Abbotsbury Swannery Bird News - June 2016

Highlights...

The best bird of the month was a (Eurasian) Spoonbill. For more details on this bird and the rest of this month's sightings see below... 

All Sightings...

Mute Swan...

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when 758 were present. 

Black Swan...

Two were present throughout.

Canada Goose...

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when  500 were present. 

Barnacle Goose...

One arrived on the 7th and a second on the 13th. Both then remained for the rest of the month...

 Barnacle Goose (of the naturalised British breeding population) 
June 2016 © Steve Groves

(Common) Shelduck...

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when 42 were present. 

Gadwall...

At least one, sometimes two were present through much of the month.

(Eurasian) Teal...

At least one, sometimes two were seen sporadically through the month.

Mallard...

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when 209 were present. 

(Northern) Shoveler...

Two on the 2nd were the only ones of the month. 

(Common) Pochard... 

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when 23 were present. 

Tufted Duck... 

Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when 36 were present.

Red-breasted Merganser... 

A pair arrived on the 12th (no doubt the birds present at Rodden Hive the previous month) and lingered to the 17th, while a duck (presumably from this pair) was seen regularly from the 20th to the month's end...

Female Red-breasted Merganser June 2016 © Steve Groves

(Common) Pheasant...

Present throughout.

(Great) Cormorant...

Present throughout with a peak of 23 on the 8th... 

  (Great) Cormorant June 2016 © Steve Groves

Little Egret... 

Present throughout, with a peak of 9 on the 5th.

Grey Heron... 

Present throughout, with a peak of 6 on the 5th. 

(Eurasian) Spoonbill... 

One was present briefly on the 2nd... 

 Record shot of the (Eurasian) Spoonbill June 2016 © Steve Groves 

Little Grebe... 

Singles were seen on the 7th and 27th. 

Great Crested Grebe... 

Around 40 were present throughout.

Red Kite... 

One flew over on the 2nd.

(Western) Marsh Harrier... 

At least one female/immature was seen regularly to the 7th but not subsequently.

(Common) Buzzard... 
Single figures were seen on virtually a daily basis. 

(Common) Moorhen...
Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Coot...
Present throughout, the only count conducted was for the WeBS on the 5th when  85 were present. 

(Eurasian) Oystercatcher...

Six (three nesting pairs) were present throughout (along with at least 4 unfledged young by the month's end)...

Unfledged (Eurasian) Oystercatcher June 2016  © Charlie Wheeler www.wheeler-photography.co.uk

(Northern) Lapwing

One was present for much of the month.

(Eurasian) Whimbrel...

The first returning bird was present on the 30th.

(Eurasian) Curlew...

Singles on the 5th, 8th, 9th and 22nd.

Black-tailed Godwit...
Singles on the 1st, 2nd and 14th...

  Black-tailed Godwit June 2016 © Steve Groves 

Bar-tailed Godwit...

One briefly on the 9th.

Dunlin...

Three briefly on the 30th.

Common Sandpiper...

The first returning bird was present on the 30th.

Sandwich Tern...

Single figures were seen regularly but with at least 10 on the 20th.

Common Tern...

Around 110 were present throughout (along with many unfledged young by the month's end)...

2nd calendar year Common Tern June 2016 © Steve Groves 

Black-headed Gull...

Around 20 were present throughout (along with up to three unfledged young by the month's end).

Mediterranean Gull...

Single figures were seen regularly with a peak of four on the 30th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull...

Single figures were seen regularly.

(European) Herring Gull...

Up to 30 were present throughout.

Great Black-backed Gull...

Single figures were present throughout.

(Feral/Domestic) Rock Dove...

Seen regularly.

Stock Dove...
One or two were seen occasionally.

(Common) Wood Pigeon...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Collared Dove...

Seen regularly.

  (Eurasian) Collared Dove June 2016 © Steve Groves 

(Western) Barn Owl...

One was heard on the night of the 5th.

Tawny Owl...
Heard regularly.

(Common) Swift...

Seen regularly with a peak of 200 on the 3rd.

(Common) Kingfisher...

One was present on the 16th.

(European) Green Woodpecker...

Seen, or at least heard, regularly.

Great Spotted Woodpecker...

Seen regularly.

(Common) Kestrel...

Singles were seen regularly. 

Peregrine Falcon...

Singles were seen regularly.

(Eurasian) Magpie...

Seen regularly.

(Eurasian) Jay...

Two were heard in adjacent Oddens Wood on the 8th.

(Western) Jackdaw...
Present throughout.

Rook...

Present throughout.

Carrion Crow...

Present throughout.

(Northern) Raven...

Seen regularly.

Goldcrest...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Blue Tit...

Present throughout.

Great Tit...

Present throughout.

Coal Tit...

One, a juvenile, (which no doubt fledged elsewhere in Abbotsbury) was present on the 27th.

(Eurasian) Skylark...
Present Throughout.

Sand Martin...

The first three returning birds were seen on the 17th and 10 flew through on the 23rd. 

(Barn) Swallow...

Present throughout.

(Common) House Martin...

Single figures were seen occasionally.

Cetti's Warbler...

Present throughout.

Long-tailed Tit...

Present throughout.

(Common) Chiffchaff...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Blackcap...

Present throughout.

(Common) Whitethroat...

Present throughout.

Sedge Warbler...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Reed Warbler...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Treecreeper...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Wren...

Present throughout.

(Common) Starling...

Single juveniles (no doubt fledged elsewhere in Abbotsbury), were seen on the 8th and 23rd.

(Common) Blackbird...

Present throughout.

Song Thrush...

Seen occasionally.

Mistle Thrush...

Seen Occasionally.

(European) Robin...

Present throughout.

(European) Stonechat...

One, a juvenile, (which no doubt fledged elsewhere in Abbotsbury) was present on the 23rd.

Dunnock... 
Present throughout.

House Sparrow...

Present throughout.

('Pied') White Wagtail...

Present throughout.

Meadow Pipit...

Present throughout.

(Common) Chaffinch...

Present throughout.

(Eurasian) Bullfinch...

Single figures were seen regularly.

(European) Greenfinch...

Present throughout.

(Common) Linnet...

Present throughout.

(European) Goldfinch...

Present throughout.

(Common) Reed Bunting...

Present throughout. 


...And that's it for this month except to say thanks to Alan Barrett, Ian McLean and Charlie Wheeler.

July sightings to follow shortly.