Highlights...
A major influx of Cattle Egrets and mini influxes of Great Egrets, 'Greenland White-fronted Geese' and Short-eared Owls were the main events along with the Swannery's second ever Caspian Gull and third ever Lapland Bunting. Also of note though were a few Scaup and Yellow-browed Warblers, along with singles of Osprey, Arctic Tern, Turtle Dove, 'Northern Willow Warbler', Black Redstart and Dipper.
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| Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
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| Greenland White-fronted Geese, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
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Caspian Gull (1st calendar year), Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Joe Stockwell |
The Month's Bird News In Full...
More details of the above highlights and the rest of this month's sightings...
Two 'Dark-bellied Brent Geese' flew west on the 5th, the first of the autumn.
Canada Goose... Present throughout with 125 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
Barnacle Goose... Two were present for much of the month.
Greylag Goose... One was present all month.
(Greater) White-fronted Goose...
Eight 'Greenland White-fronted Geese' circled over on the 26th and six lingered for much of the 27th. These are the first since the over-wintering individual of this form in 2014/2015.
Black Swan… Four were present for much of the month.
Eight 'Greenland White-fronted Geese' circled over on the 26th and six lingered for much of the 27th. These are the first since the over-wintering individual of this form in 2014/2015.
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Greenland White-fronted Geese, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Charlie Wheeler |
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Greenland White-fronted Geese, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Steve Groves |
Black Swan… Four were present for much of the month.
Mute Swan... Present throughout with 730 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
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Mute Swan, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler
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Whooper Swan... The released rehabilitated second calendar year was present all month.
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| Whooper Swan, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Shelduck... Seen regularly with a peak of 13 on the 29th. In addition the two Shelduck x Eider hybrids were present throughout.
Mandarin Duck... One (a drake) was present on the 19th.
Mandarin Duck... One (a drake) was present on the 19th.
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| Mandarin Duck (with Mallards), Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Steve Groves |
Northern Shoveler… Present throughout with a peak of 100 on the 25th.
Gadwall... At least two were seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Wigeon... Present throughout with 270
Mallard... Present throughout with 617 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
(Northern) Pintail... Present throughout with a peak of at least 200 on the 6th.
(Eurasian) Teal... Present throughout with 540
(Common) Pochard... Present throughout with 37 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
Tufted Duck... Present throughout with 73
(Greater) Scaup... The first of the autumn arrived on the 27th and three were present by the 31st.
Goosander... Three flew west on the 27th, the first of the year!
Red-breasted Merganser... One the first of the autumn, a single, was seen on the 12th but none were seen subsequently.
Red-legged Partridge... Two were seen regularly from the 9th.
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| Hybrid Tufted Duck x Red-crested Pochard, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
(Greater) Scaup... The first of the autumn arrived on the 27th and three were present by the 31st.
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Scaup (1st winter drake), Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler
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Goosander... Three flew west on the 27th, the first of the year!
Red-breasted Merganser... One the first of the autumn, a single, was seen on the 12th but none were seen subsequently.
Red-legged Partridge... Two were seen regularly from the 9th.
(Common) Pheasant... Present throughout.
Little Grebe... Present throughout with a peak of at least 25 on the 1st.
Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout with a peak of at least 54 on the 1st.
(Western) Cattle Egret... Three on the 17th were the first of the month but there were then regular sightings, with an unprecedented count of at least 44 together on the 26th!
Grey Heron... Seen regularly.
Great Egret... One on the 16th was followed by an unprecedented count of five together on the 18th.
(Western) Cattle Egret... Three on the 17th were the first of the month but there were then regular sightings, with an unprecedented count of at least 44 together on the 26th!
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| Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
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| Cattle Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
Grey Heron... Seen regularly.
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| Grey Heron, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
Great Egret... One on the 16th was followed by an unprecedented count of five together on the 18th.
Little Egret... Present throughout with a peak of 37 on the 12th.
(Northern) Gannet... One present in the meadow on the 12th was picked up and released onto The Fleet, Still present on 13th it was unfortunately found dead on the 14th.
(Great) Cormorant... Present throughout with 32 in the roost on the 16th.
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Above two images... Gannet (with Coots), Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Steve Groves |
(Great) Cormorant... Present throughout with 32 in the roost on the 16th.
(Western) Osprey... Singles on the 1st and the 5th.
(Eurasian) Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen regularly.
(Western) Marsh Harrier... Singles were seen regularly but at least two were present on a few dates.
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Above two images... Marsh Harriers, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Steve Groves |
Hen Harrier... Single 'Ringtails' were seen on the 23rd and 29th.
Red Kite... One was seen on the 1st.
(Common) Buzzard... Present throughout.
Water Rail... Seen or at least heard regularly.
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| Water Rail & Little Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Steve Groves |
(Common) Moorhen... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Coot... Present throughout with 650 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
(Pied) Avocet... Three were present on the 19th.
(Pied) Avocet... Three were present on the 19th.
(Northern) Lapwing... Present throughout with a peak of 100 on the 23rd.
(European) Golden Plover... Singles (or just one individual?) were seen, or at least heard, regularly from the 5th to the 19th but at least four were seen on the 18th.
(European) Golden Plover... Singles (or just one individual?) were seen, or at least heard, regularly from the 5th to the 19th but at least four were seen on the 18th.
Grey Plover... One was seen on the 3rd.
(Common) Ringed Plover... Two were seen on the 3rd and one on the 15th.
(Eurasian) Curlew... One was seen on the 1st and one was heard on the 8th.
Bar-tailed Godwit... One was seen on the 15th.
Black-tailed Godwit... One was seen on the 4th and two on the 29th.
Sanderling… One lingered from the 11th to the 13th.
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Above two images... Sanderling, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Steve Groves
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Dunlin... Seen regularly with a peak of at least six on the 8th.
(Common) Snipe... Seen seen regularly, with a peak of at least seven on the 20th.
Green Sandpiper… Singles were present on the 3rd, 7th, 18th and 21st.
(Common) Redshank... Seen regularly, with a peak of five on the 20th.
(Common) Greenshank… One was present on the 21st.
Black-headed Gull... Present throughout with 30 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.
Mediterranean Gull... Seen regularly with peaks of at least ten on the several dates.
Common Gull... Seen regularly, with a peaks of at least five on the 6th and 11th.
Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout with a peak of at least 100 on the 12th.
(European) Herring Gull... Present throughout.
Caspian Gull... One (a first calendar year) was present briefly on the 29th. It had been ringed as a chick in Germany. This is only the second seen at the Swannery following the first in April this year.
Lesser Black-backed Gull... Seen regularly, with at least ten present on the 17th.
Caspian Gull... One (a first calendar year) was present briefly on the 29th. It had been ringed as a chick in Germany. This is only the second seen at the Swannery following the first in April this year.
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Above two images... Caspian Gull (1st calendar year), Abbotsbury Swannery,
October 2018 © Joe Stockwell |
Lesser Black-backed Gull... Seen regularly, with at least ten present on the 17th.
Sandwich Tern... One was seen on the 15th.
Arctic Tern... A juvenile was present on the 11th.
Feral Pigeon... Present throughout.
Stock Dove... Seen regularly, with at least 30 over on the 22nd.
(Common) Wood Pigeon... Present throughout, with a notable movement overhead from the 17th to the 25th involving at least 850 individuals and probably a lot more.
(European) Turtle Dove... One lingered from the 7th to the 9th, the first since April 2013.
(European) Turtle Dove... One lingered from the 7th to the 9th, the first since April 2013.
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Above two images... Turtle Dove, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018
© Steve Groves |
(Eurasian) Collared Dove... Seen regularly.
(Western) Barn Owl... One was heard on the 10th and one was seen on the 29th.
Tawny Owl... Seen or at least heard regularly.
Short-eared Owl... At least nine were seen on the 29th and at least ten on the 30th. An unprecedented influx!
Short-eared Owl... At least nine were seen on the 29th and at least ten on the 30th. An unprecedented influx!
(Common) Kingfisher... Up to two were seen regularly.
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| Kingfisher, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
Great Spotted Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
(European) Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
(Common) Kestrel... Seen regularly.
Merlin... Singles were seen on the 10th and 14th.
(European) Green Woodpecker... Seen regularly.
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| Green Woodpecker, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
(Common) Kestrel... Seen regularly.
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Kestrel, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Steve Groves
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Merlin... Singles were seen on the 10th and 14th.
Peregrine Falcon... Singles were seen regularly but at least two were present on the 20th.
(Eurasian) Jay... Singles were seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Magpie... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Magpie... Present throughout.
(Western) Jackdaw... Present throughout, with over 100 west on the 20th and over 200 west on the 21st.
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| Jackdaw (leucistic), Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
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.
(Barn) Swallow... Seen regularly, with a peak of over 200 on the 7th but only single figures seen subsequently.
(Common) House Martin... Seen regularly early in the month, with a peak of over 50 on the 7th. The only subsequent sighting though was of one on the 15th.
Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout.
Willow Warbler...
A 'Northern Willow Warbler' was present on the 13th.
A 'Northern Willow Warbler' was present on the 13th.
(Common) Chiffchaff... Present throughout, with a peak of at least 20 on the 7th.
Yellow-browed Warbler... One was heard on the 15th, with another heard on the 25th and then seen on the 26th.
Yellow-browed Warbler... One was heard on the 15th, with another heard on the 25th and then seen on the 26th.
(Eurasian) Reed Warbler... One was seen on the 15th.
(Eurasian) Blackcap... Present throughout.
(Common) Firecrest... One was seen on the 20th.
(Common) Firecrest... One was seen on the 20th.
Goldcrest... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Wren... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Nuthatch... At least one was seen regularly.
(Eurasian) Treecreeper... Present throughout.
(Common) Starling... Seen regularly with a peak of at least 250 on the 18th.
(Common) Blackbird... Present throughout.
Fieldfare... One on the 28th/29th was the first since March.
Redwing... Three on the 18th were the first since April, while at least five were present on the 28th/29th.
Fieldfare... One on the 28th/29th was the first since March.
Redwing... Three on the 18th were the first since April, while at least five were present on the 28th/29th.
Song Thrush... Present throughout.
Mistle Thrush... One was seen on the 18th and two on the 21st.
Mistle Thrush... One was seen on the 18th and two on the 21st.
(European) Robin... Present throughout.
Black Redstart... One seen on the 17th was the first since October 2017.
(European) Stonechat... Seen regularly, with at least five present on the 18th.
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| Stonechat, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
(Northern) Wheatear... Singles were seen on the 15th, 18th and 19th.
(White-throated) Dipper... Last month's bird was still present all month but very elusive.
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| Dipper, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Steve Groves |
House Sparrow... Present throughout.
Dunnock... Present throughout.
(Western) Yellow Wagtail... There were six still present on the 5th but two on the 7th were the last of the month.
Grey Wagtail... Seen regularly with a peak of at least five on the 19th.
Pied Wagtail... Present throughout, with over 200 present in the roost on the 7th at least.
Meadow Pipit... Seen regularly with at least 200 over on the 18th.
(Eurasian) Rock Pipit... Singles were seen regularly but at least two were present on some dates.
(Common) Chaffinch... Present throughout.
Brambling... Five on the 18th and one on the 20th were the first since November 2017.
Brambling... Five on the 18th and one on the 20th were the first since November 2017.
(European) Greenfinch... Singles on the 1st, 3rd and 17th. So scarcer than Brambling this month!
(Common) Linnet... Present throughout.
Lesser Redpoll... Seen regularly from the 18th with a peak of nine on the 20th. The first since April.
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| Linnet, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
Lesser Redpoll... Seen regularly from the 18th with a peak of nine on the 20th. The first since April.
(European) Goldfinch... Present throughout.
(Eurasian) Siskin... Seen regularly with a peak of over 30 on the 25th.
Yellowhammer... Singles flew over on the 18th and 27th. The first since November 2017.
(Common) Reed Bunting... Present throughout.
Lapland Bunting... The third for the Swannery flew east on the 18th. The previous records were in October 2009 and October 2004 (although there have been a few others elsewhere in Abbotsbury).
Lapland Bunting... The third for the Swannery flew east on the 18th. The previous records were in October 2009 and October 2004 (although there have been a few others elsewhere in Abbotsbury).
... And that's it for this month except to say thanks to my work colleagues and volunteers for additional sightings and additional images, particularly Kev Butler, Joe Stockwell and Charlie Wheeler but also Alan Barrett, Phil Jenks, Nick Urch and Jonny White. Also a big thank you to any other birders that reported Swannery sightings.
I'll leave you with a couple of more images of the photogenic Sanderling...
I'll leave you with a couple of more images of the photogenic Sanderling...
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| Sanderling, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Charlie Wheeler |
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| Sanderling, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2018 © Kev Butler |
November’s sightings to follow shortly.
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