Review of national and county rarities in Suffolk in 2021: Nick Mason and David Walsh

Nick Mason (and David Walsh)

January

it was a quiet start to the year. the Hooded Merganser of unknown origin, present from December 2020, remained at Staverton Ponds, Wantisden well into the spring. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at kirton Sewage Works from 10th to 17th and a Dusky Warbler at Bto Nunnery Lakes, thetford from 17th to 23rd.

February

the Great Grey Shrike at Raydon on 14th, the only one of the year, relocated to capel St Mary in early March. A Black Brant at kirton from 14th to 26th was found by the same observer who identified the Siberian chiffchaff. A Goshawk, outside its normal range, was at Minsmere on 26th. At the end of the month there were two records of White-tailed Eagle, over the Blyth estuary and Westleton Heath.

March

A bonus for many was the Taiga Bean Goose which stayed at Hen Reedbeds from March 10th until April 4th. from 3rd until April 8th there were many observations of White-tailed Eagle across Suffolk (see systematic list), not all of the same bird. Another long-stayer was a White Stork at Lakenheath fen from 21st remaining until April 11th. A great find was a Spotted Crake at trimley Marshes on 24th.

April

the Rough-legged Buzzard seen during the winter at Slaughden, Sudbourne and orfordness made its final appearance on 4th. Another Goshawk was in the north-east area on 4th, this time at Reydon. the adult Grey Phalarope at Minsmere from 7th to 10th was a different bird from the second-year at Southwold from 8th to 12th. the first of five spring Wrynecks was seen at kesgrave on 10th. Possibly the same Black-throated Diver was observed off Southwold on 10th and 25th. Possibly the most watched bird of the year was the Iberian Chiffchaff at the foxhall Stadium in kesgrave. this bird was present from April 17th until June 22nd. A Siberian Chiffchaff was at Landguard on 19th and 20th. An immature Purple Heron was photographed over Lakenheath fen on 27th. three out-of-season Dotterel were at Lakenheath Warren on 28th. the first Temminck’s Stints of the spring were seen at trimley Marshes on 29th and remained for nearly a fortnight. A Hoopoe was well-watched at carlton Marshes from 29th to May 1st. the day after, the first of two Black Kites in the county was also at carlton with the other at North Warren on 30th.

May

At iken there was a male Kentish Plover on 3rd and 4th. on 5th and 6th, a Broad-billed Sandpiper was also at iken. A Black Kite visited Minsmere on 5th. then it was carlton Marshes again, this time a Buff-breasted Sandpiper on 6th and 7th. A Red-rumped Swallow was with House Martins at Hollesley Marshes on 7th. the only Grey-headed Wagtail of the year was at Southwold on 11th. A male Savi’s Warbler was singing at carlton Marshes on 12th. A Honey Buzzard was seen at Minsmere and Aldeburgh on 13th and, probably the same bird, on 14th at Dunwich. A singing Golden Oriole was reported at Lakenheath fen on three dates from 14th to 26th and non-adults were at both Bawdsey and Minsmere on 25th. Another good bird in a good month at iken was the Caspian Tern on 14th. two Hoopoes were in the county, firstly at Woodbridge Airfield on 14th and a second at Gazeley the day after. the first of six Pectoral Sandpipers seen during the year was at Minsmere on 18th. there was another Siberian Chiffchaff, this time at Aldeburgh on 20th.

Woodchat Shrikes were at east Lane, Bawdsey on 23rd and kessingland on 28th. At Lakenheath Fen a Savi’s Warbler sang from 23rd to 27th. the pair of Black-winged Stilts at trimley Marshes put up with raptor harassment from 28th until June 1st.

June

the only accepted Serin of the year was in the usual area, at felixstowe on 2nd. Male Redbacked Shrikes were seen at Leiston on 2nd and Westleton on 5th. Marsh Warblers were in the east of the county on 3rd at least. two Purple Herons were reported, at carlton Marshes, 5th and at Walberswick from 5th to 9th. Also, at Walberswick, a Red-footed Falcon was present from 5th to 7th. Another Golden Oriole was at Minsmere on 5th, this time a male. Landguard, Lowestoft, Hollesley and tunstall were visited during the influx of Rosy Starlings. A singing Common Rosefinch was at Southwold on 7th. A Great Reed Warbler was at Southwold on 9th. A singing male Marsh Warbler was at Landguard on 10th. the Collared Pratincole on 12th seen at Southwold and then Peto’s Marsh, carlton Marshes was found following an unconfirmed report of a pratincole at Minsmere. At carlton Marshes again – this time a Savi’s Warbler singing on 13th. What a spectacle the nine European Bee-eaters would have been at carlton Marshes on 13th, with the same flock gracing Gapton Marshes from 18th to 22nd. Perhaps the mostcolourful bird of the year, and certainly the most-twitched, was the European Roller, which was in the Bunker’s Barn (Lackford/icklingham) area of west Suffolk from June 23rd until July 1st. Another Purple Heron was at Minsmere, a first-summer, from 24th to 29th. the Savi’s Warbler at Minsmere was present from June 17th until July 27th. A colourful female Red-necked Phalarope was at Minsmere on 30th and July 1st.

July

As usual, this was a quiet month for the rarer species. there was a Black Kite over Wangford on 13th. the bird of the month was the White-rumped Sandpiper at Minsmere from 19th to

23rd. on July 26th a Gull-billed Tern spent some of the morning at Minsmere before relocating to carlton Marshes. A Purple Heron was at carlton Marshes from 31st to August 3rd.

August

A White-rumped Sandpiper was photographed at Minsmere on 1st where it remained until 10th. Also on 1st, a Marsh Warbler was ringed in Hollesley. A Rose-coloured Starling was seen in Gorleston on 2nd. on 4th a Red-necked Phalarope was on Havergate island. there was an exciting sequence of events when a Black Stork was first seen at Snape Maltings on 12th. two days later this bird flew south through the county, being noted at Lowestoft, kessingland, iken cliff, Havergate island and fagbury cliff. A Bee-eater flew over Minsmere on 18th. the second Spotted Crake of the year was at Snape Wetlands on 19th. Seawatching started in earnest on 23rd with a Balearic Shearwater off Minsmere. on 24th a Caspian Tern was observed fishing off Southwold.

September

the month got off to a good start with a Greenish Warbler at the old caravan Park at thorpeness on 2nd. it did not hang around though! there was an influx of Wrynecks in the first week, with birds seen at Hollesley, Landguard, Stoke-by-Nayland and kessingland. on 3rd a Sabine’s Gull was observed flying up the coast, being recorded at Minsmere, Southwold, kessingland and Lowestoft. A Lesser Yellowlegs was an exciting find, inland, at Gifford’s flash, Shelley on 13th; it was seen intermittently until 29th. Presumably the same Cory’s Shearwater was seen south off Southwold and then north off thorpeness and Minsmere early on 14th. A Honey Buzzard was observed moving east over Stowmarket on 16th. A first-winter Red-backed Shrike was seen at Minsmere from 22nd to 24th. An unringed White Stork was seen over Brantham on 23rd and then Alton Water on 26th. A rather quiet September came towards a close with a Honey Buzzard south over North Warren on 28th.

October

A Red-necked Phalarope at Hall farm, fornham St Martin on 3rd and 4th was a great find. on 9th and 10th, a Radde’s Warbler was on North Denes, Lowestoft. At trimley Marshes, a Little Bunting was trapped and ringed on 10th. Another Siberian Chiffchaff, this time at North Denes, Lowestoft, was present on 13th. A Richard’s Pipit was photographed on 17th in a field at Bawdsey. there was another Radde’s Warbler on 23rd, this time at Shingle Street. the only Pallas’s Leaf Warbler of the year was at Pakefield on 24th. the Dotterel at king’s fleet/falkenham with Golden Plovers from 30th until November 2nd was well-watched, but could be a fair-old trek to get to!

November

the month started slowly. the Black-throated Diver was seen at several localities between Levington and chelmondiston on 9th. four more Siberian Chiffchaffs were all sound-recorded at Southwold, 14th, Abbey farm RSPB, 16th, Southwold again, 22nd and Benacre, 25th to 29th. A Pied Wheatear, on a typical date, was at Sizewell on 14th. three Grey Phalaropes were recorded, at kessingland, 23rd, felixstowe ferry, 27th and Aldeburgh Marshes on 29th, this latter bird remaining until December 2nd. A Hume’s Warbler was at Benacre from 25th to 29th.

December

A Black Guillemot flew north off Southwold on 5th. After that there were four more Siberian Chiffchaffs, at Leathes Ham, Lowestoft, carlton Marshes, Lowestoft and Lakenheath fen. the Leathes Ham and carlton Marshes birds remained into 2022. A Hume’s Warbler was at Aldeburgh from 26th to 27th.