Highlights...
The best birds of the month were two Whooper Swans...
The two (adult) Whooper Swans October 2016 © Steve Groves
More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...
Mute Swan...
Present throughout with 840 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th. This figure included around 240 Abbotsbury fledged cygnets, the most productive year for over 30 years.
Black Swan...
Two were present throughout.
Two were present throughout.
Whooper Swan...
Two were present on the 19th (the first since December 2010)...
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| The two (adult) Whooper Swans October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
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| One of the two Whooper Swans October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Greylag Goose...
Barnacle Goose...
One from the 11th to the 16th.
(Common) Shelduck...
Two on the 13th, one on the 16th.
(Eurasian) Wigeon...
Present throughout with a peak of 400 on the 18th.
Gadwall...Present throughout with a peak of 400 on the 18th.
Two on the 31st were the only ones of the month.
(Eurasian) Teal...
Present throughout with a peak of 900 on the 18th...(Eurasian) Teal...
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| Adult male (Eurasian) Teal October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Mallard...
Present throughout with 512 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 18th.
(Northern) Pintail...
Present throughout with a peak of 200 on several dates... |
| Male (Northern) Pintails October 2016 © Steve Groves |
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| Female (Northern) Pintails October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Garganey...
Single juveniles (or one and the same) were present on the 7th and 18th.
(Northern) Shoveler...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 4th... |
| (Northern) Shovelers October 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Pochard...
Present throughout with 130 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout with 170 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.
(Greater) Scaup...
The first of the autumn (an adult female) arrived on the 12th and by the end of the month nine were present (including two adult drakes)... |
| 1st winter male & adult female (Greater) Scaups October 2016 © Steve Groves |
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| Adult female (Greater) Scaups October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Red-breasted Merganser...
What was presumed to be the over-summering female reappeared on the 4th but none were seen subsequently.
(Common) Pheasant...
Present throughout.
(Great) Cormorant...
Present throughout with around 30 roosting most evenings.
Little Egret...
Present throughout with seven counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th...
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| Little Egret October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Present throughout with two counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th...
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| Grey Heron October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Present throughout with a peak of 19 on the 21st.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with five counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.
(Western) Marsh Harrier...
Two juveniles were present on the 4th with at least one then seen regularly to the end of the month. In addition adult male was seen on the 12th, 16th and 19th.(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk...
Singles were seen regularly.
(Common) Buzzard...
Seen regularly.
Water Rail...
Heard regularly.
(Common) Moorhen...
Present throughout with 12 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.
(Eurasian) Coot...
Present throughout with 510 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.
Singles on the 1st and 5th.
(Northern) Lapwing...
Present throughout with a peak of over 80 on the 20th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
Two on the 5th and one on the 21st.
(Ruddy) Turnstone...
One was present on the 16th.
Dunlin...
Regular with a peak of four on the 13th... |
| Dunlin October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Common Sandpiper...
Two on the 2nd and one on the 12th.
(Common) Greenshank...
One on the 1st.
(Common) Redshank...
Singles were seen regularly, while two were present from the 12th to the 16th.
(Common) Snipe...
Singles were seen regularly, while two were seen together on the 13th...
Great Skua...
Present throughout with 70 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 16th.Singles were seen regularly, while two were present from the 12th to the 16th.
(Common) Snipe...
Singles were seen regularly, while two were seen together on the 13th...
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| (Common) Snipe October 2016 © Dave Callaby |
Great Skua...
One was present briefly on the 16th (the first since October 2014)...
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| Great Skua October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Common Tern...
A first winter on the 15th was the first since August...
Black-headed Gull... |
| 1st winter Common Tern October 2016 © Steve Groves |
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| 1st winter Common Tern October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Mediterranean Gull...
Regular with a peak of 14 on the 16th.
Common Gull...
Regular with a peak of five on the 31st.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Single figures were seen regularly.
(European) Herring Gull...
Present throughout with no significant counts.
Yellow-legged Gull...
One first calendar year on the 7th.Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak of 335 on the 16th.
(Feral/Domestic) Rock Dove...
Seen regularly.
Stock Dove...
One on the 21st.
(Common) Wood Pigeon...
Present throughout, with movements noted on the 3rd when 17 flew west and on the 31st when 50 flew east.
(Eurasian) Collared Dove...
Seen regularly.Tawny Owl...
One was heard on the 1st.
Short-eared Owl...
One was seen on the 19th (the first since November 2015).
(Common) Kingfisher...
Singles were seen regularly.
(European) Green Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel...
Seen regularly.
Merlin...
Singles were present on the 13th and 26th, while two were seen together on the 21st.
Peregrine Falcon...
Singles were seen regularly while two were seen together on the 10th.
(Eurasian) Magpie...
Seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Jay...
The first two of the autumn were seen on the 2nd and thereafter singles were seen regularly. (Western) Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 27th.
(Northern) Raven...
Seen regularly with a peak of six on the 3rd.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
(Common) Firecrest...
One was trapped, ringed and released on the 7th (the first seen since November 2015).
(Eurasian) Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Coal Tit...
Present throughout.
Bearded Reedling...
At least two were present on the 10th.(Eurasian) Skylark...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 over on the 18th.
(Barn) Swallow...
Seen fairly regularly until the 27th with a peak of 300 on the 2nd.Seen fairly regularly until the 13th with a peak of 200 on the 11th.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Present throughout.
Yellow-browed Warbler...
In line with the rest of the country there was a marked arrival with up to two seen on the 10th; one on the 19th, up to three on the 25th (one of which was trapped ringed and released); one on the 26th and one (which was trapped, ringed and released) on the 28th... |
| Yellow-browed Warbler October 2016 © Steve Hales |
(Common) Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with a peak of at least 50 on the 2nd.
(Eurasian) Blackcap...
Single figures were seen regularly until the 26th at least.
(Common) Grasshopper Warbler...
One was trapped, ringed and released on the morning of the 3rd and what was presumably the same bird was seen that evening, while it or another in the same general area again on the 5th.
Sedge Warbler...
One was trapped, ringed and released on the 2nd.Single figures were seen regularly until the 8th.
(Eurasian) Treecreeper...
Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Wren...
Present throughout.
(Common) Starling...
The roost built up to around 200 by the end of the month with feeding flocks of up to thirty in the surrounding meadows. In addition 100 flew west on the 21st and 200 on the 26th.
Ring Ouzel...
One was seen briefly on the 8th (the first since April 2013).
(Common) Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Song Thrush...
Two on the 4th were the first since June but there were then regular sightings of up to three to the 29th at least.
Redwing...
One on the 11th was the first since November 2015 but there were then regular sightings of up to three to the 29th at least.
Mistle Thrush...
One on the 25th and 28th.
(European) Robin...
Present throughout.
(European) Stonechat...
Single figures were seen regularly... |
| (European) Stonechat October 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Northern) Wheatear...
Singles on the 2nd and 19th... |
| (Northern) Wheatear October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.
Yellow Wagtail...
At least 10 were present on the 1st but thereafter there were only singles on the 4th and 7th.
Grey Wagtail...
One to two were seen regularly.
Pied Wagtail...
Present throughout with a peak of at least 200 in the roost on the 31st. Five individuals of the Continental/Icelandic form known as 'White Wagtail', were trapped, ringed and released (two on the 2nd and three on the 7th). |
| Pied Wagtail October 2016 © Steve Groves |
Meadow Pipit...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 2nd and 4th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit...
Up to two were seen regularly. |
| (Eurasian) Rock Pipit October 2016 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
(European) Greenfinch...
One on the 24th was the first since June.
(Common) Linnet...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 4th.
Lesser Redpoll...
One heard on the 28th was the first since November 2015.
(European) Goldfinch...
Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 4th.
(Eurasian) Siskin...
Regular with a peak of at least 10 on a couple of dates.
(Common) Reed Bunting...
Present throughout with at least 10 on the 2nd. I'll leave you with Charlie's shot of (Northern) Pintails in flight...
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| (Northern) Pintails October 2016 © Charlie Wheeler wheeler-photography |
November's sightings to follow shortly.
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