Highlights...
Undoubtedly this month's best sightings were of a Spotted Crake, six Cranes and an Ortolan Bunting. Also of note however were a Garganey, four Black-necked Grebes and two Grey Phalaropes.
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (in summer plumage), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (in winter plumage), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
The Month's Bird News In Full...
More details of the above highlights and the rest of this month's sightings...
Canada Goose...
Present throughout, 28 were present during the Wetland Bird Survey count on the 12th.
Black Swan...
Three were present to the 21st but were not seen subsequently.
Mute Swan...
Present throughout. 680 adults/subadults were present during the Wetland Bird Survey count on the 12th. In addition there were around 150 cygnets present.
Whooper Swan...
The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.
Common Shelduck...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 18 on the 2nd.
Garganey...
One present from the 4th to the 6th and again on the 11th was no doubt the same bird seen in August.
Shoveler...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 80 on the 21st.
Gadwall...
There were sightings of one on the 6th, two on the 12th and two on the 26th.
 |
| Gadwall (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Steve Groves |
Wigeon...
Present throughout, with a peak counts of 100 on the 21st and 25th.
Mallard...
Present throughout, 535 were present during the Wetland Bird Survey count on the 12th.
Pintail...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 250 on the 25th.
Teal...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 400 on the 16th.
Pochard...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 75 on the 25th.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 150 on the 25th.
Pheasant...
Present throughout.
Swift...
Three relatively late birds were seen on the 1st and again on the 4th.
Domestic/Feral Pigeon...
The usual mixed flock of wandering dovecote birds, racers and feral birds visited daily.
Stock Dove...
One or two were seen regularly but four were seen on the 13th.
Woodpigeon...
Present throughout.
Collared Dove...
Regularly encountered.
Water Rail...
No doubt present throughout but three seen on the 22nd was the highest count.
Spotted Crake...
One trapped and released on the 14th was the first Swannery record since August 2009!
Moorhen...
Present throughout.
Coot...
Present throughout. 380 were present during the Wetland Bird Survey count on the 12th.
Crane...
Six flew over high to the southeast on the 29th . They were believed to be the same six birds (probably a family party) that were seen at various localities on their way south from the small self established population that breed at Strathbeg in Scotland. This was the first Swannery record since the two in that flew over in April 2015.
 |
| Cranes, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Little Grebe...
Present throughout. 17 were present during the Wetland Bird Survey count on the 12th.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with a peak count of at least 40 on the 2nd.
Black-necked Grebe...
Following on from the three that arrived at the end of August... there were up to four present from the 2nd to the 16th and then up to two present to the 3oth.
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (in summer plumage), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Charlie Wheeler |
 |
| Black-necked Grebe (in summer plumage), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Charlie Wheeler |
Oystercatcher...
Singles on the 16th/17th and again on the 29th/30th.
Lapwing...
Present throughout much of the month with a peak count of 10 from the 21st to the 23rd.
Grey Plover...
One on the 22nd.
Ringed Plover...
Singles were noted on the 1st and 14th but two were present on the 19th and 22nd.
Whimbrel...
One on the 17th.
Curlew...
At least two were heard on the 22nd.
Bar-tailed Godwit...
One on the 15th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
One or two were seen regularly through the month but eight were seen on the 9th and three on the 11th.
Turnstone...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of nine on the 2nd.
Knot...
Singles were seen on the 3rd and 9th but two were present on the 13th.
Sanderling...
Three were seen on the 17th and one on the 18th.
Dunlin...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of 75 on the 1st.
Snipe...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of nine on the 3rd.
Grey Phalarope...
Two were present on the 30th (the first since October 2020).
Common Sandpiper...
Noted on virtually a daily basis with a peak of seven on the 2nd, 4th and 9th.
Green Sandpiper...
One to three were seen regularly until the 25th but five were present on the 3rd.
Redshank...
From one to three were seen on virtually a daily basis.
 |
| Redshank, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Greenshank...
There were regular sightings of one or two through the month but three were present on the 8th, six on the 15th and four on the 18th.
 |
| Greenshanks, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Steve Groves |
Black-headed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak count of at least 200 on the 3rd.
Mediterranean Gull...
Regularly encountered with a peak count of at least 50 on the 3rd.
Common Gull...
One to three were seen on five dates from the 12th to the 30th.
Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout, with at least 100 present on the 9th.
Herring Gull...
Present throughout.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
One or two were encountered fairly regularly.
Sandwich Tern...
Five were seen on the 6th and two on the 13th.
Cormorant...
Present throughout with a peak count of at least 75 on the 4th.
Cattle Egret...
Regularly encountered with a peak of 10 on the 26th.
Grey Heron...
Noted on virtually a daily basis with a peak count of at least 6 on the 16th.
 |
| Grey Heron (with Flounder), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Steve Groves |
Great Egret...
Singles were seen on the 5th and 20th (the first since May).
Little Egret...
Present throughout with a peak count of at least 30 on the 30th.
Osprey...
Singles were seen on five dates between the 1st on 15th.
Sparrowhawk...
Singles were seen on five dates.
 |
| Sparrowhawk, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Steve Groves |
Marsh Harrier...
Singles were seen regularly through the month.
Buzzard...
Present throughout.
Little Owl..
One on the 25th was the first since June 2020.
Tawny Owl..
One or two were heard regularly.
Kingfisher..
Up to three (at least) were seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker..
Singles were noted regularly.
Green Woodpecker..
Present throughout, with at least one or two seen regularly.
Kestrel...
Present throughout.
Merlin...
Singles were seen on the 5th, 10th and 13th (the first since February).
Hobby...
Singles were seen on the 3rd, 5th and 26th.
Peregrine...
Singles were seen on five dates.
Jay...
Three on the 26th were the first since April.
Magpie...
Present throughout.
Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
Raven...
One or two were noted regularly.
Coal Tit...
At least one or two were regularly encountered.
Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Skylark...
Present throughout.
Sand Martin...
A few were noted to mid-month but not subsequently.
Swallow...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 1,000 on the 13th.
House Martin...
Seen regularly with a peak count of at least 100 on several dates.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Regularly encountered, with a peak count of at least 10 on several dates.
Willow Warbler...
Regularly encountered until the 11th with at least 50 noted on the 4th.
Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with at least 100 noted on the 20th.
Sedge Warbler...
Regularly encountered with at least 10 noted on the 6th.
Reed Warbler...
Regularly encountered with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Grasshopper Warbler...
Two were seen on the 5th.
 |
| Grasshopper Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Blackcap...
Regularly encountered with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Lesser Whitethroat...
Singles were seen on the 3rd and 4th.
Whitethroat...
Regularly encountered to the 17th, with a peak count of at least five on the 4th.
Firecrest...
One was noted on the 9th.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
Wren...
Present throughout.
Treecreeper...
One or two were noted regularly.
Starling...
The nightly roost held at least 150 mid-month and smaller numbers were regularly encountered during the day.
Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Spotted Flycatcher...
Noted on six dates between the 1st and 19th with a peak of four on the 3rd.
Robin...
Present throughout with at least 30 noted on the 11th.
Pied Flycatcher...
One was seen on the 9th.
Redstart...
Singles were seen on the 5th and 6th.
Whinchat...
Noted regularly from the 1st to the 21st with a peak of at least 10 on the 4th.
Stonechat...
Present throughout with a peak of at least seven on two dates.
Wheatear...
Noted regularly from the 3rd to the 16th with a peak of at least 15 on the 6th.
House Sparrow...
Present in the gardens of the adjacent Grove Lane throughout.
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
Yellow Wagtail...
Present throughout much of the month with a peak count of at least 400 on the 3rd.
Grey Wagtail...
Regularly encountered with a peak of at least nine on the 15th.
Pied Wagtail...
Present throughout.
White Wagtail...
Two were noted on the 21st (the first since October 2020).
Meadow Pipit...
Regularly encountered with a peak of at least 300 on the 15th.
Tree Pipit...
There were five noted on the 4th followed by singles on the 6th, 7th and 9th.
Rock Pipit...
One on the 6th was the first since March.
Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
Greenfinch...
The only record was of one on the 19th.
Linnet...
Regularly encountered, with flocks of 20 plus on several dates.
Goldfinch...
Present throughout with a flock of at least 50 noted on several dates.
Siskin...
One on the 20th was the first since April.
Ortolan Bunting...
One that flew over on the 6th was only the third Swannery record (the last being in August 2018), whilst another 'probable' was heard and seen poorly on the 13th.
Reed Bunting...
Present throughout.
... And that's it for this post except to thank, Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Steve Hales, Ben Sheldon, Joe Stockwell, Nick Urch, Charlie Wheeler (and a few other birders) for additional sightings. Also an extra thanks to Ben, Charlie and Joe for the use of their photos.
October bird news will be published in due course.
