Highlights...
There were several sightings of Cattle Egrets, including a flock of ten! Also at least two Roseate Terns were seen, one of which was joined briefly by the regularly returning putative 'Siberian Common Tern'.
 |
The ten Cattle Egrets (with a Black-headed Gull),
Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography
|
 |
Above two photos... Roseate Tern ('bird 1' with Common Terns),
Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography
|
More details on the above birds and the rest of this month's sightings follow below...
Mute Swan...
Present throughout with 800 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Present throughout with 800 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Black Swan...
Two were present throughout.
Greylag Goose...
One on the 30th/31st.
 |
The Greylag Goose Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves
|
Present throughout with 710 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Shelduck...
Present throughout with eighteen counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Gadwall...
Seen regularly with a peak of six on the 23rd.
At least one was present on the 18th, 30th and 31st.
Teal...Mallard...
Present throughout with 228 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Pintail...
The over-summering drake was present throughout.Shoveler...
Present throughout with at least thirteen seen on the 18th.
Pochard...
Present throughout with three counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout with nine counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Pheasant...
Present throughout.Cormorant...
Present throughout with at least 30 in the roost most evenings.
Cattle Egret...
There were several records this month with an unprecedented ten present briefly on the 12th; one on the 15th; one on the 25th and a family party of three on the 30th/31st...
 |
Above two photos... the ten Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography |
 |
| Cattle Egret (one of the singles), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves |
Little Egret...
Present throughout with eleven counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Grey Heron...
Singles were seen regularly.
Little Grebe...
At least three were present throughout.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with 22 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Red Kite...
Two flew over on the 3rd.
Singles on the 14th, 24th and 31st.
Single figures were seen regularly.
Present throughout.
Coot...
Present throughout with 210 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd.
Oystercatcher...
The three nesting pairs and their three fledged young were present throughout much of the month.
Little Ringed Plover...
One on the 7th.
Lapwing...
Present throughout with a peak of eight on the 31st.
Whimbrel...
At least two were seen on the 7th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
Singles on the 17th and 31st.
Singles on the 17th and 31st.
Seen regularly with a peak of at least ten on the 26th..
Common Sandpiper...
 |
| Dunlin, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves |
Seen regularly with a peak of five on the 14th...
 |
Common Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography
|
Green Sandpiper...
Singles on the 2nd and 6th; three on the 8th and two on the 9th.
Redshank...
Two on the 5th; three on the 8th; three on the 12th and three on the 31st.Seen regularly, with a peak of four on the 26th.
Common Tern...
 |
Above four photos... Common Terns, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography |
 |
| Common Tern (fledgling), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves |
'Siberian Common Tern'...
The regular putative individual was seen on the 13th.
Roseate Tern...
One (with a single ring) was seen regularly from the 4th to the 9th, while another individual (with two rings) visited on the 12th and 13th...
 |
Roseate Tern ('bird 1', with Common Terns), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Steve Groves |
 |
Roseate Tern ('bird 2'), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Steve Groves |
Kittiwake...
One (an adult) was present on the 30th (the first since February 2014).
Black-headed Gull...
Present throughout with 450 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 23rd. |
| Black-headed Gull, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography |
Mediterranean Gull...
Seen regularly with a peak of over twenty on the 19th.
Common Gull...
One on the 25th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
Single figures were seen regularly.
Herring Gull...
Seen regularly with over fifty present on the 26th.
Yellow-legged Gull...
Single juveniles were seen on the 15th and the 25th.
Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout with over eighty present on the 26th.
Feral/Domestic Pigeon...
Seen regularly.
Stock Dove...
One on the 15th.
Wood Pigeon...
Present throughout.
Collared Dove...
Seen regularly.Barn Owl...
One was heard on the 12th.
Tawny Owl...
Two fleged young were seen on the 4th and singles were then seen or at least heard regularly...
 |
| Tawny Owl (fledgling), Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography |
Swift...
Seen regularly, with a peak of over twenty on the 1st.
Green Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker...
Seen regularly.
Kestrel...
Singles were seen regularly...
 |
| Above two photos... Kestrel, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves |
Peregrine...
Singles on the 21st and 22nd.
Magpie...
Present throughout.Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
Raven...
Seen regularly.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Seen, or at least heard, regularly.
Skylark...
Present throughout.Sand Martin...
Seen regularly with a peak of over 200 on the 5th.
Swallow...
Present throughout.
House Martin...
Seen regularly with a peak of over twenty on the 30th.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Present throughout.Chiffchaff...
Present throughout.
Willow Warbler...
Seen, or at least heard regularly from the 19th.
Blackcap...
Present throughout.Whitethroat...
Present throughout.
Sedge Warbler...
Present throughout.
Reed Warbler...
Present throughout.
One on the 22nd and 24th.
Present throughout.
Starling...
Seen regularly with a peak of at least 100 on a couple of dates.
Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Song Thrush...
At least one was seen or at least heard regularly.
Robin...
Present throughout.
Stonechat...
Present throughout.
Wheatear...
One on the 23rd.
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
Present throughout.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.Yellow Wagtail...
Singles were regular from the 25th.
Grey Wagtail...
One on the 30th.
Pied Wagtail...
Present throughout...
 |
Pied Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves
|
Rock Pipit...
One on the 10th.
Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
Bullfinch...
Present throughout.
Linnet...
Present throughout.
Goldfinch...
Present throughout... |
Goldfinches, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017 © Steve Groves
|
Siskin...
One on the 18th.Present throughout.
I'll leave you with a few images of the tern ringing in early July...
 |
Steve Hales ringing the Common Tern & Black-headed Gull chicks, July 2017. Around 70–80 pairs of the former fledged around 140-145 chicks (141 ringed).
About 7 pairs of the latter fledged 19 chicks (13 ringed). © Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography |
 |
Common Tern chick, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography
|
 |
| Black-headed Gull chick, Abbotsbury Swannery, July 2017
© Charlie Wheeler Charlie Wheeler Photography
|
