Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - December 2022...

 Highlights...

Four Bewick's Swans and three new Whooper Swans were the rarest birds of the month...

Bewick's Swans, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Joe Stockwell

The Month's Bird News In Full...

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

Brent Goose... Unusually regular this month, probably because the birds were feeding on coastal winter-wheat near East Bexington and using the embayment to rest, wash and drink. The highest count was of at least three hundred settled 0n the 20th. All those identified to subspecies were of the Russian breeding form.

Canada Goose... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least four hundred on the 17th. 

Black Swan... One to three were regularly encountered but four were present on the 7th.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. Two hundred and fifty-four were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Bewick's Swan...  A family party of four were present on the 14th. Now a County Rarity, this is the first site record of this once regularly occurring species since December 2010.

Bewick's Swans, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Bewick's Swans, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Whooper Swan... The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout, but another three (no doubt wild) individuals of this County Rarity, were present briefly on the 7th.

Whooper Swans, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Egyptian Goose... Two flew east on the 2nd and one lingered on the 3rd. The first records since June 2021.

Egyptian Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Shelduck... Present throughout. The highest count was of twenty-five on the 27th.

Shoveler...  Present throughout. The highest counts were of at least one hundred on the 2nd and 4th.

Gadwall...  Noted on seven dates from the 2nd to the 16th, twelve on the first date was the highest count.

Wigeon... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least two hundred on the 22nd.

Mallard... Present throughout. Three hundred and sixty were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Pintail... Regularly encountered. The highest counts were of at least fifty on the 19th and 20th.

Teal... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least seven hundred on the 14th.

Pochard... Present throughout. The highest counts were of at least two hundred on the 1st and 2nd.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least one hundred and twenty on the 17th.

Scaup... Unusually the only record was of a first calendar year female on the 6th. 

Common Scoter... At least one was present through much of the month but three were present on the 13th.

Common Scoter (1cy ♀), Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Red-breasted Merganser... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least twenty on the 22nd.

Pheasant... Present throughout.

Red-legged Partridge... A covey of seven were regularly encountered.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Up to fifty at least were regularly encountered.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout. 

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Water Rail... Regularly encountered (and no doubt present throughout).

Moorhen... Present throughout. Six were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Coot... Present throughout. Five hundred and sixty were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Little Grebe... Up to fifteen were present throughout. 

Little Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Crested Grebe... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of seven on the 1st. 

Black-necked Grebe... One was present on the 1st and 2nd.

Oystercatcher...  One or two were noted on three dates.

Lapwing...  Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least five hundred and fifty on the 21st.

Golden Plover...  Regular from the 6th to the 17th. The highest counts were of at least fifty on the 11th and 12th.

Curlew... One was heard on the 13th.

Black-tailed Godwit... A small flock varying from three to fourteen was present from the 11th to the 21st.

Turnstone... From one to four were present from the 11th to the 20th.

Ruff... One was present on the 15th.

Dunlin... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least twenty on the 16th.

Snipe... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least one hundred on the 24th.

Dunlin & Snipe, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Common Sandpiper... One (or singles) were regularly encountered but two were noted on the 24th.

Redshank... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of six on the 24th.

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least one hundred and fifty on the 2nd.

Black-headed Gulls, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Mediterranean Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least four hundred on the 29th.

Common Gull... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least four hundred on the 29th.

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of twelve on the 22nd.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. The highest counts were of at least three hundred on the 15th and 17th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull... Regularly encountered single figures. Of those identified to subspecies, most were of the British form, but an individual of the Continental form was noted on the 12th.

Cormorant... Present throughout. Three were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th. However, the regular roost was not counted and around fifty would normally be expected in December. None were identified to subspecies but individuals of both the British form and the Continental form are usually present.

Cattle Egret... Present throughout. The highest roost count was of at least fifty on the 9th.

Grey Heron... Single figures were present throughout.

Great Egret... One was present on the 15th. The first since October.

Great Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Little Egret... Single figures were present throughout.

Sparrowhawk... One was noted on the 12th.

Marsh Harrier... One or two at least, were seen regularly, but four together were noted on the 8th and three on the 11th.

Red Kite... One was regularly encountered but two were seen together on the 20th.

Buzzard... Single figures were present throughout but at least ten were noted on the 16th.

Buzzard, with Cetti's Warbler prey, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2022 © Steve Groves

Barn Owl... Two were seen on the 3rd and at least one was noted on the 8th.

Tawny Owl... Singles were heard on the 6th and 17th.

Kingfisher... Singles were regularly encountered. 

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

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

Kestrel... Up to three at least were present throughout.

Merlin... One was present on the 10th and 11th.

Peregrine... One was noted on the 7th.

Magpie... One or two were seen regularly.

Jackdaw... Present throughout. At least one hundred were noted on the 21st.

Rook... Present throughout. At least one hundred and fifty were noted on the 21st.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout.

Raven... Two were seen regularly but five were noted on the 1st.

Coal Tit... One or two at least were regularly encountered.

Blue Tit... Present throughout.

Great Tit... Present throughout.

Skylark... Two were noted on the 15th.

Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout, at least five were noted on the 9th.

Long-tailed Tit... A flock of around ten were regularly encountered. 

Chiffchaff... At least one or two, occasionally three, were regularly encountered.

Firecrest... A minimum of two were present in the first half of the month at least.

Goldcrest... A minimum of ten were present in the first half of the month, with singles noted regularly thereafter.

Wren... Present throughout.

Treecreeper... At least one was regularly encountered.  

Starling... Present throughout. An evening roost had built up to at least thirty thousand by mid-month.

Song Thrush... Regularly encountered, with a minimum of ten noted from the 11th to the 18th at least.

Mistle Thrush... One was present on the 14th and 15th.

Redwing... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least fifty ten on the 15th.

Blackbird... Present throughout.

Fieldfare... Singles were seen on the 2nd and 11th, whilst three were noted on the 14th. These were the first records since December 2021.

Robin... Present throughout. 

Stonechat... One was noted on the 15th and 16th.

House Sparrow... Regularly encountered around the cottages at adjacent Grove Lane.

Dunnock... Present throughout.

Grey Wagtail... One at least was encountered regularly. 

Pied Wagtail... Present throughout, with a nightly roost of around fifty. 

Meadow Pipit... Present throughout. The highest count was of six on the 22nd.

Water Pipit... One was noted on the 12th.

Rock Pipit... One or two at least were regularly encountered.

Chaffinch... Present throughout.

Greenfinch... One or two at least were regularly encountered.

Linnet... Singles were noted on the 7th and 12th.

Goldfinch... Present throughout.

Reed Bunting... Present throughout.     

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

January 2023 bird news to follow soon...