Highlights...
There were no official national or county rarities this month but up to four each of both Roseate Tern and Corn Bunting were noteworthy, as were two Arctic Terns and singles of White Stork, Spoonbill and Cattle Egret.
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| Roseate Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Steve Groves |
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| Roseate Terns & Common Terns, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © 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. The moult flock (which peaked at 1,200 last month) began to disperse by mid-month, although over 800 were still present on the 28th.
Snow Goose...
The individual that arrived last month was present throughout bar a few short excursions to nearby sites.
Black Swan...
One was present for much of the month.
Mute Swan...
Present throughout. 700 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th.
Whooper Swan...
The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.
Common Shelduck...
Present throughout, with a peak of around 20 on several dates.
Shoveler...
Two were seen sporadically from the 13th to the 31st.
Gadwall...
There were sightings on five dates between the 2nd and 13th, with the highest count being of 10 on the latter date.
Mallard...
Present throughout. 395 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th.
Pintail...
The resident drake was present throughout.
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| Drake Pintail, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2012, one from the archives, but presumably the same bird still resident today. © Steve Groves |
Teal...
Regularly encountered from the 9th to the 28th with with a peak count of at least 10 on the 18th.
Pochard...
Up to four were present from the 1st to the 16th.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 50 on the 13th. The first (and no doubt only) brood of the year was seen on the 31st.
Red-legged Partridge...
Two on the 23rd.
Pheasant...
Present throughout.
Swift...
Fairly regularly encountered but with a peak count of only around 10 on the 27th.
Cuckoo...
One that flew over on the 8th was only the third of the year following singles in May and June.
Feral Pigeon...
The usual mixed flock of wandering dovecote birds, stray racers and true feral birds visited daily.
Stock Dove...
One or two were seen regularly but four were seen on the 24th.
Woodpigeon...
Present throughout.
Collared Dove...
Regularly encountered, particularly in the gardens of the adjacent Grove Lane.
Water Rail...
One heard on the 31st was the first since June.
Moorhen...
Present throughout.
Coot...
Present throughout. 175 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th.
Little Grebe...
Recorded fairly regularly from the 13th with a peak count of three on the 26th.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with a peak count of 52 on the 18th.
Oystercatcher...
Present throughout, with a peak count of eight on the 16th.
Lapwing...
Present throughout much of the month with 11 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th.
Ringed Plover...
One was seen on the 4th.
Little Ringed Plover...
Three were present on the 17th, followed by singles on the 18th, 21st and 31st.
Whimbrel...
Two on the 19th.
Curlew...
One was heard on the 4th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
There were regular sightings of one or two but five were present on the 12th.
Turnstone...
Singles were seen on the 21st, 26th and 28th.
Knot...
Two were present from the 24th to the 27th.
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| knot, a belated image from June 2021, Abbotsbury Swannery © Joe Stockwell |
Dunlin...
There were regular sightings of one or two but six were present on the 14th.
Common Sandpiper...
Present throughout much of the month with a peak count of 11 on the 2nd.
Green Sandpiper...
Singles were noted on six dates.
Redshank...
There were regular sightings of one or two but five were present on the 14th and three on the 19th.
Greenshank...
Singles were noted on four dates.
Black-headed Gull...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 50 on the 20th.
Mediterranean Gull...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of at least 60 on the 16th.
Common Gull...
One seen on the 26th was the first since May.
Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 80 on the 30th.
Herring Gull...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 20 on the 30th.
Yellow-legged Gull...
The first since February (and the first juvenile of the year) was seen on the 29th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
One or two were encountered fairly regularly.
Sandwich Tern...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of six on the 9th.
Little Tern...
One was noted on the 2nd and 3rd.
Roseate Tern...
Up to four were seen regularly from the 2nd to the 14th.
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| Roseate Terns & Common Terns, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Steve Groves |
Common Tern...
Present throughout, with at least 100 present to the 16th (including around 30 fledged juveniles). The number had dropped to 50 by the 25th, 10 by the 28th and only six were seen on the 31st.
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| Common Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Common Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Common Tern (juvenile), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Steve Groves |
Arctic Tern...
One (a second calendar year) was noted on the 9th and 10th, while another (a probable third calendar year) was present on the 11th.
White Stork...
One (of unknown origin) flew over on the 15th.
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| White Stork, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Cormorant...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 35 on the 18th.
Spoonbill...
One was reported on the 17th.
Cattle Egret...
Singles were present on the 11th, 12th and 24th.
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| Cattle Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Charlie Wheeler |
Grey Heron...
One or two were seen daily.
Little Egret...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 15 on the 20th.
Sparrowhawk...
At least one, occasionally two, were seen regularly.
Marsh Harrier...
Singles were seen on the 6th and 30th.
Red Kite...
One was seen on the 19th.
Buzzard...
Present throughout.
Barn Owl..
Singles were noted regularly.
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| Barn Owl, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Tawny Owl..
Only noted on two dates but no doubt present throughout.
Great Spotted Woodpecker..
One on the 1st was the first since April. There were then fairly regular sightings from the 26th to the end of the month.
Green Woodpecker..
Present throughout, with at least one or two seen regularly.
Kestrel...
Present throughout, with single figures seen regularly.
Peregrine...
One was seen on the 25th.
Magpie...
Present throughout, with single figures seen regularly.
Jackdaw...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 200 on the 18th.
Rook...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 200 on the 18th.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
Raven...
Noted regularly, with a peak count of three on the 25th.
Coal Tit...
One was heard on the 16th.
Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Skylark...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least ten on the 2nd.
Sand Martin...
Seen regularly, with a peak count of at least 80 on the 19th.
Swallow...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 40 on the 17th.
House Martin...
At least 20 were present on the 18th but the only other observation was of at least one on the 20th.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Regularly encountered, with a peak count of at least 10 on the 4th.
Willow Warbler...
One on the 26th was the first since early May. Another was noted on the 31st.
Chiffchaff...
Present throughout.
Sedge Warbler...
One or two were seen, or at least heard, fairly regularly.
Reed Warbler...
Present throughout.
Blackcap...
Present throughout.
Lesser Whitethroat...
One was heard on the 24th.
Whitethroat...
One or two were seen, or at least heard, fairly regularly.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
Wren...
Present throughout.
Treecreeper...
One was heard on the 19th.
Starling...
Regularly encountered, with a peak count of at least 50 on two dates.
Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Song Thrush...
Only noted on one date but no doubt present throughout.
Robin...
Present throughout.
Stonechat...
Present throughout, with a peak count of six on the 1st.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
Yellow Wagtail...
One on the 19th (the first since May) was followed by two on the 21st.
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| Yellow Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Pied Wagtail...
Regularly encountered.
Meadow Pipit...
At least four were present throughout the first half of the month but none were noted after the 17th.
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| Meadow Pipit, Chapel Hill above Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Steve Groves |
Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
Bullfinch...
Regularly encountered.
Linnet...
Regularly encountered.
Goldfinch...
Present throughout.
Corn Bunting...
Following last month's sightings up to four were present until the 14th but none were noted subsequently.
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| Corn Bunting, Chapel Hill above Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Steve Groves |
Reed Bunting...
Present throughout.
... And that's it for this post except to thank, Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Joe Stockwell, Nick Urch, Charlie Wheeler (and a few visiting birders) for additional sightings. Also an extra thanks to Joe and Charlie for the use of their photos.
August bird news will be published in due course but for now I'll leave you with this month's non-bird image...
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| Scarce Chaser, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
