
September 2021
The only wildfowl report of note for September involved a Pale-bellied Brent Goose on Minsmere scrape on the 13th. On the 19th two Red-necked Grebes were seen off Thorpeness. This was the month when sea watching really kicked off, most notable was a rash of Cory’sShearwater reports starting with a single south off Minsmere on the 1st, the rush though occurred on the 14th as follows, southwold south at 07:38, Thorpeness north at 08:03, Minsmere north at 08:10 with probables also being seen at Dunwich north at 08:29, Southwold north at 08:30 and Covehithe north at 09:25. Sooty Shearwater reports were also numerous with singles on several dates, multiple reports were two north at Southwold (3rd), two north at Lowestoft, two north at Minsmere, three north at Covehithe, six north at Thorpeness and seven north at southwold all on 14th, four south at Minsmere on the 30th. There was only one record of Manx Shearwater during the month, a single north at Southwold on the 26th. Spoonbill numbers at Hazelwood marshes rose steadily throughout the month and peaked at a remarkable 38 on the 22nd. Raptor reports were well up on the previous month, the most notable was an incredible 72 Common Buzzards seen flying south at Kessingland between 13:22 and 14:30, a Honey Buzzard flew south over North Warren on 28th. The rivers Blyth and Alde always play host to Ospreys at this time of the year, a single was on the Blyth 16th-21st and a single was on the Alde throughout the month though rising to three birds present on the 24th. The most interesting wader reports included four Curlew Sandpipers at Hazelwood marshes on the 2nd, Pectoral Sandpipers at Carlton marshes 19th-20th and Minsmere 20th-29th. A Grey Phalarope was at Hazelwood marshes on the 30th and a Dotterel was reported on the beach at North Warren on the 15th. On the 3rd a juvenile Sabine’s Gull flew north past Minsmere at 16:42, this bird was then subsequently seen off Southwold at 17:05, Kessingland at 17:25 and Lowestoft at 17:57, sixteen Little Gulls were off Thorpeness on the 6th. Long-tailed Skuas were reported on five dates during the month, the only multiple report was of two off Thorpeness on the 14th. A Pomarine Skua flew south at Thorpeness on the 19th and small numbers of Arctic Skuas and Great Skuas were seen on a handful of dates. A Wryneck was seen at Kessingland on the 7th and a juvenile Red-backed shrike was at Minsmere 22nd-25th. Wood Warbler at Dunwich heath on the 12th, Greenish Warbler at Thorpeness old caravan park on 2nd and four Whinchats at Lowestoft on the 4th.