Short-eared owl
23 Jun 2015
A short-eared owl was recorded from the sea-walls this morning. Interesting to know where this might have come from. A few have bred in past years on Orford Ness, but most of the ones we see here in winter months migrate over from Scandinavia when the vole supply gets low over there.
Jeremy
Marsh harrier
20 Jun 2015
Two marsh harriers over Shingle St airspace today. I think they are breeding just a few miles away near Butley/Boyton.
Jeremy
Little terns
12 Jun 2015
I did a little tern count, as a contribution to one being conducted along the whole Suffolk coast today at the same time (to avoid double-counting). There were three here, mostly fishing off-shore. They were near the enclosed area but they didn't seem to be using that at all and I doubt they will now attempt nesting there this year. I also saw the first grey seal of the year hauled up on one of the shingle banks at low tide. The numbers will probably build up over the summer now, and I think we had over 20 by August last year.
Jeremy
Little Terns
28 May 2015
Two little terns fishing off point and along our shoreline, but no sign of them using the cordoned-off area at this point. I suspect they will be perverse and try outside it again.
Jeremy
Barn owl
27 May 2015
Barn owl hunting in the evening over the fields. A welcome return since they've been less regular in recent months and I gather they have been suffering regionally as a result of a cold spring last year and a downturn in the rodent populations on which they depend. This tends to be a cyclical process so let's hope they will be breeding again here soon.
Jeremy
Corn buntings
26 May 2015
Back in SS now and took a walk to see if the corn buntings were back by the sea-wall walk to East Lane. I was worried about this small, precious colony after the sea walls were stripped of their bushes last year. To my relief I heard one singing, half way along. Will hope to relocate the others in the next week or so. Glad to see that the sheep have been moved back into the usual fields now too – they were trampling some of our best habitat in the area between the dykes. Threats on all sides ...
Jeremy
First swift
06 May 2015
If you look at my article on migrant dates on the website you'll see that I nominate 7 May as the day to look out for the first swift. In fact I saw one on 6 May, beating low over the fields on a most unsummery day of huge SW winds and rain. Clearly eager not to be unpunctual.
Jeremy
I’ve been keeping records of which birds are singing in which weeks for the last dozen or so years at Shingle Street and a clear pattern has emerged. I’m attaching a little chart illustrating this, which you could check to see what you should be particularly listening out for at any time of the year. I’ve only included those birds that sing regularly here and their usual song-periods. There are lots of exceptions involving birds just passing through, rare visitors or residents occasionally singing at untypical times. I have notes on all these if anyone is interested, but for the sake of simplicity have not incorporated them into this table.
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Dates for summer migrants
Every spring and summer migrant birds return to Britain to breed, having made the long and perilous journey from their winter quarters in Africa. These annual movements are part of the deep rhythms of the natural world and from time immemorial they have served humankind as markers of the year’s seasons.
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