Systematic List of Rare Birds
RARE & SCARCE BIRDS AT LANDGUARD SUFFOLK
This is a list (including some rare races but excluding escapees) for which 25 or fewer records can be traced. If a species is a BBRC rarity with less than 25 British records when found this is highlighted as are firsts for Suffolk. All national rarities have been accepted by BBRC.
QUAIL Coturnix coturnix
Two records.
1994 23rd May
2004 2nd May
BLACK BRANT Branta bernicla nigricans
One record of a bird flying past with Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Others have possibly been overlooked.
2014 13th October
PALE-BELLIED BRENT GOOSE Branta bernicla hrota
15 records of birds flying past amongst flocks of Dark-bellied Brent Geese. Others have possibly been overlooked.
1989 22nd November
1991 28th September
1994 23rd October
1997 14th January
3rd November
2006 9th October
2011 16th September
2012 28th May
31st May
17th December
2013 two 11th November
20th November
2014 7th May
2017 two 30th December
2019 19th September
RED-BREASTED GOOSE Branta ruficollis
Two records, one of a bird flying past with Brent Geese that was known to be wintering on the nearby estuary and another in 2015 whose origin is open to speculation. Others of suspect origin are included in the escapes report.
2000 17th January
2015 30th September
TUNDRA BEAN GOOSE Anser serrirostris
17 records of “Bean Geese” in flight over the area are all presumed to be this species but this is not confirmed.
1988 six 17th November
1989 14th October
1992 30th March
1998 16 22nd January
2002 13 19th October
2007 two 14th November
2009 two 8th November
two 25th November
2011 20th January
2013 13th April
2016 8th January
11th January
two 13th February
20th December
2017 16th January
2018 28th October
2019 21st November
WHOOPER SWAN Cygnus cygnus
14 records of birds in flight over the area.
1982 6th November
1985 two 4th January
2002 two 19th October
2004 four 28th January
2007 five 16th December
2008 five 13th December
2009 seven 3rd November
2010 24th November
2011 six 29th October
three 7th November
13th December
2017 4th October
2019 two 27th October
28th October
EGYPTIAN GOOSE Alopochen aegyptiaca
Nine records.
2004 6th May
2006 3rd April
2010 4th December
2012 three 31st March
2013 two 19th April
13th September
2015 two 31st March (one a hybrid with a domestic goose)
2017 two 10th February
2nd December
GARGANEY Spatula querquedula
Nine records of birds flying past.
1990 13th April
1992 8th April
9th November
1997 two 4th May
2002 7th May
2004 10th September
2005 4th June
2011 6th August
2016 16th September
RED-CRESTED POCHARD Netta rufina
One record of a bird flying south close inshore.
1990 5th September
SMEW Mergellus albellus
12 records either associated with cold weather movements or autumn passage.
1985 18th January
22nd January
1989 16th November
1991 10th February
eight 11th February
three 12th February
1992 27th October
1997 9th January
4th November
2004 22nd January
2010 three 10th February
2011 three 25th October
NIGHTJAR Caprimulgus europaeus
Seven records.
1981 7th October
1982 6th September
1983 20th August
1990 8th June
4th September
1996 6th to 7th September
2007 6th September
ALPINE SWIFT Tachymarptis melba
Two records.
1991 11th July
2002 6th June
[PALLID SWIFT Apus pallidus
Two records. A "swift sp." on 2nd November 2008 was probably this species but could not be confirmed. One 31st October 2011 was rejected by BBRC.]
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO Coccyzus americanus
One record.
1989 25th October
SPOTTED CRAKE Porzana porzana
One record of a bird in the scrub by the cottage gate.
1993 27th September
COOT Fulica atra
11 records, with the second probably dying up river before being washed up on the riverbank. The February & December records are all associated with severe winter weather conditions.
1980 18th September
1985 29th January (dead)
1987 four 1st February
1st April
1990 25th July
1991 11th February
14th February
18th February
1994 15th October
2009 22nd December
2011 29th October
CRANE Grus grus
Four records of 14 individuals in flight.
1988 three 29th October
1990 four 8th October
2002 six 12th September
2010 one 15th March
LITTLE GREBE Tachybaptus ruficollis
Six records, including two picked up dead on the riverbank that had probably died up river before being washed up on site and one found in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe and released on the river during the same cold winter weather of February 1991.
1986 5th October
1991 11th February (dead)
12th February (released) presumed same 13th
20th February (dead)
1992 9th November
2016 17th September
SLAVONIAN GREBE Podiceps auritus
Ten records although four of these probably of the same bird.
1984 14th November
1992 15th November
2011 three 12th November
2014 10th & 19th January, 1st & 3rd February (presumed same)
25th November
2016 5th January
21st March
BLACK-NECKED GREBE Podiceps nigricollis
Nine records, including a flock of eight flying south close inshore. The March to August records were of summer plumaged birds sitting on the sea.
1994 eight 30th September
1995 14th April
1996 7th April
2002 11th August
2005 23rd March
2010 14th July
2014 13th August
2016 5th October
2017 2nd February
STONE CURLEW Burhinus oedicnemus
Five records.
1989 19th August
1998 2nd May
2012 10th April
2018 14th April
2019 3rd April
AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER Pluvialis dominica
One record.
2012 11th June
KENTISH PLOVER Charadrius alexandrinus
Three records of birds “obtained” pre 1930’s, dates not known, plus two recent records.
2008 female 20th January
2016 male 2nd June
DOTTEREL Charadrius morinellus
11 records.
1984 two 20th to 23rd May
1990 1st May
1997 24th September
2002 16th August
2007 two 5th May
2008 25th May
7th to 18th September
13th September
2011 23rd August
2013 two 24th August
2014 22nd April
TEMMINCK’S STINT Calidris temminckii
Three records of four birds, the 1984 bird seen on the beach and the others in flight.
1984 17th May
2001 15th May
2004 two 15th May
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER Calidris subruficollis
One record of a bird that landed on the reserve for less than a minute.
2016 12th September
GREY PHALAROPE Phalaropus fulicarius
20 records. At least two other unidentified phalaropes in the last 20 years (one October & one December record) were also quite probably this species.
1983 23rd October
1988 13th February
1989 31st October
2000 31st October to 5th November
2nd November
2002 10th November
24th November
2004 24th November
2005 11th November
2006 30th October
15th & presumed same 19th November
2007 26th September
30th September
2008 6th September
2009 20th November
2010 1st October
2011 6th October
9th October
2015 5th November
MARSH SANDPIPER Tringa stagnatilis
One record of a bird flying south over the reserve during a large passage of Swallows.
1998 19th September
WOOD SANDPIPER Tringa glareola
11 records of birds in flight over the area.
1982 9th August
1986 7th September
1987 21st June
25th August
1995 10th September
2002 17th August
2009 7th August
2013 three 24th August
2016 4th August
2019 27th July
5th August
SABINE’S GULL Xema sabini
Twelve records of eleven individuals. All juveniles except the 1991 bird which was an adult or first summer bird.
1987 16th October
18th October
20th October
1991 31st August & probably same 3rd September
1996 19th September
2004 2nd October
27th October
2007 24th September
2008 1st November
2016 5th October
7th October
ICELAND GULL Larus glaucoides
At least 19 individuals including a bird present in Felixstowe every winter from January 1984 to April 1992 that regularly visited Landguard. Other records prior to the formation of the bird observatory possibly exist.
1983 immature 19th December
1984 first-winter on 20 dates 14th February to 7th May (possibly same as above)
immature 28th & 29th April (additional bird)
second-winter 9th December (same as one of above birds)
1985 second-winter 5th, 6th January, 17th March & 7th April (same as above)
1986 third-winter on 18 dates 3rd January to 29th April (same as above)
adult 11th & 19th November & 7th December (same as above)
1987 adult on 25 dates 14th January to 14th April (same as above)
adult on seven dates 11th October to 3rd December (same as above)
first-winter 28th November
1988 adult on 20 dates 5th January to 20th March (same as above)
first-winter 19th January
adult 19th November (same as above)
1989 adult on 42 dates 2nd January to 28th April (same as above)
adult on six dates 12th October to 1st November (same as above)
1990 adult 13th February, four dates April & 15th May (same as above)
adult 4th & 11th November (same as above)
1991 adult on eleven dates January to 11th April (same as above)
adult on five dates 23rd October to years end (same as above)
1992 adult on six dates to 3rd April (same as above)
first-winter 12th February
1997 second-winter 21st March & 3rd April
1999 third-winter 28th February
2000 adult 8th March
2004 adult 15th & 28th October & 24th November
2005 second-winter 20th & 21st February
2012 third-winter 20th February
adult 7th to 9th March
first-winter 12th to 14th March
2013 adult 17th March
2014 adult 21st to 23rd March
2017 adult 14th February
second-winter 23rd to 26th March
first-winter 19th November to 8th December
2018 second-summer 26th May
CASPIAN GULL Larus cachinnans
19 recent birds.
2004 28th January (second-winter)
2007 26th September (second-winter)
8th & 12th October (first-winter)
28th December (first-winter)
2008 23rd March (first-winter)
2nd April (second-winter)
17th April (first-winter)
27th April (first-winter)
19th October (second-winter)
three 8th December (first-winters)
25th December (first-winter)
2010 5th November (first-winter)
2012 24th to 25th March (second-winter)
26th July & 10th August (first-summer)
2014 18th to 21st & 25th March (first-summer)
4th September (first-winter)
2017 21st September to 11th October (second-winter)
11th November (near-adult)
GULL-BILLED TERN Gelochelidon nilotica
Three records of four birds.
1991 28th May
1997 two 1st May
2005 14th June
ROSEATE TERN Sterna dougallii
21 records.
1990 9th September
1991 19th August
1992 1st August
11th September
2004 17th September
2005 16th May
2006 14th September
2007 30th April
1st May
8th & 10th June
23rd August
2008 17th May
2011 23rd August
2012 23rd May
2013 21st June
2015 14th to 15th May
11th August
2016 30th May
Two 4th June
23rd July
WHISKERED TERN Chlidonias hybrida
One record.
1995 12th June
PUFFIN Fratercula arctica
16 records but described previously as “rare passage” so others may exist. The 2011 records were all records of birds flying north on three consecutive days.
1988 30th October
1990 20th April
15th October
2007 11th November
2010 11th November
2011 7th November
8th November
9th November
2012 20th September
2017 20th November
29th November
13th December
14th December
2018 11th November
2019 9th November
15th November
RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD Phaethon aetherus
One record of a tide line corpse. The bird was of the race indicus that was presumably ship assisted and died long before it was thrown overboard from a ship in the docks.
1993 17th February (dead)
STORM PETREL Hydrobates pelagicus
Seven records of eight individuals including two old records of birds dead at the lighthouse and one released having boarded a ship.
1883 two September (dead at lighthouse)
1985 30th October
1989 2nd November (released)
1998 25th October
2006 24th May
2013 31st December
2019 20th September
CORY’S SHEARWATER Calonectris borealis
Four records of five birds during the same time of the year.
2004 12th October
13th October
two 14th October
2011 9th October
GREAT SHEARWATER Ardenna gravis
Two records, the first of an individual scavenging behind a trawler coming into the river mouth.
1990 22nd September
2011 16th September
BALEARIC SHEARWATER Puffinus mauretanicus
Four records
2008 3rd February
2010 6th September
2013 6th February
2019 23rd August
BLACK STORK Ciconia nigra
One record flying south into Essex.
2015 28th August
GLOSSY IBIS Plegadis falcinellus
One record of a bird in flight.
2009 6th October
SPOONBILL Platalea leucorodia
15 records including the first site record of one sitting on the reserve following heavy rain.
1975 22nd to 23rd April
1982 one on a date between 11th & 14th November
1987 10th June
1988 25th September
2007 13th October
2008 two 23rd September
2011 30th April
2015 24th March
three 8th September
three 18th September
three 30th September
2017 29th June
2018 six 22nd September
2019 28th September
17th October
BITTERN Botaurus stellaris
One record of a bird flushed from the reserve and flying off south.
1997 23rd September
NIGHT HERON Nycticorax nycticorax
One record of a bird flying out to sea.
1996 12th August
CATTLE EGRET Bubulcus ibis
Two records.
2011 2nd December
2018 26th May
GREAT WHITE EGRET Ardea alba
12 records of birds flying over, the first seen later at Trimley Marshes.
2004 4th June
2007 25th September
2010 24th November
2014 13th April
2016 3rd December
2017 5th October
two 13th October
26th October
12th December
2018 13th October
20th October
2019 three 5th September
HONEY BUZZARD Pernis apivorus
14 records of 22 (or 25) individuals. The three additional birds in 2008 were very distant but were probably this species.
1988 15th May
1989 15th September
two 24th September
1999 3rd October
2000 1st October
two 15th October
2001 12th October
2008 five 13th September
two 14th September
one (possibly four) 28th September
2010 1st September
2013 29th April
15th May
2014 11th September
MONTAGU’S HARRIER Circus pygargus
Seven records, five records of “ringtails” plus males in 2005 & 2011.
1977 13th August
1995 9th May
1999 19th May
2003 14th May
2005 26th May
2011 26th April
2012 10th May
RED KITE Milvus milvus
12 records, including one from a re-introduction project.
1988 20th March
2000 23rd March
2001 19th May (wing tagged from Chilterns re-introduction scheme)
2003 21st March
2006 1st August
2009 25th July
2010 2nd March
2013 29th March
2015 two 25th March
2017 13th March
2018 23rd April
25th April
BLACK KITE Milvus migrans
One record.
2016 26th July
WHITE-TAILED EAGLE Haliaeetus albicilla
One record.
2015 23rd March
ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD Buteo lagopus
Two records, the first flying south and the one the following day flying in off the sea and inland.
1994 26th October
27th October
DARK-BREASTED BARN OWL Tyto alba guttata
One record of a juvenile that presumably hitched a lift to Felixstowe on a ship from the near continent. Recent analysis of photographs taken at the time does not conclusively prove the identification.
1997 11th June
SNOWY OWL Bubo scandiacus
Two records. The 2001 bird was present for several weeks in the area but was only known to be in the recording area on the date below. The 1885 record is of a bird shot at the lighthouse that existed in those days.
1885 9th February (shot)
2001 25th October
TAWNY OWL Strix aluco
One or three birds. It is conceivable that the 1995 records could also refer to the long staying bird.
1989 7th October intermittently to 19th January 1994
1995 21st March
2nd, 16th & 27th August (presumed same)
HOOPOE Upupa epops
Six "recent" records although another sighting of two to three birds present during the days of army occupation in the last century (late 1940’s/1950’s) is undocumented. The 1992 bird moved north to the area around Sangamo’s factory until 14th.
1987 1st September
1988 28th to 29th April
1992 11th to 12th September
2009 15th April
2018 19th October
2019 23rd June
BEE-EATER Merops apiaster
Six records.
2002 21st July
2004 2nd May
2005 20th June
2008 9th July
2014 6th May
2019 two 24th June
LESSER SPOTTED WOODPECKER Dryobates minor
Nine records. One of the birds below had been ringed previously at Fagbury Cliff on the other side of the docks.
1983 13th August
1984 14th February
8th September
1985 14th October
1987 15th September
1990 14th September
1993 22nd June
3rd August
4th October
RED-FOOTED FALCON Falco vespertinus
Four records, the first a first year male that spent several hours feeding on site.
1992 30th May
2007 28th June
2015 16th June
2019 13th September
GREAT GREY SHRIKE Lanius excubitor
19 records. All of the 1984 birds moved inland soon after they were seen as did the individuals in 1991, 1993, 2001 & 2015. The 2007 bird also moved inland soon after it stopped raining that day.
1978 1st October
1979 15th to 18th October
1984 5th October
6th October
two 7th October
1991 17th October
1993 22nd October
1995 12th October
2001 9th November
2007 28th September
2013 13th to 21st October
2014 17th to 18th October
2015 12th October
15th October
two 19th October
2016 3rd October
5th October
2017 30th October
2019 22nd October
STEPPE GREY SHRIKE Lanius excubitor pallidirostris
One record, the third British record. First Suffolk record.
1986 6th December
WOODCHAT SHRIKE Lanius senator
Two records of juveniles.
1977 17th to 21st August
1994 14th to 16th September
GOLDEN ORIOLE Oriolus oriolus
Five records.
1984 20th May
31st May
1998 28th & 29th May
2005 16th May
2008 3rd June
CHOUGH Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax
One record, the only Suffolk record, although its authenticity has been questioned.
1888 two 2nd April
NORDIC/EASTERN JACKDAW Corvus monedula monedula
Five records of birds showing characteristics of the above. The first of a trapped bird, others have possibly been overlooked amongst migrant Jackdaws flying over.
1994 14th to 15th October
2011 29th to 30th March
2015 16th May
2018 5th March
2019 23rd October
HOODED CROW Corvus cornix
Eight records. The species was formerly common on the Suffolk coast in winter so other older records may exist. The 2017 was later seen on several dates in south Felixstowe.
1981 15th May
26th October
1985 30th October
1995 12th April
1999 17th October
2012 7th October
11th December
2017 16th May
RAVEN Corvus corax
Four records.
1884 two 22nd June
1886 two 16th December
1993 28th October
1996 5th March
MARSH TIT Poecile palustris
Four records.
1987 20th June
2005 22nd June
2009 16th June
2014 9th September
WILLOW TIT Poecile montanus
Five records.
1980 19th September
1983 25th September
1988 26th June
2000 22nd April
2009 14th June
BEARDED TIT Panurus biarmicus
Five records. Another record in September/October 1973 is proving impossible to date with any accuracy.
1887 16th February
1988 12th October
2010 15th October
2017 ten 19th October
2019 two 27th October
CRESTED LARK Galerida cristata
One record, the 20th British record. First Suffolk record.
1996 2nd & 9th October
SHORT-TOED LARK Calandrella brachydactyla
Four records.
1992 23rd to 25th September
1996 21st to 22nd May
1997 29th June to 1st July
2001 8th to 10th May
RED-RUMPED SWALLOW Cecropis daurica
12 records of 13 birds.
1987 two 28th October
1994 26th October
2007 22nd April
25th April
1st May
2009 3rd May
2011 14th May
2012 11th May
2013 26th September
2015 7th June
2017 9th May
2018 21st April
CETTI’S WARBLER Cettia cetti
Nine records.
1989 6th May
1996 9th October
1997 16th to 19th May
2010 6th May
2013 29th October
2017 4th April
27th September to 3rd October
2018 16th July
2019 19th April
WESTERN BONELLI’S WARBLER Phylloscopus bonelli
Three records (although the first record was not assigned to “Western”, it is probably this species).
1981 13th September
1996 2nd to 20th October
2000 27th to 29th May
RADDE’S WARBLER Phylloscopus schwarzi
Five records.
1991 8th to 9th October
1995 15th October
2004 27th October
2006 10th to 12th October
2016 6th October
DUSKY WARBLER Phylloscopus fuscatus
Four records. The 1987 bird was the first for Suffolk.
1987 27th October to 1st November
2001 23rd to 29th October
2004 20th October to 4th November
2014 16th to 20th November
IBERIAN CHIFFCHAFF Phylloscopus ibericus
One record. First Suffolk record.
2017 1st June
GREENISH WARBLER Phylloscopus trochiloides
Six records, four singing males, one not singing in June and an autumn bird.
1992 28th May
1997 8th July
2009 17th to 18th September
2012 26th May
2014 27th May
2017 20th to 21st June
ARCTIC WARBLER Phylloscopus borealis
Two records.
2009 1st to 2nd September
2016 20th to 21st September
GREAT REED WARBLER Acrocephalus arundinaceus
One record of one singing for three days.
2017 7th to 9th May
PADDYFIELD WARBLER Acrocephalus agricola
One record, the 16th British record. First Suffolk record.
1988 11th June
BLYTH’S REED WARBLER Acrocephalus dumetorum
One record.
2016 10th October
MARSH WARBLER Acrocephalus palustris
23 records of 24 individuals. On 23rd May 1994 a third individual was also present just outside the recording area on the junction of View Point Road & Carr Road.
1987 9th to 10th June
1990 28th July
1991 29th to 31st May
1992 30th May
3rd June
1994 two 23rd May
24th May (different to above)
1997 5th June
1999 19th to 20th May
2003 2nd June
2004 29th to 30th June
2005 4th September
2008 30th May
31st May
3rd June
8th June
2009 6th June
11th June
2012 26th May
28th May
29th May
2013 14th May
2015 14th June
BOOTED WARBLER Iduna caligata
One record, the first for Suffolk as a previous record claimed for Suffolk is listed in the national archive for Norfolk
2011 16th October
MELODIOUS WARBLER Hippolais polyglotta
Eight records, all adults. The 2009 bird moved to just outside the recording area the following day.
1983 7th to 13th May
1995 31st May
1996 30th May
1997 14th June
1998 17th June
2000 27th July
2001 1st July
2009 17th May
LANCEOLATED WARBLER Locustella lanceolata
One record. First Suffolk record.
1997 26th September
SAVI’S WARBLER Locustella luscinioides
One record. The validity of this record has been questioned with many observers suggesting it was actually a Grasshopper Warbler trapped at the time.
1989 23rd to 24th April
DARTFORD WARBLER Sylvia undata
Eight records.
1995 16th May
2004 3rd October
2008 22nd October
2009 4th November
2013 2nd November
2016 10th October
2017 10th October
2019 16th October
SPECTACLED WARBLER Sylvia conspicillata
One record, the second British record. First Suffolk record.
1997 26th April to 2nd May
WESTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER Sylvia cantillans cantillans
Three records, all males. The 1987 bird was the first for Suffolk.
1987 8th to 10th June
1988 23rd to 24th April
2008 29th to 30th May
EASTERN SUBALPINE WARBLER Sylvia cantillans albistriata
Four records of five birds, all males except for two females in 1993. The 1986 bird was the first for Suffolk. Another in August/September 2014 was just outside the recording area.
1986 26th September to 2nd October
1989 30th May
1993 two 28th May
2013 26th to 27th April
SARDINIAN WARBLER Sylvia melanocephala
One record of a male. First Suffolk record.
1994 20th May
NUTHATCH Sitta europaea
Four records.
1999 2nd April
2006 25th June
2013 26th June
2014 6th June
TREECREEPER Certhia familiaris
19 records. 17 juveniles plus a spring bird. The 2003 bird showed characteristics of the nominate race C.f.familiaris.
1987 31st July to 1st August
1988 18th to 19th October
1990 3rd August
1997 14th to 15th September
2002 25th June
2003 18th October
2004 26th June
2006 4th September
2007 27th to 28th June
2009 27th June
24th September
2010 8th to 14th April
11th October
2011 22nd June
4th July
2016 22nd June
3rd July
27th to 31st July
2017 15th to 16th June
SHORT-TOED TREECREEPER Certhia brachydactyla
One record. The first for Suffolk.
2011 24th March to 6th April
ROSE-COLOURED STARLING Pastor roseus
Nine birds.
1993 juv 4th to 9th September
2001 adult 12th June
juv 16th to 17th October
2003 juv 28th September
2005 juv 7th to 8th September
2006 juv 2nd October
2012 first-summer 25th May
2018 2nd to 4th June
3rd June
THRUSH NIGHTINGALE Luscinia luscinia
Three records. The 1984 bird was the first for Suffolk.
1984 13th to 14th May
1995 27th August to 15th September
1997 28th to 29th September
RED-FLANKED BLUETAIL Tarsiger cyanurus
Three records. The first of an adult male, the 15th British record. First for Suffolk.
1994 26th October
2011 14th November
2019 23rd March
RED-BREASTED FLYCATCHER Ficedula parva
17 records, six in spring & 11 in autumn.
1977 9th May
21st October
1984 5th to 7th October
1988 14th October
1990 8th October
1992 30th May
7th June
1993 11th June
1995 12th June
1999 19th May
2002 10th September
15th September
2005 16th to 17th October
2007 2nd October
2009 14th September
2014 15th September
2019 22nd September
SIBERIAN STONECHAT Saxicola maurus
Two records of unknown race.
1979 13th October
1984 7th to 10th October
SIBERIAN STONECHAT Saxicola maurus hemprichii
One record of a first winter male, the second British record of the race hemprichii. First Suffolk Record.
1993 11th September
STEJNEGER’S STONECHAT Saxicola stejnegeri
One record of a first winter male, the second British record. First Suffolk record.
2016 6th to 7th October
ISABELLINE WHEATEAR Oenanthe isabellina
Two records, the 19th & 22nd British records.
2001 21st September
2005 4th October
DESERT WHEATEAR Oenanthe deserti
One record of a first-winter male, the 15th British record. First Suffolk record.
1987 20th to 24th October
PIED WHEATEAR Oenanthe pleschanka
One record of an adult male.
2015 2nd to 3rd November
SPANISH SPARROW Passer hispaniolensis
One male. The ninth British record. First Suffolk record.
2012 24th August, 1st to 2nd, 6th & 10th to 14th September
BLACK-HEADED WAGTAIL Motacilla flava feldegg
One record, the fourth British record. First Suffolk record.
1985 30th June
GREY-HEADED WAGTAIL Motacilla flava thunbergi
At least 17 individuals recorded, all males.
1987 29th April
1989 14th May
1992 four 30th May three to 31st & one to 1st June
3rd to 4th June
1994 two 15th September one to 16th
1995 17th to 18th September
1998 17th May
1999 6th to 7th May
2005 1st to 2nd May
2007 30th May
2013 6th September
2014 26th May
2018 11th June
CITRINE WAGTAIL Motacilla citreola
One record of an adult female.
2008 29th August
RICHARD’S PIPIT Anthus richardi
Ten records of 11 birds.
1977 24th to 26th September
22nd October
1980 20th to 24th October
1988 21st October
1994 3rd October
two 16th November
1996 30th October
1998 29th September
2000 15th October
2011 1st October
BLYTH’S PIPIT Anthus godlewskii
One record, the sixth British record. First Suffolk record.
1994 4th to 10th November
TAWNY PIPIT Anthus campestris
14 records.
1979 13th October
1980 21st September
1982 16th September
1989 12th to 19th September
1991 28th May
1992 22nd to 25th August
1993 16th September
1994 16th October
1997 6th August
2004 10th September
2009 24th September
2011 24th September
2012 6th May
2018 30th August
RED-THROATED PIPIT Anthus cervinus
Three records. Others flying over have possibly been overlooked.
2013 29th October
2014 23rd September
2017 27th to 30th September
WATER PIPIT Anthus spinoletta
Three records.
1978 1st April
2003 17th April
2019 21st April
NORTHERN BULLFINCH Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula
One record of a male. Others may have been present in the past but were not documented. A Bullfinch 17th November 2014 was possibly this race based on its call.
2002 7th to 9th November
TRUMPETER FINCH Bucanetes githagineus
One record, the eight British record.
2005 21st to 26th May.
COMMON ROSEFINCH Carpodaceus erythrina
11 records including adult males in 1996 & 2004. The only definite juvenile was the bird trapped in 2002.
1995 8th June
1996 8th July
1997 21st & 24th July
2001 26th August
2002 12th September
2004 14th August
2006 17th September
2008 29th May
4th June
2010 25th May
2014 27th May
2018 31st May
LITTLE BUNTING Emberiza pusilla
Five records.
1986 10th October
1987 19th October
2006 18th to 19th October
2012 24th April
2018 17th October
RUSTIC BUNTING Emberiza rustica
Two records.
1992 3rd October
2008 23rd to 24th September
YELLOW-BREASTED BUNTING Emberiza aureola
Two records, although the second individual was an adult male & showed signs of incarceration and was probably a wild bird transported into Europe by man. The 1993 bird was the first for Suffolk.
1993 4th September
1999 12th August
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW Zonotrichia albicollis
One record
2014 19th June
LARK SPARROW Chondestes grammacus
One record, the first British record. First Suffolk record.
1981 30th June to 8th July
Compiled by Nigel Odin, Landguard Bird Observatory, View Point Road, Felixstowe, Suffolk, IP11 3TW.
E.mail: landguardbo@yahoo.co.uk
Updated & revised January 2020
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