Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - June 2023...

Rarities...

Potentially the rarest bird of the month, in a British context, was a putative Eastern Common Tern that was seen briefly on the 4th and 9th (Steve Groves). I say potentially, as so far all claims of this form submitted to the British Birds Rarities Committee have not been accepted as such. It was quite possibly the same individual seen briefly at the Swannery in May 2022 and also, at least once each summer from 2013 to 2018. 

Putative 'Eastern Common Tern', Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

Note the apparent all-dark bare parts and the lack of contrast between upper-parts and under-parts. 'Western Common Terns'  with relatively dark bare-parts are regularly encountered at the Swannery but they never show the distinctive 'jizz' of this individual.

A less controversial rarity sighting though was a Golden Oriole (a female/1st calendar male) that was seen flying north on the 2nd (Joe Stockwell). This constitutes only the third site record of this official 'scarce migrant' and the first for over twenty years. The previous records were in May 1990 - a 1st calendar-year male; and in June 1992 - an adult male and an accompanying female (or 1st cy male).

Other highlights...

Waterfowl...

The only species of any note were all of captive or at least naturalised origin, namely Barnacle Goose - with two from the 1st to the 4th, and six on the 8th; Bar-headed Goose - one throughout; Swan Goose - one and a hybrid throughout; and Egyptian Goose - two on the 7th.

Waders...

Most noteworthy were two Avocets on the 1st and a Spotted Redshank on the 25th.

Record shot of the Spotted Redshank, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

Peak counts of the other species were... six Oystercatcher, two Lapwing, five Grey Plover, one Bar-tailed Godwit, four Black-tailed Godwit, two Turnstone, eighty Sanderling, thirty Dunlin, two Common Sandpiper, two Green Sandpiper, and fifteen Redshank.

Gulls & terns...

There were no gulls of any note but the terns were much more obliging... in addition to the aforementioned 'Eastern Common Tern' there was a Black Tern on the 4th (Kev Butler), the first since September 2019! And single Roseate Terns on the 11th, 13th and 14th; while three Little Terns were also seen on the 13th. Of the two regular species... Sandwich Terns peaked at fifteen and (Western) Common Terns at one hundred and twenty.

Black Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

Black Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

Roseate Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

Other water-birds...

The only species of note (both being former rarities) were singles of Cattle Egret and Great Egret on the 9th and 21st respectively. 

Raptors...

An Osprey seen most days from the 1st to the 7th was the only species of any real note, but there were also regular sightings of Sparrowhawk,  Red Kite, Buzzard, Kestrel and Barn Owl.    

Other land-birds...

Of the more noteworthy non-passerines, Swifts were regular, with a peak count of one hundred on the 1st; and single Cuckoos were noted on the 5th and 7th. 

The only noteworthy passerines were a Yellow Wagtail on the 6th; two or three Spotted Flycatchers from the 6th to the 7th; a Common Crossbill on the 12th; a Nuthatch on the 29th; and at least four Corn Buntings throughout.

Corn Bunting, Chapel Hill, adjacent to Abbotsbury Swannery, June 2023 © Steve Groves.

And that's it for this post except to thank my colleagues, Joe Stockwell, Charlie Wheeler and Kev Butler for all their sightings and the WeBS counters Alan Barrett, Ian McLean and Nick Urch. 

July 2023 highlights to follow soon...