Highlights...
This month's best birds were an Atlantic Brent Goose, two Black-necked Grebes, a Hen Harrier, at least two Short-eared Owls and at least five Siberian Chiffchaffs.
A Great Bustard was technically a first for the recording area but had almost certainly originated from the Salisbury Plain re-introduction Project.
Two Scaup, over thirty Cattle Egrets and at least one Firecrest were also of note.
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| Siberian Chiffchaff, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
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| Scaup (ad. female), Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Steve Groves |
The Month's Bird News In Full...
More details of the above highlights and the rest of this month's sightings...
Russian Brent Goose... Singles were seen briefly on the 16th and 21st.
Atlantic Brent Goose... One was present briefly on the 21st.
Canada Goose... Present throughout, with a count of over 200 on the 6th.
Barnacle Goose... Eight circled over on the 28th before flying east.
Greylag Goose... Seven were present on the 19th.
Black Swan... Two were present for much of the month.
Mute Swan... Present throughout, with 520 noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Whooper Swan... The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.
Common Shelduck... Present throughout with 34 noted on the 22nd.
Shoveler... Present throughout, with a count of at least 160 on the 20th.
Gadwall... Singles were seen on four dates but four were present on the 25th.
Wigeon... Regularly encountered, with at least 140 present on the 10th.
Mallard... Present throughout, with 360 noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Pintail... Single figures were regularly encountered but with a count of twelve on the 8th.
Teal... Present throughout, with a count of at least 700 on the 20th.
Pochard... Present throughout, with a count of 270 on the 20th.
Tufted Duck... Present throughout, with at least 100 on several dates.
Scaup... The adult duck and first winter drake remained throughout much of the month.
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| Scaup (ad. female), Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Steve Groves |
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| Scaup (1cy male), Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Steve Groves |
Red-breasted Merganser... Up to five were encountered regularly.
Great Bustard... A female seen from The Swannery foraging in a field near Clayhanger Farm for a couple of hours on 17th was the first of this species for the recording area (albeit almost certainly originating from the Salisbury Plain re-introduction project).
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| Great Bustard, Abbotsbury, December 2021 © Charlie Wheeler |
Pheasant... Present throughout.
Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout.
Woodpigeon... Present throughout, with a count of at least 20 on the 5th.
Collared Dove... Regularly encountered.
Water Rail... Regularly heard and no doubt present throughout.
Moorhen... Present throughout, with 20 noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 10th.
Coot... Present throughout, with 60 noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Little Grebe... Present throughout, with seven noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout, with a count of at least 10 on the 17th.
Black-necked Grebe... Two were seen regularly until the 17th but not subsequently.
Oystercatcher... One was seen on the 2nd.
Lapwing... Present throughout much of the month, with at least 500 seen on the 21st and 30th.
Black-tailed Godwit... Up to nine were seen regularly throughout the month.
Knot... One lingered on the 1st/2nd, whilst two were seen on the 9th.
Snipe... Regularly encountered through the month, with a count of at least 25 on the 9th.
Common Sandpiper... The wintering individual was seen regularly to the 21st.
Redshank... One to four were seen regularly.
Kittiwake... Two were seen on the 7th.
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| Kittiwake, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Steve Groves |
Black-headed Gull... Present throughout, with at least 100 present on the 29th.
Mediterranean Gull... Regularly encountered, with at least 300 present on the 29th.
Common Gull... Regularly encountered, with at least 500 present on the 29th.
Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout, with at least 10 present on the 29th.
Herring Gull... Present throughout, with at least 230 present on the 20th.
Lesser Black-backed Gull... One or two were regularly encountered.
Cormorant... Present throughout, with 20 noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Cattle Egret... Present throughout, with at least 32 roosting on the 20th.
Grey Heron... One or two were noted on virtually a daily basis.
Little Egret... Present throughout, but only two were noted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 20th.
Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen on two dates.
Marsh Harrier... One or two were seen regularly.
Hen Harrier... A "ringtail" was seen on the 17th, 20th and 21st.
Buzzard... Present throughout.
Barn Owl... None were seen or heard but fresh pellets were found.
Short-eared Owl... Singles were seen on three dates but two were present on the 20th.
Tawny Owl... Heard regularly and no doubt present throughout.
Kingfisher... One or two were seen regularly.
Great Spotted Woodpecker... One or two were noted regularly.
Green Woodpecker... One or two were noted regularly.
Kestrel... One or two were present throughout.
Peregrine... Singles were seen regularly.
Jay... From one to at least four were seen on virtually a daily basis.
Magpie... Present throughout.
Jackdaw... Present throughout, with over 100 noted on the 9th.
Rook... Present throughout.
Carrion Crow... Present throughout, with over 30 noted on the 20th.
Raven... Up to three were noted regularly.
Blue Tit... Present throughout.
Great Tit... Present throughout.
Bearded Reedling... Two were noted on the 11th and 14th, whilst three were seen on the 16th.
Skylark... Up to six noted on three dates but no doubt present throughout.
Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout, with at least three noted on the 20th.
Long-tailed Tit... A flock or around 10 were encountered regularly.
Common Chiffchaff... Present throughout, with at least 10 noted on a few dates.
Siberian Chiffchaff... An unprecedented five (at least) were present on the 1st, with at least one then noted regularly to the 20th at least.
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| Siberian Chiffchaff, Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Joe Stockwell |
Firecrest... Singles were noted on the 2nd and 10th.
Goldcrest... Present throughout, with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Wren... Present throughout.
Nuthatch... One continued to visit feeders in the adjacent Grove Lane throughout.
Treecreeper... At least one was noted regularly through much of the month.
Starling... Present throughout, with a local feeding flock and roost of up to 100 on several dates. On the 8th however there was a pre-roost gathering of at least 1,000 that headed off west to the Cogden roost at dusk.
Song Thrush... Regularly encountered and no doubt present throughout, with at least 10 noted on several dates.
Mistle Thrush... Singles were noted on the 14th, 24th and 28th.
Redwing... Single figures were regularly encountered but over 1,000 flew west on the 10th and at least 20 were noted on the 13th.
Blackbird... Present throughout.
Fieldfare... A flock of at least 10 flew west on the 9th.
Robin... Present throughout.
Stonechat... Present throughout, with at least three on several dates.
House Sparrow... At least six were seen regularly around the cottages of the adjacent Grove Lane.
Dunnock... Present throughout.
Grey Wagtail... At least one was noted regularly.
Pied Wagtail... Present throughout, with up to 100 roosting nightly.
Meadow Pipit... Present throughout, with 70 noted on the 21st.
Rock Pipit... One or two were regularly encountered.
Chaffinch... Present throughout.
Bullfinch... Singles were noted on the 15th and 16th.
Greenfinch... Noted regularly, with a count of at least 12 on the 15th.
Linnet... Regularly encountered, with a count of at least 10 on the 6th.
Goldfinch... Present throughout.
Siskin... Two were noted on the 2nd and again on the 15th.
Reed Bunting... Present throughout.
... And that's it for this post except to thank, Freddy Alway, Alan Barrett, Kev Butler, Steve Hales, Joe Stockwell and Charlie Wheeler for additional sightings. Also an extra thanks to Joe and Charlie for the use of their photos.
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| Scaup (and Mute Swan), Abbotsbury Swannery, December 2021 © Steve Groves |
January 2022 bird news will be published in due course.
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