Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - March & April 2022...

  Highlights...

This period's best birds were Lesser Scaup , Black Kite and Glossy Ibis.

Also of note were a Barnacle Goose, a Greylag Goose, a Mandarin Duck, up to a dozen Garganey, three Scaup, at least two Little Ringed Plovers, a Ruff,  a couple of Continental Lesser Black-backed Gulls, an Arctic Tern, up to four Great Egrets, at least one Hen Harrier, at least one Barn Owl, two Short-eared Owls, two Merlins, a Hobby, a Bearded Tit, a Firecrest, a Pied Flycatcher,  three White Wagtails, a Tree Pipit, at least one Water Pipit and a Scandinavian Rock Pipit along with impressive counts of one hundred Mediterranean Gulls and forty Cattle Egrets.

Black Kite, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Water Pipit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Joe Stockwell

The Month's Bird News In Full...

More details of the above highlights and the rest of this month's sightings...

Russian Brant (Dark-bellied Brent Goose)... One was present on the 2nd and 4th April.

Canada Goose... Present throughout. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 43 in March and 54 in April.

Barnacle Goose... One was present from the 2nd to the 4th April.

Barnacle Goose and Russian Brant, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 
© Charlie Wheeler

Greylag Goose... One from the 8th to the 13th March and two on the 20th March.

Black Swan... One arrived on the 9th March and was joined by a second on the 26th March. Both then lingered to the end of April.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 510 in March and  485 in April.

Whooper Swan... The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.

Common Shelduck... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 50 in March and 36 in April.

Mandarin Duck... A drake was seen briefly on the 16th April.

Garganey... At least eight (possibly ten) were present on the 21st March, with one still lingering the following day. A pair were then seen on the 29th March.

Garganey (♀ & ♂), with ♀ Teal,  Abbotsbury Swannery, March 2022 © Steve Groves

Shoveler... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 80 in both March and April.

Gadwall... One to three were seen regularly but 12 were present on the 11th April.

Wigeon... Regularly encountered in March with a count of 10 on the 2nd but in April just a single was noted from the 8th to the 10th.

Mallard... Present throughout. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 117 in March and 58 in April.

Pintail... Regularly encountered until the 14th April. Maximum count totals were 100 in March and 70 in April.

Teal... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 135 in March and 80 in April.

Teal (♂),  Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Pochard... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 60 in March and 10 in April.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 100 in both March and April.

Scaup... The three over-wintering birds lingered until the 8th March.

Lesser Scaup... The first winter female that arrived on the 7th January (Steve Groves), lingered until the 8th March. 

Red-breasted Merganser... Regularly encountered. Maximum count totals were 23 in March and 10 in April.

Pheasant... Present throughout.

Red-legged Partridge... Up to five were seen regularly.

Swift... The first one of the year was seen on the 30th April.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout. 

Stock Dove... Regularly encountered.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout.

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Water Rail... Regularly heard until 19th March but no subsequently.

Moorhen... Present throughout.  The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 22 in March and 9 in April.

Coot... Present throughout. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 156 in March and 14 in April.

 

Little Grebe... Present throughout March with a maximum count of six, whilst in April singles were noted on four dates up to the 19th.

Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 46 in March and 52 in April.

Oystercatcher... Up to three pairs were present throughout but a flock of ten were seen on the 4th April.

Lapwing... At least 50 were still present on the 2nd March but the only subsequent record was on one on the 19th April.

Golden Plover... In March four were noted on the 8th, 16 on the 15th and at least 300 flew over on the 21st. In April at least 50 flew over on the 6th.

Common Ringed Plover... Singles on the 5th and 8th March.

Tundra Ringed Plover... One on the 27th April. 

Little Ringed Plover... Singles on the 21st March and on four dates from the 22nd to the 29th April.

Little Ringed Plover,  Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Whimbrel... The first two of the year were noted on the 12th April. There were then regular sightings with a maximum count of 15 on the 25th. 

Curlew... There were regular reports from 2nd march to the 19th April, with a maximum count of nine on the 20th March.

Bar-tailed Godwit... The first of the year was seen on the 31st March.  There were no subsequent sightings until the 21st April but they were then regularly noted peaking at 73 on the 30th.

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit...  In March singles were noted on the 23rd, 26th and 29th. In April there were regular sightings from the 12th, with a maximum count of five on the 26th.

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Turnstone... One on the 27th April was the first of the year..

Ruff... One from the 1st to the 4th April was the first since August 2021.

Ruff, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Ruff, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Dunlin... There were regular sightings throughout. Maximum count totals were 11 in March and 6 in April.

Dunlin, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Dunlin, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Snipe... Singles were noted regularly from the 3rd March to the 21st April.

Common Sandpiper... From one to four were noted regularly.

Redshank... From one or two were noted regularly.

Greenshank... Singles were noted regularly in April.

Greenshank, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 400 in March and 700 in April.

Mediterranean Gull... Regularly encountered. Maximum count totals were 100 in March and 10 in April.

Common Gull... Regularly encountered. Maximum count totals were 300 in March and 30 in April.

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 20 in March and 40 in April.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 200 in March and 200 in April.

British Lesser Black-backed Gull... Single figures were seen regularly. 

Continental Lesser Black-backed Gull... Singles were seen on the 10th March and 2nd April.

Sandwich Tern... The first of the year was seen on the 28th March and there were then regular sightings, with maximum counts of 30 on the 19th and 20th April.

Sandwich Terns,  Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Little Tern... Three were present on the 29th April.

Common Tern... The first of the year was seen on the 30th March and there were then regular sightings, with a maximum count of 60 on the 29th April.

Arctic Tern... One was reported on the 26th April.

Cormorant... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 20 in March and 50 in April. Birds of both the Atlantic and Continental forms were present.

Glossy Ibis... One was present briefly on the 30th April (Charlie Wheeler), the first since October 2020 .

Glossy Ibis, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Cattle Egret... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 40 in March and 30 in April.

Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury Swannery, March 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Grey Heron... Up to three were noted virtually daily but there were five on the 20th March.

Great Egret... Two were noted on both the 10th March and 20th April.

Little Egret... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 6 in March and 7 in April.

Osprey... One flew north on the 11th April.

Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen regularly but two were noted on the 21st April.

Marsh Harrier... Singles were seen on five dates between the 30th March and the 21st April.

Hen Harrier... Single 'ringtails' were seen on 4th and 30th March. 

Red Kite... Up to three were noted regularly but at least nine were noted on the 20th March, whilst at least 48 flew over on the 20th April.

Black Kite... One that flew over on the 22nd April (Joe Stockwell) was the fourth site record and the first since May 2013 .

Black Kite (with Carrion Crow), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Buzzard... Up to at least five were seen regularly.

Barn Owl... Singles were seen on five dates in April.

Short-eared Owl... Two of the wintering birds lingered to the 4th March and one still remained on the 30th April. 

Short-eared Owl, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Tawny Owl... Heard on four dates but no doubt present throughout.

Kingfisher... Singles were noted regularly in January but not subsequently.

Great Spotted Woodpecker... One or two were noted regularly.

Green Woodpecker... One was heard on the 20th and 21st March.

Kestrel... One or two were present throughout.

Merlin... Singles were seen on the 2nd March and 4th April.

Hobby... One on the 29th April.

Peregrine... Singles were seen regularly.

Jay... Up to three at least were noted regularly.

Magpie... Present throughout. 

Jackdaw... Present throughout, with over 100 noted on the 2nd March.

Rook... Present throughout, with over 100 noted on the 2nd March.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout, with at least 24 noted on the 15th April.

Raven... One or two at least were noted regularly.

British Coal Tit... One on the 2nd March.

Continental Coal Tit... One on the 26th April. The only other site record was on the 5th May 2018.

Blue Tit... Present throughout.

Great Tit... Present throughout.

Bearded Reedling... One heard on the 1st April was the first since January.

Skylark... Present throughout.

Sand Martin... The first of the year was seen on the 11th March, with another single on the 20th and at least two on the 29th and 30th. In April there were regular sightings from the 10th, with a maximum count of 25 on the 12th.

Swallow... The first of the year was seen on the 1st April and there were then regular sightings, with a maximum count of at least 200 through on the 24th.

House Martin... The first of the year was seen on the 3th April and there were then regular sightings, with maximum counts of at least 10 on the 22nd and 29th.

Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout, with at least four territories within the grounds and no doubt more in the outer reedbeds and scrub.

Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout.

Willow Warbler... The earliest arrived on the 29th March and there were then birds present most days to the end of April. At least 20 were noted on the 20th and 22nd April.

Common Chiffchaff... Single figures at least were noted regularly throughout. From mid-March to mid-April though, at least 10-20 were present daily. 

Sedge Warbler... The earliest arrived on the 12th April when at least three were present. One or two were then noted regularly to the end of the month.

Reed Warbler... The earliest arrived on the 12th April when at least two were present. Single figures at least were then noted regularly, although at least 10 were present on the 30th April.

Blackcap... The earliest arrived on the 23rd March and by April up to 10 at least were noted daily.

Garden Warbler... One was noted on the 22nd and two on the 29th April.

Lesser Whitethroat... One was heard on the 27th April.

Whitethroat... The first of the year was heard on the 15th April and up to three were then noted virtually daily to the end of the month.

Firecrest... One on the 3rd April only.

Goldcrest... Single figures were noted throughout but there were at least ten noted on the 19th March.

Wren... Present throughout.

Nuthatch... The wintering individual lingered to the 21st March.

Treecreeper... One or two at least were noted regularly.

Song Thrush... Singles were noted regularly to the 28th March but there were no more records until singles on the 23rd and 29th April.

Mistle Thrush... Four on the 26th April.

Blackbird... Present throughout.

Robin... Present throughout.

Pied Flycatcher... One on the 23rd April. The first spring record since 2018.

Pied Flycatcher, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Stonechat... Up to four were seen regularly.

Stonechat (♂), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Steve Groves

Whinchat... Four on the 22nd and one on the 28th April. 

Wheatear... The first two of the year were seen on the 27th March, followed by at least twenty on the 29th. There were then regular sightings of up to five to the end of April.

House Sparrow... Present in the gardens of the adjacent Grove Lane throughout.  

Dunnock... Present throughout.

Grey Wagtail... One on the 30th March.

Pied Wagtail... Present throughout, with at least 30 still roosting nightly to the 8th April at least. 

White Wagtail... One was seen on the 18th March, followed by two on the 20th.

Meadow Pipit... Present throughout, with at least 30 noted on the 16th March.

Tree Pipit... One on the 29th April.

Water Pipit... Singles were present on the 3rd March and from the 2nd to the 7th April.

Water Pipit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Scandinavian Rock Pipit... One on the 10th March.

Scandinavian Rock Pipit,  Abbotsbury Swannery, March 2022 © Steve Groves

Chaffinch... Present throughout.

Bullfinch... One or two were regularly encountered.

Greenfinch... One or two were regularly encountered.

Linnet... Regularly encountered, with a count of at least 10 on the 23rd April.

Goldfinch... Present throughout.

Siskin... Singles were noted on the 15th March and on the 11th and 27th April.

Reed Bunting... Present throughout.

... And that's it for this post except to thank, Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Ian McLean, Joe Stockwell, Nick Urch and Charlie Wheeler for additional sightings. Also an extra thanks to Joe and Charlie for the use of their photos. 

May 2022 bird news to follow.