Highlights...
This month’s best sighting was undoubtedly the Swannery's first ever Lesser Yellowlegs but the first Dipper for 36 years came a close second! Also of note were multiple sightings of Garganey, Cattle Egrets and Grey Phalaropes, along with singles of Osprey, Hen Harrier, Curlew Sandpiper, Black Tern, Short-eared Owl and 'Blue-headed Wagtail'.
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| Lesser Yellowlegs, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Garganey (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
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| Cattle Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Osprey, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
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| Grey Phalarope, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
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 337 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
Barnacle Goose... Two were present for much of the month.
Greylag Goose... One was present all month.
Black Swan… Four were present for much of the month.
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| Black Swans, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
Mute Swan... Present throughout with 585 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
Whooper Swan... The released rehabilitated second calendar year was present all month.
(Common) Shelduck... Seen regularly with five counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th. In addition the two Shelduck x Eider hybrids were present throughout.
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| Above two images... Garganey (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
Gadwall... One on the 4th only.
(Eurasian) Wigeon... Present throughout with a peak of 50 on the 3rd.
Mallard... Present throughout with 524 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
(Northern) Pintail... Present throughout with 66 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
(Eurasian) Teal... Present throughout with a peak of 500 on several dates.
(Common) Pochard... Seen regularly with eight counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
Tufted Duck... Present throughout with 85
(Common) Pheasant... Present throughout.
(Northern) Fulmar... One briefly on the 9th.
Little Grebe... Present throughout with a peak of 24 on the 18th.
Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout with a peak of at least 50 on the 3rd.
(Western) Cattle Egret... Five arrived on the 14th and there were then regular sightings with a peak of 19 on the 27th.
Grey Heron... Seen regularly.
(Western) Cattle Egret... Five arrived on the 14th and there were then regular sightings with a peak of 19 on the 27th.
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| Above two images... Cattle Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
Grey Heron... Seen regularly.
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| Grey Heron (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
Little Egret... Present throughout with a peak of at least 22 on the 18th.
(Great) Cormorant... Present throughout with 45 in the roost on the 13th.
(Western) Osprey... Singles were seen on six dates from the 1st to the 28th inclusive.
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| Above two images... Osprey, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen regularly.
(Western) Marsh Harrier... Singles were seen regularly.
Hen Harrier... An adult male was seen briefly on the 29th... The first sighting of this species since December 2017 and the first adult male since January 2011.
(Common) Buzzard... Present throughout.
Water Rail... Seen or at least heard regularly.
(Common) Moorhen... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Coot... Present throughout with 250 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
(Northern) Lapwing... Up to 15 were seen regularly.
(European) Golden Plover... Two on the 1st were the first since March.
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| Lapwing, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
(European) Golden Plover... Two on the 1st were the first since March.
Grey Plover... Two on the 7th.
(Common) Ringed Plover... Seen regularly with a peaks of at least five on several dates.
Whimbrel... Singles were seen fairly regularly.
(Eurasian) Curlew... Singles were seen fairly regularly.
Bar-tailed Godwit... One on the 27th.
Black-tailed Godwit... Seen regularly with a peak of eight on the 1st.
(Red) Knot... Seen regularly with a peak of 14 on the 1st.
Ruff... One on the 7th.
Curlew Sandpiper… One on the 8th.
Curlew Sandpiper… One on the 8th.
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| Curlew Sandpiper (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Dunlin... Seen regularly with a peak of over 15 on the 23rd.
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| Dunlin (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Snipe... Seen seen regularly, with a peak of nine on the 15th.
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| Snipe, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
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| Snipe, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
Grey Phalarope… Three were present on the 20th/21st, five on the 22nd and two on the 23rd, with at least one then lingering to the 25th.
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| Grey Phalarope, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Steve Groves |
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| Grey Phalaropes (& Coots), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Common Sandpiper… Seen regularly, with a peak of 14 on the 6th.
Green Sandpiper… Singles were present on the 2nd/3rd, 8th and 22nd.
Lesser Yellowlegs... The first for The Swannery (and 3rd for The Fleet) lingered briefly on the 23rd (before being relocated at nearby Lodmoor RSPB).
(Common) Redshank... Up to three were seen regularly.
Lesser Yellowlegs... The first for The Swannery (and 3rd for The Fleet) lingered briefly on the 23rd (before being relocated at nearby Lodmoor RSPB).
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| Above two images... Lesser Yellowlegs, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
(Common) Redshank... Up to three were seen regularly.
(Common) Greenshank… One on the 5th.
Black-headed Gull... Present throughout with 22 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.
Mediterranean Gull... Seen regularly with a peak of at least 100 on the 9th.
Common Gull... Seen regularly, with a peak of eight on the 23rd.
Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout with a peak of at least 100 present on the 18th.
(European) Herring Gull... Present throughout.
Yellow-legged Gull... One, a first calendar year, was present on the 19th/20th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull... Single figures were seen regularly.
Sandwich Tern... Singles were seen on the 16th and 24th.
Common Tern... At least eight were still present to the 7th but none were seen subsequently.
Arctic Tern... A juvenile was seen on the 20th.
Black Tern... A juvenile was present on the 5th.
Arctic Tern... A juvenile was seen on the 20th.
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| Arctic Tern (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Black Tern... A juvenile was present on the 5th.
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| Black Tern (juv.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
‘Feral Pigeon’... Present throughout.
Stock Dove... Single figures were seen regularly.
(Common) Wood Pigeon... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Collared Dove... Present throughout.
(Western) Barn Owl... One on the 21st.
Tawny Owl... Seen or at least heard regularly.
Short-eared Owl... One was seen on the 5th.
Short-eared Owl... One was seen on the 5th.
(Common) Kingfisher... Up to two were seen regularly.
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| Kingfisher, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Great Spotted Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
(European) Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel... Single figures were seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Hobby... Singles on the 2nd and 4th.
(European) Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel... Single figures were seen regularly.
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| Kestrel, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
(Eurasian) Hobby... Singles on the 2nd and 4th.
Peregrine Falcon... Singles were seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Jay... Singles on the 10th and 27th, the first since March.
(Eurasian) Magpie... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Magpie... Present throughout.
(Western) Jackdaw... Present throughout.
Rook... Present throughout.
Carrion Crow... Present throughout.
(Northern) Raven... Seen regularly.
Coal Tit... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Blue Tit... Present throughout.
Great Tit... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Skylark... Present throughout.
Sand Martin... Single figures were seen regularly to the 12th but none were seen subsequently.
(Barn) Swallow... Present throughout, with a peak of over 500 on the 4th.
(Common) House Martin... Seen regularly, with a peak of over 500 on the 4th.
Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout.
Willow Warbler... Up to ten were seen regularly to the 13th but none were seen subsequently.
(Common) Chiffchaff... Present throughout, with a peak of at least 200 on the 13th.
Sedge Warbler... Present throughout, with a peak of at least 20 on the 6th.
(Eurasian) Reed Warbler... Seen regularly, with a peak of at least 10 on the 3rd.
(Common) Grasshopper Warbler... Two were seen on the 13th and singles were present on the 17th and 21st.
(Eurasian) Blackcap... Present throughout, with a peak of over 200 on the 13th.
Garden Warbler... One was seen on the 8th.
Lesser Whitethroat... One was seen on the 25th.
Lesser Whitethroat... One was seen on the 25th.
(Common) Whitethroat... Seen regularly, with at least 10 present on the 13th.
Goldcrest... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Wren... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Nuthatch... At least one was heard regularly.
(Eurasian) Treecreeper... Present throughout.
(Common) Starling... Seen regularly with a peak of at least 25 on the 27th.
(Common) Blackbird... Present throughout.
Song Thrush... Present throughout.
Mistle Thrush... One on the 13th was surprisingly the only record.
Mistle Thrush... One on the 13th was surprisingly the only record.
Spotted Flycatcher... One on the 7th was surprisingly the only record.
(European) Robin... Present throughout.
(Common) Redstart... Two were present on the 13th.
Whinchat... Seen regularly with a peak of 10 on the 1st.
(European) Stonechat... At least three were seen regularly.
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| Whinchat, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
(European) Stonechat... At least three were seen regularly.
(Northern) Wheatear... Seen regularly with at least 15 present on the 5th.
(White-throated) Dipper... The first at The Swannery since 1982 was seen on the 25th.
(White-throated) Dipper... The first at The Swannery since 1982 was seen on the 25th.
House Sparrow... Present throughout.
Dunnock... Present throughout.
(Western) Yellow Wagtail...
‘British Yellow Wagtail’... Seen regularly with a peak count of at least 430 in the roost on the 1st.
‘Blue-headed Wagtail’... One was seen briefly on the 1st.
‘British Yellow Wagtail’... Seen regularly with a peak count of at least 430 in the roost on the 1st.
‘Blue-headed Wagtail’... One was seen briefly on the 1st.
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| Yellow Wagtails (juv. & ad.), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Kev Butler. |
Grey Wagtail... Seen regularly with a peak of 12 on the 6th.
White Wagtail...
'British Pied Wagtail’... Present throughout, with at least 100 present in the roost on the 28th.
‘European White Wagtail’... One was seen on the 5th and two were trapped, ringed and released on the 24th.
'British Pied Wagtail’... Present throughout, with at least 100 present in the roost on the 28th.
‘European White Wagtail’... One was seen on the 5th and two were trapped, ringed and released on the 24th.
Meadow Pipit... Seen regularly with at least 1,500 over on the 22nd.
Tree Pipit... Seen regularly in the first half of the month, with a peak of at least 10 over on the 5th but none were seen after the 15th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit... The first since April was seen on the 23rd and again on the 25th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit... The first since April was seen on the 23rd and again on the 25th.
(Common) Chaffinch... Present throughout.
(European) Greenfinch... One or two were seen regularly.
(Common) Linnet... Present throughout.
(European) Goldfinch... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Siskin... Single figures were seen regularly from the 13th.
(Common) Reed Bunting... Present throughout.
... And that's it for this month except to say thanks to my work colleagues and volunteers for additional sightings and additional images, particularly Joe Stockwell and Charlie Wheeler but also Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Phil Jenks, Richard Philips, Nick Urch and Jonny White.
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| Migrant Hawker, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
October’s sightings to follow shortly.
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