Arguably the best bird of the month was the long overdue first European Bee-eater for The Swannery, seen and videoed by Joe Stockwell. Also in contention was a putative ‘Siberian Common Tern’, presumably the regularly returning individual and a 'Continental Coal Tit' the first confirmed sighting of this form at The Swannery. Also noteworthy were a Garganey, a lingering Greater Scaup, up to three Western Ospreys, a Little Gull, at least three Arctic Terns, a Roseate Tern and a Short-eared Owl.
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 with 69 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Barnacle Goose... The lingering bird was present until the 13th,
whilst four flew south east on the 22nd.
Brent Goose (Brant Goose)... One of the Russian (dark-bellied) breeding form was present
on the 2nd .
Snow Goose... One on the 26th (a presumed escape) was believed
to be the same individual seen last month.
Snow Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Snow Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves |
Greylag Goose... One on the 5th, three on the 12th/13th
and one on the 29th.
Black Swan… Two were present for much of the month.
Mute Swan... Present throughout with 670 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Mute Swan (2nd calendar year) & Snow Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves |
Common Shelduck... Present throughout with 62 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Common Shelduck (duckling), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves |
Northern Shoveler… Present through much of the month with a peak of
seven on the 15th.
Garganey... A drake was present on the 22nd.
Gadwall... Present throughout with a peak of eight on
the 26th.
Eurasian Wigeon... A single drake remained throughout.
Mallard... Present throughout with 88 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Northern Pintail... A female with wing damage remained all month
and a confiding (presumed escaped) drake was also seen regularly.
Northern Pintail (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Eurasian Teal... 20 were
still present on the 1st but by the 3rd only a single
drake remained and it lingered for the rest of the month.
Common Pochard... Present throughout with a peak of 26 on the 26th.
Common Pochard (drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Tufted Duck... Present throughout with a peak of 30 on the 8th.
Greater Scaup... The lingering second calendar year female was
present until the 15th.
Common Scoter... One, a female, was present from the 3rd
to the 6th.
Red-breasted Merganser... One on the 1st.
Common Pheasant... Present
throughout.
Little Grebe... One
on the 8th.
Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout with 31 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Great Crested Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves |
Grey Heron... Singles were seen regularly.
Little Egret... Present throughout with three counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Great Cormorant... Present throughout with around 20 roosting nightly.
Western Osprey... Singles on the 12th, 14th and
22nd.
Eurasian Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen regularly.
Western Marsh Harrier... Singles were seen regularly but at least two individuals were seen on the 7th and 23rd.
Western Marsh Harrier, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Red Kite... An unprecedented movement took place between the 6th
and 26th mostly involving single figures but with at least 25 west
on the 14th and a staggering 58 west on the 15th.
Red Kite (& Rook), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Water Rail... A dead chick was found on the 22nd
indicating proof of breeding (a rarely proven event) but no adults were seen or
heard.
Common Moorhen... Present throughout with 9 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Eurasian Coot... Present throughout with 28 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Eurasian Oystercatcher… Present throughout with a peak of 13 on the 9th
which included three nesting pairs.
Eurasian Oystercatcher, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves |
Eurasian Oystercatchers (chick & adult), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Pied Avocet… One on the 13th and two on the 19th.
Above images Pied Avocets, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018
© Steve Groves. The colour marked bird was believed to be ringed in France
|
Northern Lapwing... Last month’s individual remained into this month and was last seen on the 14th.
Grey Plover... Singles on the 6th, 12th, 17th
and 28th.
Common Ringed Plover... Seen regularly with a peak of eight on the 23rd.
Common Ringed Plover, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Whimbrel... Seen regularly with a peak of at least 20 on the 6th.
Bar-tailed Godwit... Seen regularly with a peak of five on the 12th.
Black-tailed Godwit... Seen regularly with a peak of 10 on the 28th. All were of the Icelandic breeding form.
Black-tailed Godwit... Seen regularly with a peak of 10 on the 28th. All were of the Icelandic breeding form.
Above images Black-tailed Godwits, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018
© Steve Groves
|
Ruddy Turnstone... Seen regularly with a peak of 11 on the 22nd.
Above images Black-tailed Ruddy Turnstones, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018
© Steve Groves
|
Ruddy Turnstone, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Red Knot... One was present on the 23rd/24th and two were seen on the 27th.
Sanderling... Seen regularly with a
peak of 19 on the 29th.
Dunlin... Seen regularly with a
peak of at least 100 on the 9th.
Above images Dunlins, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Steve Groves
|
Above images Common Sandpipers , Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Common Redshank... Seen regularly with a peak of three on the 24th.
Common Greenshank... Four on the 6th.
Black-headed Gull... Present throughout with 39 counted during the
Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Little Gull... One (a second calendar year) was present on the 19th.
Mediterranean Gull... Seen regularly with a peak of seven on the 29th.
Common Gull (Mew Gull)... At least two were still present on the 1st
but the only other sightings were of singles on the 7th and 30th.
Common Gull (2nd calendar year), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout with a peak of at least 50 on
the 1st.
European Herring Gull... Present throughout with a peak of at least 250 on
the 12th.
Sandwich Tern... Seen regularly with a peak of at least 10 on the 7th.
Roseate Tern... One on the 31st.
Common Tern... Present throughout with a peak of at least 100 on
the 14th. The regularly returning individual showing characters of
the Siberian breeding form was seen on the 24th.
Common Terns (Adult & 2nd calendar year), Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Common Terns, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell
|
Arctic Tern... One on the 1st and at least two on the 16th.
Rock Dove... Feral/Domestic birds
were seen regularly.
Stock Dove... Seen regularly.
Common Wood Pigeon... Present throughout.
Eurasian Collared Dove... Present throughout.
Western Barn Owl... Singles on the 29th and 31st.
Short-eared Owl... One flew north on the 27th, the first
since November 2016 and the first in spring since April 2010.
Common Swift... Seen regularly with a peak of 50 on the 16th.
European Bee-eater... What was perhaps surprisingly the first for The Swannery flew north on the 26th.
European Bee-eater... What was perhaps surprisingly the first for The Swannery flew north on the 26th.
Great Spotted Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
European Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
Common Kestrel... One or two were seen regularly.
Hobby... Singles on the 7th and 25th were the first since August 2017.
European Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
Common Kestrel... One or two were seen regularly.
Hobby... Singles on the 7th and 25th were the first since August 2017.
Peregrine Falcon... Singles on the 2nd, 5th, 11th
and 29th.
Eurasian Magpie... Present throughout.
Western Jackdaw... Present throughout.
Rook... Present throughout.
Carrion Crow... Present throughout.
Northern Raven... Seen regularly.
Coal Tit... The only sighting was of one present on the 5th and it was the first confirmed record of an individual of the Continental form for The
Swannery!
Eurasian Blue Tit... Present throughout.
Great Tit... Present throughout.
Eurasian Skylark... Present throughout.
Sand Martin... Seen regularly until the 17th, with a
peak of 100 on the 16th.
Barn Swallow... Present throughout, with a peak of 100 on the 16th.
Common House Martin... Seen regularly until the 17th, with a
peak of 50 on the 16th.
Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout.
Willow Warbler... Seen regularly until the 7th, with a peak
of over 10 on the 4th.
Common Chiffchaff... Present throughout.
Sedge Warbler... Present throughout.
Eurasian Reed Warbler... Present throughout.
Eurasian Blackcap... Present throughout.
Garden Warbler... One on the
22nd.
Lesser Whitethroat... At least three singing males were present
throughout.
Common Whitethroat... Present throughout with at least five seen/heard on
the 7th.
Goldcrest... Present throughout.
Eurasian Wren... Present throughout.
Eurasian Nuthatch... One on the 1st.
Eurasian Treecreeper... Seen regularly.
Common Starling... Singles on the 7th, 19th and
27th.
Common Blackbird... Present throughout.
Song Thrush... Present throughout.
Mistle Thrush... A pair were present to the 5th only.
Spotted Flycatcher... One on the 12th, three on the 14th
and one on the 29th.
European Robin... Present throughout.
Northern Wheatear... Three on the 4th, two on the 5th,
one on the 7th and one on the 27th. At least three of
these, if not all, were of the Greenland breeding form.
House Sparrow... Present throughout.
Dunnock... Present throughout.
Western Yellow Wagtail... Two
on the 2nd and singles on the 11th and 16th.
Western Yellow Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Pied Wagtail (White Wagtail) ... Present
throughout.
Meadow Pipit... One on the 2nd only. Sadly none held
territory this year.
Common Chaffinch... Present throughout.
Eurasian Bullfinch... Seen or at least heard regularly.
European Greenfinch... After being extremely scarce so far this year it
was good to see a return to form from the 11th on, with at least one
pair holding territory.
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 my work colleagues for additional sightings and
additional images, particularly Joe Stockwell and Charlie Wheeler but also Kev
Butler, Phil Jenks and Jonny White. Also thanks to the WeBS counters ... Alan
Barrett and Nick Urch.
I'll leave you with a couple of Joe Stockwell's dragonfly images from this month...
Above images male & Female Broad-bodied Chasers, Abbotsbury Swannery, May 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
June's sightings to follow shortly.