Highlights...

This period's best birds were two Black-winged Stilts, a Gull-billed Tern and a putative 'Eastern Common Tern'.

Black-winged Stilt, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Gull-billed Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Joe Stockwell

'Eastern Common Tern', Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Also of note were seven Greylag Geese, three Garganey, an Avocet, two Little Ringed Plover, nine Knot, fifty-one Sanderling, two Little Stint, a Wood Sandpiper, a Little Gull, a Roseate Tern, regular Cattle Egret, a Great Egret, an Osprey, up to five Marsh Harrier, at least one Barn Owl, at least one Short-eared Owl, at least one Kingfisher, up to three Hobby, at least one Firecrest, a Yellow Wagtail and at least five Corn Bunting.

Garganey (♂), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Roseate Tern, & Black-headed Gull, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Steve Groves

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. Several pairs attempted to nest. Maximum count totals were 200 in May and an unprecedented 1250 (moulting) in June.

Snow Goose... What was no doubt last year's bird (of presumed captive origin) returned for its summer moult on the 26th May and was still present at the end of June.

Greylag Goose... One was present from the 23rd May to the 13th June. Six more individuals joined it on the last date but none were seen subsequently.

Snow Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Presumed hybrid Swan Goose x Greylag Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022
© Steve Groves

Black Swan... The two present from at least March lingered to the 22nd June when one was found dead. The other remained to the end of the month.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. There were 107 nesting pairs. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 576 in May and 630 in June.

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

Shelduck... Present throughout. Several broods were seen. Maximum count totals were 35 in May and 16 in June.

Garganey... Single drakes were seen on the 8th and 15th May and on the 4th June.

Presumed hybrid Ruddy Shelduck x Common Shelduck, Abbotsbury Swannery,
June 2022 © Steve Groves

Hybrid Shelduck with Common Shelduck, Abbotsbury Swannery,
June 2022 © Steve Groves

Garganey (♂), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Kev Butler

Shoveler... The first returning bird arrived on the 30th May, with up to four seen regularly in June.

Gadwall... One to three were seen regularly but six were present on the 7th June and seven on the 15th June.

Mallard... Present throughout. Many broods were seen. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 124 in May and 250 in June.

Teal... Present daily until the 8th May, with at least 15 seen on the 3rd and 4th. The first returning bird arrived on the 22nd May and was still present on the 19th when it was joined by a second. Both then lingered to the end of the month.

Pochard... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were five in May and eight in June.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 20 in May and 24 in June.

Pheasant... Present throughout. A few broods were seen.

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

Swift... Seen regularly with at least 30 noted on the 7th June.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout.

Stock Dove... One or two were regularly encountered.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout.

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Moorhen... Present throughout. The maximum count was of nine on the 19th June. Likely under-recorded.

Coot... Present throughout. The Wetland Bird Survey totals were 29 in May and 59 in June.

Little Grebe... Singles were present on the 2nd May and from the 19th to the 23rd June at least.

Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 12 in May and 39 in June.

Oystercatcher... Up to nine were present throughout. One pair nested successfully, fledging one chick.

Black-winged Stilt... A pair were present on the 18th May. Previous records for the site were singles on the 26th July 1956 (the first for Dorset), April 2012, May 2012 (a different bird than April's) and in April 2015. The record of a pair seen by several observers in the spring of 1987 was unfortunately not submitted to the BBRC.

Avocet... One was seen on the 28th May. The first since November 2021.

Lapwing... Two arrived on the 24th June and lingered to the end of the month.

Ringed Plover... From one to three were noted on six dates from the 1st to the 15th May.

Little Ringed Plover... Singles on the 8th May and on the 24th June.

Black-winged Stilts (♂ & ♀), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Black-winged Stilt (♂), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Black-winged Stilt (♀), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Avocet, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

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

Whimbrel... There were regular sightings from the 1st to the 24th May, with a maximum count of 12 on the 11th.

Curlew... Two were seen on the 16th May and on the 16th and 19th June, whilst one was noted on the 30th June.

Bar-tailed Godwit... There were regular sightings throughout May with a peak count of at least 80 on the 2nd.

Black-tailed Godwit... There were regular sightings throughout, with a peak count of seven on the 2nd June.

Black-tailed Godwits, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Turnstone... Following singles on the 10th and 13th, at least eight were present on the 15th and 16th May.

Knot... Nine were seen on the 30th June. The first since December 2021.

Sanderling... An impressive 42 were present on the 7th May and these were followed by up to four on the 10th, 21st and 31st May. These were the first since September 2021.

Waders, mostly Sanderling, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Dunlin... There were regular sightings throughout May, with a maximum count of 60. In June there were only records from four dates between the 1st and 24th, with a peak count of seven.

Little Stint... Two on the 15th May were the first since August 2021.

Common Sandpiper... One or two were regular from the 4th to the 15th May, with subsequent singles on the 1st and 20th June.

Common Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Green Sandpiper... Singles were noted on the 19th and 24th June, whilst two were seen on the 30th. The first since October 2021.

Redshank... From one or two were noted regularly. One was reported on the 15th May, whilst one or two were noted on four dates in June.

Wood Sandpiper... One was present on the 5th and 6th May. The first since August 2021.

Greenshank... Singles were noted on the 1st and from the 8th to the 10th May.

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 128 in May and 70 in June. Around twenty pairs nested.

Little Gull... One (a second calendar year) was seen on the 14th May.

Mediterranean Gull... Regularly encountered. Maximum count totals were 12 in May and 10 in June.

Common Gull... At least five were still present to the 4th May but the only subsequent records were of singles on the 18th and 23rd May.

Common Gull (2cy), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 70 in May and 40 in June.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 50 in May and 30 in June.

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

Gull-billed Tern... One was present erratically on the 1st June (S. Groves). It appeared to be roosting that evening, but it was not seen the following day. It then reappeared on the 9th and 10th June. It again appeared to roost on both evenings but was not seen subsequently. This is the second site record following one from the 29th June to the 1st July 2010.

Sandwich Tern... There were then regular sightings, with maximum counts of six in May and eight in June.

Little Tern... Two were present on the 1st June.

Roseate Tern... Singles were seen on the 2nd and 24th June.

Common Tern... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 160 in may and 90 in June. However, up to 90 incubating birds were counted in May so at least 90 pairs (180 birds) were on site.

Eastern Common Tern... One seen briefly on the 6th May was quite possibly the same individual that visited the Swannery tern colony, usually equally briefly, each summer from 2013 t0 2018. Treated as a form of Common Tern, this taxon (or taxon group), is not yet accepted onto the BOU British List despite several well documented occurrences elsewhere in the country.

Gull-billed Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Sandwich Tern (2cy), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Roseate Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Roseate Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

'Eastern Common Tern' (2cy), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2022 © Steve Groves

Cormorant... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were 40 in May and 28 in June. Birds of both the Atlantic and Continental forms were present. Eight pairs (mostly, if not entirely, of the latter form), nested.

Cattle Egret... Fairly regularly encountered. Maximum count totals were seven in May and three in June.

Grey Heron... Up to five were noted virtually daily.

Great Egret... One was seen on the 1st June.

Little Egret... Present throughout. Maximum count totals were six in May and eleven in June.

Osprey... One was seen briefly on the 6th June.

Sparrowhawk... Singles were noted on three dates in May.

Marsh Harrier... In May singles were seen on the 6th, 17th and 22nd, with two on the 15th.

Red Kite... One or two were seen regularly but at least 10 flew west on the 23rd May and a remarkable 97 flew west on the 28th May.

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

Barn Owl... Singles were seen on four dates.

Short-eared Owl... At least one of the wintering birds lingered until the 8th May.

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

Kingfisher... The first since January arrived on the 9th June and singles were then seen on three subsequent dates.

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

Kingfisher, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Spotted Woodpecker... One or two were noted on six dates only. Unusually there was no evidence of nesting.

Green Woodpecker... One was heard on the 9th May.

Kestrel... A breeding pair were present throughout.

Hobby... Singles were seen on the 15th, 19th and 26th May.

Peregrine... Singles were seen on the 3rd and 18th May and the 2nd June.

Jay... Singles were noted on four dates in May.

Magpie... Present throughout. Presumably bred.

Jackdaw... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Rook... Present throughout, a number of pairs nested in adjacent Chapel Coppice.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Raven... Up to three were noted regularly.

Coal Tit... Heard on the 15th, 16th and 22nd June. No doubt birds dispersing from nearby breeding sites.

Blue Tit... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Great Tit... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Skylark... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Sand Martin... There were regular sightings of at least ten until the 13th May but there were then no further reports until the 8th June, with one or two then seen regularly. At least 40 though, were present on the 22nd June.

Swallow... Present throughout with a count of at least 100 on the 1st May. No further counts involved more than 20 however and most of these were nesting birds.

House Martin... There were regular sightings, with at least ten were present on the 2nd and 3rd May. All subsequent sightings involved no more than four birds however and these were no doubt birds from the dwindling breeding population in the nearby village.

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. At least one pair bred.

Willow Warbler... There were only two records. One on the 2nd May, a relatively late spring migrant and one on the 27th June, a relatively early autumn migrant!

Chiffchaff... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Sedge Warbler... At least four singing birds were present on the 4th May, two on the 5th and one on the 10th. There were no subsequent records however, so for the first time during my 33-year tenure none were known to have nested in the recording area!

Reed Warbler... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Blackcap... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Garden Warbler... Singles were noted on the 1st, 3rd and 4th May.

Lesser Whitethroat... One was heard on the 4th May.

Whitethroat... Present throughout, a few pairs nested in the periphery of the recording area.

Firecrest... At least one (in song) was noted regularly from the 16th June to the month's end.

Goldcrest... Present throughout, at least one pair nested.

Wren... Present throughout, several pairs nested.

Treecreeper... Present throughout, at least one pair nested.

Starling... The first since March were seen on the 9th June and from then on a evening roost of up to 30 were present.

Song Thrush... One or two were fairly regularly encountered. None apparently nested in the Swannery grounds but at least one pair are thought to have nested in the periphery.

Mistle Thrush... One or two were fairly regularly encountered. None nested in the Swannery grounds but a family party of at least four were seen in June so at least one pair are thought to have nested in the periphery.

Blackbird... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Spotted Flycatcher... The first one of the year was seen on the 13th May. This was followed by six on the 14th May and three on the 15th and 16th May. A pair then lingered to the end of the month and at least one was noted throughout June. So a pair presumably bred (the first for several years) but no young were seen.

Robin... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Stonechat... Present throughout. At least two pairs bred, each fledging at least one brood.

Wheatear... A few late migrants were still passing through to the 8th May, with a maximum count of four on the 7th May.

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

Dunnock... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Yellow Wagtail... The only one of the spring was seen on the 14th May.

Grey Wagtail... No longer a breeding bird on site, post breeding dispersal brought singles on the 10th, 11th and 15th June.

Pied Wagtail... Present throughout, at least one pair nested.

Meadow Pipit... Several pairs nested on the adjacent slopes of both Chapel Hill and Chesters Hill.

Chaffinch... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Bullfinch... One or two were regularly encountered. One pair are thought to have nested.

Greenfinch... One or two were regularly encountered but none are thought to have nested within the recording area.

Linnet... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Goldfinch... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Corn Bunting... Four were noted in the Chapel Hill/Ditchmoor area on the 20th May and these lingered for the rest of the month. A fifth bird was noted in early June and all five were still present mid-month. Two or three at least then lingered to the month's end. Nesting behaviour was noted but no young were seen. A few were seen in the same area last summer although there was no real evidence of nesting. This species last bred in the recording area in the late 1980s, perhaps early 1990s. The move away from sheep to cattle and hay in the area has no doubt contributed to the return of this species.

Reed Bunting... Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

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 big thanks to Charlie, Joe and Kev for the use of their photos.

Until the next post here's a few images of Odonata from this summer...