Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - May 2017

Highlights...

The rarest birds of the month were two or three Garganeys; two Ospreys; a Little Ringed Plover; a Curlew Sandpiper; two Little Stints; up to three Little Gulls; a Hobby or two; a Whinchat and two or three Yellow Wagtails.

More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...

Black Swan...

Two were present throughout.

Mute Swan...
Present throughout with 590 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th. 103 occupied nests.

Hatching Mute Swan cygnet, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves 

Canada Goose...
Present throughout with 32 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th. Four pairs nested.

Egyptian Goose...
Two on the 24th...

 Egyptian Geese (& Mute Swans), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves 

Shelduck...
Present throughout with 35 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th...

Above two images drake Shelduck,

 Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Dave Callaby

Wigeon...
A rather unseasonable four were present from the 2nd to the 4th.

Gadwall...

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

Teal...

Present until the 9th only, with a peak of five on the 5th.

Mallard...
Present throughout with 106 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th. Several broods seen.

Pintail...

Unseasonably one to four were seen regularly until the 11th, while a single drake lingered to the end of the month.

Pintail (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Garganey...
A pair were present on the 5th/6th, while a single female lingered from the 8th to the 20th...

The pair of Garganey, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Garganey (duck), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Shoveler...
Present throughout with a peak of seven on the 1st.

Pochard... 

Present throughout with eight counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Tufted Duck... 

Present throughout with 29 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Pheasant...

Present throughout. Several broods seen.

Cormorant...
Present throughout with 36 in the roost on the 11th.

Little Egret... 
Present throughout with a peak of sixteen on the 30th.

Grey Heron... 
Single figures were seen regularly.

Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with 41 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Red Kite...
Two on the 24th.

Marsh Harrier...
Singles were seen regularly...

Marsh Harrier, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Sparrowhawk... 
Singles on the 12th and 16th.

Buzzard... 
Single figures were seen regularly. 

Osprey...

Singles on the 5th and 25th.

Moorhen...
Present throughout. Several broods seen.

Coot...
Present throughout with 61 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th. Several broods seen.

Oystercatcher...
Three nesting pairs were present throughout, with another pair visiting on the 7th at least...

Oystercatcher, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Dave Callaby

Oystercatcher, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Charlie Wheeler 

Oystercatcher chick, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Charlie Wheeler 

Grey Plover...
Singles were seen on the 8th, 10th and 15th but five were present on the 9th.

Ringed Plover...
Seen regularly, at least in the first half of the month with a peak of ten on the 5th...

Ringed Plover, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Little Ringed Plover...
One on the 9th, with it or another on the 12th/13th.

Lapwing...

One on the 18th/19th was the first since March.

Whimbrel...
Regular to the 17th with a peak of sixteen on the 11th but the only sighting subsequently was of one on the 31st.

Bar-tailed Godwit...
Regular to the 16th (but not seen subsequently) with a peak of thirteen on the 2nd...

Bar-tailed Godwit, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Turnstone...

Regular with a peak of thirteen on the 17th...

Turnstones (& Oystercatcher) Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 

© Charlie Wheeler 

Curlew Sandpiper...

One was reported on the 6th.

Sanderling...

Regular, with a peak of five on the 29th.

Dunlin...

Regular to the 20th (but not subsequently), with a peak of 100 on the 8th.

Little Stint...

Two on the 14th were a rare spring record...

Little Stints, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Common Sandpiper...

One on the 3rd.

Greenshank...

One on the 21st.

Redshank...

Singles on the 7th and 10th.

Snipe...
Singles on the 3rd and 5th.

Little Tern...
One on the 30th was the first since May 2016.

Sandwich Tern...
Seen regularly, with a peak of ten plus on the 3rd and 7th.

Common Tern...
Present throughout with over 120 around the Tern Island from the 15th. At least 40 pairs nested...

Above two images Common Terns, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Dave Callaby

 Common Tern (2nd calendar year), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Black-headed Gull...

Present throughout with 30 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th. At least five pairs nested...

Black-headed Gull, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Dave Callaby

Little  Gull...
Single second calendar years were seen on the 9th, 16th/17th and 29th...

Above two images Little Gulls (2nd calendar years), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves. 

Mediterranean Gull...
Seen fairly regularly with a peak of two on the 11th.

Common Gull...
Seen fairly regularly to the 16th (but not subsequently) with a peak of two on the 13th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Singles were seen fairly regularly.

Herring Gull...

Singles figures were seen regularly.

Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak of 45 on the 11th.

Feral/Domestic Pigeon...

Seen regularly.

Stock Dove...

Singles on the 9th and 22nd. 

Wood Pigeon...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Collared Dove...

Seen regularly.

Tawny Owl...
A pair in the grounds fledged at least two young.

Swift...
Seen regularly but with a peak of only five on the 5th.

Green Woodpecker...

Seen regularly.

Great Spotted Woodpecker...

Seen regularly. One pair nested.

Kestrel...

Singles were seen regularly.

Hobby...

Singles on the 10th and 17th.

Magpie...

Present throughout and presumably nested.

Jackdaw...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Rook...

Present throughout, with many nesting in the adjacent Chapel Coppice.

Carrion Crow...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Raven...

Seen regularly.

Goldcrest...

Present throughout. At least two pairs nested.

Blue Tit...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Great Tit...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Coal Tit...
One was heard on the 2nd.

Skylark...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Sand Martin...
Seen regularly with a peak of at least five on the 17th.

Swallow...

Present throughout, with a peak of 20 on the 7th. Several pairs nested...

Swallow, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

House Martin...

Seen regularly with peaks of at least five on the 7th and 12th.

Cetti's Warbler...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Long-tailed Tit...

Present throughout. At least one pair nested.

Chiffchaff...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Willow Warbler...

One was heard on the 6th and at least five were present on the 8th but there were no subsequent records.

Blackcap...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Lesser Whitethroat...
The first of the year was heard regularly from the 14th to at least the 22nd from scrub on adjacent Chester's Hill and one was seen and heard in the grounds on the 21st.

Whitethroat...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Sedge Warbler...
Present throughout. At least one pair nested.

Reed Warbler...
Present throughout. Many pairs nested...

Reed Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Charlie Wheeler 

Treecreeper...
At least one from the 17th to the 24th.

Wren...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Starling...

One on the 21st.

Blackbird...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Mistle Thrush...

Present throughout. At least one pair nested.

Spotted Flycatcher...

One on the 22nd was the first of the year.

Robin...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Whinchat...

One on the 8th/9th.

Stonechat...

Present throughout. One pair nested.

Wheatear...
Singles were regular to the 9th but the only subsequent sighting was of one on the 21st.

Dunnock...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested. 

House Sparrow...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested in adjacent Grove Lane.

Yellow Wagtail...
Singles on the 6th, 7th and 16th.

Pied Wagtail...

Present throughout. Two pairs nested...

Pied Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

Meadow Pipit...
Singles on the 5th and 14th.

Chaffinch...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Bullfinch...
Present throughout. One pair nested.

Greenfinch...

One on the 20th.

Linnet...

Present throughout. Presumably nested.

Goldfinch...

Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

Reed Bunting...
Present throughout. Several pairs nested.

...And that's it for this month except to say thanks to Dave Callaby and Charlie Wheeler for the use of their images. Check out Charlie's website by clicking the following link  Charlie Wheeler Photography. Also thanks to Alan Barrett,  Richard Philips & Nick Urch for help with the WeBS at The Swannery and  for all of the above, plus my colleagues, for additional sightings. A Particular thanks must go to Kevin Butler for finding two unfamiliar waders which turned out to be the two Little Stints (which I then misidentified as Sanderlings! Thanks to Ben Sheldon for correcting me!)

I'll leave you with a photo of the only Southern Marsh Orchid I could find on site this spring...

Southern Marsh Orchid, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2017 © Steve Groves

June's sightings to follow shortly.

Abbotsbury Swannery Bird News - April 2017

Highlights...

The rarest birds of the month were the two over-wintering Richard's Pipits. Other highlights included (at least one Swan Goose of dubious origin), the five lingering Long-tailed Ducks, two Spoonbills, up to three Ospreys, an Avocet, a Spotted Redshank, a Wood Sandpiper, three Grasshopper Warblers, four Redstarts, a Whinchat and a Yellow Wagtail.

More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...

Black Swan...

Two were present throughout.

Mute Swan...
Present throughout with 480 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Swan Goose...

One (possibly two different individuals) present sporadically from the 3rd to the 10th. This represents the first Swannery record of this Far East Asian goose (the wild ancestor of the domestic Chinese Goose). There were at least two in Dorset this month with one or two others elsewhere along the English south coast. Presumably all were escapes but it is worth noting that there is apparently a naturalised population in Germany...

Swan Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler 

Swan Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Swan Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Canada Goose...
Present throughout with 26 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Egyptian Goose...
One on the 9th...

Egyptian Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Shelduck...
Present throughout with 28 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Shelduck (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Wigeon...
Present daily until the 14th with 13 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Gadwall...

Present throughout with a peak of six on the 10th and 11th...

Gadwall (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Teal...

Present throughout with 94 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Teal (drake),  Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Mallard...
Present throughout with 66 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Pintail...

Seen regularly with peaks of over 5 on a couple of dates...

Pintail (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Shoveler...
Present throughout with 45 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Pochard... 

Present throughout with 18 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Tufted Duck... 

Present throughout with 50 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Long-tailed Duck...

All five over-wintering birds remained until the 19th, with one still lingering at the month's end...

Long-tailed Ducks (duck left, drake right),
 Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Red-breasted Merganser...
Present daily until the 24th with 15 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Above two images Red-breasted Merganser (drake),

 Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Pheasant...
Present throughout...

Pheasant (male), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Cormorant...
Present throughout with 30 in the roost on the 20th.

Little Egret... 
Present throughout with nine counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Little Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Grey Heron... 
Single figures were seen regularly.

Spoonbill... 
Two circled over and then flew southeast on the 12th.

Little Grebe...
One on the 3rd.

Great Crested Grebe... 

Present throughout with 37 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Great Crested Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Red Kite...
Singles on the 5th, 10th and 22nd...

Red Kite,  Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Marsh Harrier...
Singles were seen regularly.

Sparrowhawk... 
One on the 24th.

Buzzard... 
Single figures were seen regularly. 

Osprey...

Singles on the 8th, 21st and from the 26th to the 29th...

Osprey, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Water Rail... 

One on the  25th.

Moorhen...
Present throughout. 

Coot...
Present throughout with 72 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Coot, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Avocet...
One on the 29th...

Avocet, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Oystercatcher...
Three pairs were present throughout.

Grey Plover...
Singles on the 3rd and 9th...

Grey Plover (left) & Whimbrel, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Ringed Plover...
Singles on the 28th and 30th.

Whimbrel...
Seen/heard regularly with a peak of sixteen on the 23rd...

Whimbrels, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Curlew...
One on the 8th.

Black-tailed Godwit...

One on the 3rd and 4th...

Black-tailed Godwit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Bar-tailed Godwit...
Regular, with a peak of seventeen on the 23rd...

Above two images Bar-tailed Godwits (females or 2nd calendar year males),

 Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Bar-tailed Godwit (female or 2nd calendar year male), Abbotsbury Swannery,
April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Bar-tailed Godwits (ad. males), Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Dunlin...

Regular from the 13th, with a peak of twenty on the 18th...

Dunlins, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Common Sandpiper...
Seen regularly from the 10th, with a peak of three on several dates.

Green Sandpiper...
One on the 11th and 12th.

Spotted Redshank...

One on the 21st (the first since September 2015).

Greenshank...

Regular from the 18th to the 23rd, with a peak of five on the 19th.

Wood Sandpiper...
One on the 21st. The first spring record during my 29 year tenure...

Wood Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Redshank...

Regular until the 14th, with a peak of six on the 12th...

Redshanks, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Snipe...
Seen regularly, with a peak of five on the 11th...

Snipe, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Sandwich Tern...
Seen regularly, with a peak of thirty on the 22nd/23rd...

Sandwich Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Common Tern...
Regular from the 14th with fifty present by the 30th...

Common Tern, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Black-headed Gull...

Present throughout with 105 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th...

Black-headed Gull, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Mediterranean Gull...
Regular with a peak of three on the 30th...

Mediterranean Gull (2nd calendar year), 
Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Common Gull...
Regular with a peak of five the 4th and 8th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Singles were seen regularly.

Herring Gull...

Present throughout with six counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with a peak of fifty on the 13th.

Feral/Domestic Pigeon...

Seen regularly.

Stock Dove...

At least one on the 3rd and three on the 23rd. 

Wood Pigeon...

Present throughout. 

Collared Dove...

Seen regularly.

Swift...
At least one seen on the 21st was the first of the year.

Green Woodpecker...

Seen regularly.

Great Spotted Woodpecker...

Seen regularly.

Kestrel...

Singles were seen regularly.

Peregrine Falcon...

Singles were seen regularly.

Magpie...

Present throughout.

Jackdaw...
Present throughout.

Rook...

Present throughout.

Carrion Crow...

Present throughout.

Raven...

Seen regularly.

Goldcrest...

Present throughout.

Blue Tit...

Present throughout.

Great Tit...
Present throughout...

Great Tit, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Coal Tit...
Present throughout.

Skylark...

Present throughout...

Skylark, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

Sand Martin...
Regular with peaks of over ten on the 21st and 24th.

Swallow...

Regular with a peak of over ten on the 19th...

Above two images Swallows, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

House Martin...

The first of the year was not seen until the 18th but then one or two were seen regularly.

Cetti's Warbler...

Present throughout.

Long-tailed Tit...

Present throughout.

Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with a peak of over ten on the 5th.

Willow Warbler...

The first of the year was seen on the 3rd and they were then present virtually daily with peaks of over ten from the 19th to the 23rd.

Blackcap...
Present throughout.

Garden Warbler...
One, the first of the year, was present on the 22nd.

Whitethroat...
The first of the year was not seen or heard until the 21st but at least one or two were present to the end of the month.

Grasshopper Warbler...
One, the first of the year, was heard on the 18th while two were 'reeling' on the 22nd.

Sedge Warbler...
Despite last month's 'early bird' one was not heard again until the 10th but birds were seen or heard regularly then with over ten on the 21st.

Reed Warbler...
Seen or heard regularly with a peak of over ten on the 19th.

Nuthatch...
One was heard on the 9th.

Treecreeper...
Present throughout.

Wren...

Present throughout.

Starling...

One on the 11th was the only sighting of this once regular breeder.

Blackbird...

Present throughout.

Song Thrush...
Seen/heard regularly from the recording area but rarely within it.

Mistle Thrush...

Seen regularly.

Robin...

Present throughout.

Redstart...

The first of the year was seen on the 8th (a male), with another (male) on the 11th and two (females) on the 18th.

Stonechat...

Two (a pair) throughout.

Whinchat...

The first of the year (a male) was present on the 23rd...

Whinchat, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Wheatear...
The first of the year was present on the 9th and there were then regular sightings with a peak of six on the 26th.

Dunnock...
Present throughout...

House Sparrow...

Present throughout...

Yellow Wagtail...
One on the 21st was the first of the year.

Pied Wagtail...

Birds of the British race yarrellii were present throughout but in addition, birds of the Continental/Icelandic race alba 'White Wagtail' were seen on the 21st (two) and 22nd (one)...

Pied Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Steve Groves

Richard's Pipit...
The two that arrived in December 2016 were seen regularly until the 6th.

Meadow Pipit...
Singles flew over on the 2nd and 21st.

Chaffinch...
Present throughout...

Chaffinch, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Bullfinch...
Two were seen/heard regularly from the 19th.

Linnet...

Present throughout.

Goldfinch...

Present throughout...

Goldfinch, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Dave Callaby

Reed Bunting...
Present throughout. 

...And that's it for this month except to say thanks to Dave Callaby and Charlie Wheeler for the use of their images. Check out their websites by clicking the following links - DMC Journal - Charlie Wheeler Photography. Also thanks to Alan Barrett,  Richard Philips & Nick Urch for help with the WeBS at The Swannery and  for all of the above for additional sightings. 

I'll leave you with a couple of Charlie's images of interesting insects seen this April...

Above two images Black Oil Beetle Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 
© Charlie Wheeler

 Brimstone Butterfly, Abbotsbury Swannery, April 2017 © Charlie Wheeler

May's sightings to follow shortly.