th and at the king’s fleet on 6th. Black kite records continued into the first few days of the month, but again few were submitted. A Great Reed Warbler was a good find at carlton Marshes on 9th and four smart White-winged Black Terns were seen at Southwold and then at carlton Marshes later the same day. A Short-toed Lark was at Landguard in the early morning of 15th before flying south. Golden Orioles were heard, and recorded, at Sibton, Hasketon, Blaxhall, Minsmere and redgrave fen. on 21st, a Marsh Warbler was recorded at Belstead Brook.

June

the month of the Marsh Warbler! Several birds were recorded throughout the county. A Common Rosefinch was at Landguard on 2nd and the only Savi’s Warbler of the year was at North Warren from 2nd until 10th. A Grey-headed Wagtail was at easton Bavents on 3rd, Blyth’s Reed Warblers were at North Warren on 6th and Southwold from 7th to 9th and a Hooded Crow at Minsmere on 7th. A Black-winged Stilt was a brief visitor to Dunwich Pools on 7th.

Suffolk played a small part of a national influx of Rose-coloured Starlings, with birds seen at ipswich, Southwold, North Warren and, over in the west, at West row. two more Golden Orioles were at North Warren on 9th and Hollesley Marshes on 14th. there were two records of Honey Buzzard on 14th, one at kirton and the other at Minsmere. A showy-at-times, first-summer female Red-footed Falcon was at North Warren from 16th to 18th and a first-summer male at Minsmere on 29th.

July

A singing male Serin was at the usual location, Landguard, on 2nd. Black-crowned Night Heron is a good find in Suffolk, so an adult photographed at carlton Marshes on 6th caught the attention – a juvenile was reported at Botany Marshes on 31st. A Honey Buzzard was seen over Butley on 17th and another Marsh Warbler was ringed in Hollesley on 20th. July was, however, a month for rare terns. A Sooty Tern was at Minsmere and Sizewell on 8th, a Caspian Tern at Minsmere on 10th and a Gull-billed Tern was first recorded at Alton Water on 29th.

August

the Gull-billed Tern was well-twitched on its return to Alton Water on 4th, remaining until 16th. it was also seen at trimley Marshes on 13th on one of its forays on the river. An adult Pacific Golden Plover spent an all-too-brief time on the Blyth estuary on 7th. Honey Buzzards were at reydon on 8th and ipswich on 24th, and another Rose-coloured Starling at knodishall on 9th and 10th. An Icterine Warbler was trapped and ringed at Pakefield cliffs on 12th and another good find was a Greenish Warbler, also in the north-east of the county, at Gunton, on 16th. Seawatching produced Balearic Shearwaters on 14th, 15th and 19th and a Sabine’s Gull on 30th flew past Southwold and Lowestoft. A juvenile Spotted Crake was a good find at Botany Marshes on 28th and was present until September 1st.

September

Barred Warblers were at Lowestoft on 8th and Minsmere on 21st. A Willow Tit was at knettishall

Heath on 14th and a Hoopoe photographed in Saxmundham on 16th. A Marsh Warbler was trapped and ringed at trimley Marshes on 18th and a Grey Phalarope was on Benacre Broad on 27th and 28th. Again, seawatching produced Balearic Shearwaters on 8th and 17th. A Cory’s Shearwater passed Lowestoft on 17th and a welcome Great Shearwater was logged off both Southwold then Lowestoft on 19th. Sabine’s Gulls were off thorpeness on 20th and kessingland on 27th. However, perhaps the main event was a distant Black-browed Albatross that was found heading south past Lowestoft on the afternoon of 28th, then tracked on its journey at Southwold and Sizewell.

October

Seawatching was less productive in october with just Sabine’s Gulls on 2nd at Southwold and Minsmere and a Grey Phalarope off Benacre on 5th. two big finds occurred on 3rd with a short-staying Booted Warbler at Sizewell and a cracking, much-admired Rustic Bunting at North Denes, Lowestoft. Both birds were seen briefly on 4th. A first-winter Steppe Grey Shrike was found at Benacre on 4th remaining to 7th. A Honey Buzzard was offshore from corton on 3rd. Red-breasted Flycatchers were at Landguard, from 3rd to 5th, then another there on 5th and a third in Lowestoft, also on 5th. Radde’s Warblers were at coastal sites on 3rd, 4th, 5th, 9th and 13th. Pallas’s Warblers, also near the coast, were recorded on 9th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 22nd and 23rd. A Dusky Warbler was at Minsmere on 16th and 17th and a Siberian Chiffchaff was photographed in Lowestoft on 16th.

November

Eastern Yellow Wagtails turned up again, with two at corporation Marshes, Dunwich, one from 4th and the other from 5th, both last seen on 16th. the adult male from Walberswick was relocated at carlton Marshes from 24th staying until December 6th. A popular Greater Yellowlegs was at Dingle Marshes from 7th to 19th.

A Penduline Tit was at Bramfield on 7th. in the west, a photographed Hooded Crow was a good find at Gifford’s Hall, Stoke-by-Nayland. A Hume’s Warbler was found at Gunton Meadows on 8th and yet more Pallas’s Warblers were found on 7th, 9th and 13th. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Minsmere on 8th and Dusky Warblers at Landguard from 9th to 15th and Southwold on 9th and 10th. on 25th, a Richard’s Pipit visited Hollesley Marshes.

December

A Black-throated Diver passed Landguard on 5th, with red-throated Divers. A Siberian Chiffchaff was photographed at Lackford Lakes on 19th. A Rough-legged Buzzard took up residence in the Sudbourne/orfordness area from 26th and was present there well into 2021. finally, on 26th, a Hooded Merganser was found on Wantisden/Staverton Pools and it also was present well into 2021. this bird was not thought to be of wild origin and may well have come from christchurch Park.