Highlights...
There were no official national or county rarities this month but scarce migrants included a Garganey, three Black-necked Grebes, three Little Stints, a Wood Sandpiper, a Little Gull, four Cattle Egrets and at least two Ospreys.
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| Black-necked Grebes, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Little Stint, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Kev Butler |
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| Wood Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © 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 a peak count of over 800 on the 11th.
Snow Goose...
The individual that arrived in June was present through much of the month.
Black Swan...
The over-summering individual was joined by two others on the 23rd and then all three were present to the end of the month.
Mute Swan...
Present throughout. 665 adults/subadults were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th. In addition there were around 150 cygnets present.
Whooper Swan...
The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.
Common Shelduck...
Present throughout, with a peak count of 18 on the 17th.
Garganey...
One was present on the 31st, the first since April.
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| Garganey & Teal, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Shoveler...
The two in July were still present on the 1st but from the 2nd numbers began to steadily increase to a peak count of forty on the 28th/29th.
Gadwall...
There were sightings of two on the 3rd, one on the 5th and two on the 29th.
Wigeon...
A single that arrived on the 24th was the first since April. There were then regular sightings however, with a peak count of at least 15 on the 31st.
Mallard...
Present throughout, with 560 counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 25th.
Pintail...
The resident drake was present throughout but the first 20 returning migrants were seen on the 25th and there were then daily sightings, with a peak count of over 30 on the 30th.
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| Pintail, Shoveler & Wigeon, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Teal...
Present pretty much throughout with numbers steadily building from two on the 4th to over 200 on the 29th.
Pochard...
Absent since the 16th July the first two returning August birds arrived on the 17th, with numbers then building to a peak count of 28 on the 25th and with a similar number then present to the month's end.
Tufted Duck...
Present throughout, with a peak count of over 20 on the 25th.
Red-legged Partridge...
One or two were seen on five dates through the month.
Pheasant...
Present throughout.
Swift...
Regularly encountered throughout with a peak count of at least 15 on the 11th. All subsequent sightings though were of either just one or two.
Domestic/Feral Pigeon...
The usual mixed flock of wandering dovecote birds, racers and feral birds visited daily.
Stock Dove...
One or two were seen regularly but four were seen on the 4th.
Woodpigeon...
Present throughout.
Collared Dove...
Regularly encountered.
Water Rail...
One was heard on the 16th and one was glimpsed on the 17th.
Moorhen...
Present throughout.
Coot...
Present throughout. 280 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 22nd.
Little Grebe...
Recorded fairly regularly with a peak count of 10 on the 31st.
Great Crested Grebe...
Present throughout with a peak count of at least 58 on the 29th.
Black-necked Grebe...
Three on the 30th/31st were slightly unseasonal.
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| Black-necked Grebes, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Oystercatcher...
Regularly encountered until the 20th (but not subsequently) with a peak count of six on the 1st.
Lapwing...
Present throughout much of the month with a peak count of eight on the 14th.
Grey Plover...
One on the 17th/18th.
Ringed Plover...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of at least 12 on the18th.
Little Ringed Plover...
One on the 2nd and two on the 10th.
Whimbrel...
Singles were noted on on six dates between the 7th and 20th.
Curlew...
Singles on the 3rd, 22nd and 27th.
Bar-tailed Godwit...
Two on the 12th and one on the 19th.
Black-tailed Godwit...
Singles on the 7th, 9th and 23rd.
Turnstone...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of nine on the 30th.
Knot...
Four were present from the 15th to the 18th but with one lingering to the 21st.
Ruff...
One seen briefly on the 23rd was the first since June 2020.
Sanderling...
Two were seen on the 19th and one on the 22nd. The first since early June.
Dunlin...
Present on virtually a daily basis with a peak count of at least 70 on the 18th.
Little Stint...
One to three (but mostly two) were seen daily from the 26th to the 31st. The first since September 2020.
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| Little Stint, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Snipe...
The first of the autumn was seen on the 14th and there were then regular sightings with a peak of three on the 29th.
Common Sandpiper...
Present throughout much of the month with a peak count of seven on the 8th.
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| Common Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Green Sandpiper...
One to three were seen regularly until the 25th but five were present on the 3rd.
Redshank...
There were regular sightings from the 10th with a peak count of eight on the 17th.
Wood Sandpiper...
One from the 16th to the 22nd was the first since August 2020.
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| Wood Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Greenshank...
There were regular sightings of one or two through the month but five were present on the 28th and eight on the 30th.
Black-headed Gull...
Present throughout with peak counts of at least 200 on the 5th and 10th.
Little Gull...
One seen on the 31st was the first since May.
Mediterranean Gull...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of at least 30 on the 10th.
Common Gull...
One (or at least singles) were seen fairly regularly but two were present on the 23rd.
Great Black-backed Gull...
Present throughout, with at least 50 roosting nightly.
Herring Gull...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 100 on the 11th.
Yellow-legged Gull...
One or two 1st calendar years were seen fairly regularly but three were present on the 8th and 11th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull...
One or two were encountered fairly regularly but at least five were seen on the 22nd.
Sandwich Tern...
Regularly encountered through the month with a peak count of five on the 20th.
Common Tern...
At least 10 were still present on the 1st but the only other sighting was of one seen on the 14th/15th.
Cormorant...
Present throughout with a peak count of 67 on the 26th.
Cattle Egret...
Four were present on the 25th.
Grey Heron...
One to three were seen daily.
Little Egret...
Present throughout with a peak count of 18 on the 15th.
Osprey...
Singles were seen regularly from the 20th but two were present on the 29th.
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| Osprey, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Sparrowhawk...
Singles were seen on the 16th, 28th and 31st.
Marsh Harrier...
Singles were seen on the 1st, 10th and 11th.
Buzzard...
Present throughout.
Barn Owl..
Singles were noted regularly until the 15th but not subsequently.
Tawny Owl..
One or two were noted regularly.
Kingfisher..
Singles were seen regularly from the 14th but three were present on the 23rd.
Great Spotted Woodpecker..
A single on the 5th was the only one noted.
Green Woodpecker..
Present throughout, with at least one or two seen regularly.
Kestrel...
Present throughout, with up to five seen regularly.
Hobby...
Singles were seen on the 26th and 29th.
Peregrine...
Singles were seen on four dates.
Magpie...
Present throughout.
Jackdaw...
Present throughout.
Rook...
Present throughout.
Carrion Crow...
Present throughout.
Raven...
One or two were noted regularly.
Coal Tit...
At least one or two were regularly encountered.
Blue Tit...
Present throughout.
Great Tit...
Present throughout.
Skylark...
Present throughout.
Sand Martin...
Seen regularly, with a peak count of at least 1,000 on the 25th.
Swallow...
Present throughout, with a peak count of at least 2,000 on the 25th.
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| Swallows, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
House Martin...
Seen regularly, with a peak count of at least 100 on the 31st.
Cetti's Warbler...
Present throughout.
Long-tailed Tit...
Regularly encountered, with a peak count of at least 10 on several dates.
Willow Warbler...
Present throughout with at least 50 noted on the 23rd.
Chiffchaff...
Present throughout with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Sedge Warbler...
Present throughout with at least 10 noted on the 4th.
Reed Warbler...
Present throughout with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Grasshopper Warbler...
Singles were seen on the 4th and 16th.
Blackcap...
Present throughout with at least 10 noted on the 5th.
Garden Warbler...
Singles were seen on the 25th and 28th.
Whitethroat...
Regularly encountered with a peak count of at least 4 on the 27th.
Goldcrest...
Present throughout.
Wren...
Present throughout.
Treecreeper...
One or two were noted regularly.
Starling...
The nightly roost regularly held over 100 and smaller numbers were regularly encountered during the day.
Blackbird...
Present throughout.
Song Thrush...
Only noted on two dates but no doubt present throughout.
Mistle Thrush...
The only record was of six on the 24th.
Spotted Flycatcher...
Four present on the 24th, one on the 25th and two on the 27th were the first since May.
Robin...
Present throughout.
Pied Flycatcher...
One on the 24th was the first since September 2020.
Redstart...
Singles on the 24th and 27th were the first since April.
Whinchat...
At least 10 were present on the 25th, three on the 27th, four on the 30th and at least one on the 31st. These were the first since April.
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| Whinchats, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Stonechat...
A nesting pair and their subsequent young were present throughout.
Wheatear...
At least four present on the 16th were the first since June. There were then daily sightings from the 16th to the end of the month with a peak count of at least 30 on the 25th.
House Sparrow...
Present throughout.
Dunnock...
Present throughout.
Yellow Wagtail...
Ten on the 10th and five on the 18th were followed by daily sightings from the 22nd, with a peak count of at least 90 on the 28th.
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| Yellow Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
Grey Wagtail...
Singles were noted on the 19th, 25th and 27th. The first since May.
Pied Wagtail...
Regularly encountered.
Meadow Pipit...
The only record was of one on the 11th.
Tree Pipit...
One on the 24th and two on the 27th were the first since September 2020.
Chaffinch...
Present throughout.
Bullfinch...
The only record was of one on the 20th.
Linnet...
Regularly encountered.
Goldfinch...
Present throughout with a flock of at least 50 noted on the 24th.
Reed Bunting...
Present throughout.
... And that's it for this post except to thank, Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Joe Stockwell, Nick Urch, Charlie Wheeler (and a few visiting birders) for additional sightings. Also an extra thanks to Joe and Kev for the use of their photos.
September bird news will be published in due course but for now I'll leave you with a couple of this month's non-bird images...
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| Ruddy Darter, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Roe Deer, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2021 © Steve Groves |
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