Very little of note with wildfowl this month, three Garganey at Minsmere on the 1st and four at Aldeburgh Town marshes on the 6th. A late Pink-footed Goose was seen at Thorpeness on the 9th and four Velvet Scoters remained off Dunwich on the 7th. White Storks were reported over Minsmere on the 7th and Carlton Marshes on the 14th, a Cattle Egret was at Minsmere on the 28th and the Glossy Ibis remained at Aldeburgh Town marshes all month.Two Night Herons at Lound Lakes on the 24th coincided nicely with an influx of this species in to the uk, the birds were well watched by a stream of admirers all afternoon before they departed high to the east late in the evening. Reports of Osprey this month were as follows, Beccles (2nd), Blyth Estuary (4th), Aldeburgh Town marshes (11th) and Carlton Marshes (24th). A female Montagu’s Harrier was seen at Tinker’s marsh, Walberswick on the 30th, a Hen Harrier was at Carlton Marshes on the 6th and what was possibly Suffolk’s first Hobby for the year was seen at Aldeburgh on the 12th, a White-tailed Eagle was reported over the Blyth Estuary on the 7th. Although a fairly regular feature in Suffolk birding these days Cranes are still a great sight to see, this months batch of records mainly concerning birds flying over was as follows, Southwold 5th (2), Southwold 7th (2), Minsmere 21st (3), Carlton Marshes 28th (2), Westleton 28th (2) and Minsmere 30th (5).

The first wader migrants began to trickle through this month with three Little Ringed Plovers on Peto’s marsh on 9th, Little Stint at Minsmere 10th, fifty-one Bar-tailed Godwits at Walberswick 21st, c100 Bar-tailed Godwits at Aldeburgh Town marsh 21st, ten Spotted Redshanks at Blyth Estuary 21st, three Wood Sandpipers at Southwold on 30th and last but by no means least a Black-winged Stilt at Minsmere 30th with a further two at Aldeburgh Town marshes on the same day. Two Short-eared Owls were seen at Walberswick on the 7th and a single there on the 21st, a single was also seen at Peto’s marsh on the 21st.

The Eastern Yellow Wagtail was seen at Peto’s marsh again on the 3rd where it remained until the end of the month, a Blue-headed Wagtail was at Southwold on the 27th and eight Water Pipits were at North Warren on the 6th. Ring Ouzel is a much anticipated spring arrival and a single was at Southwold from the 2nd until the 9th, singles also at Westleton Heath on 22nd, Minsmere 23rd-24th and two at Aldringham Walks on 26th. Hanging on from last month a Lapland Bunting was at Easton Bavents 1st-2nd.