Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - August 2022...

 Highlights...

August's best bird was an Aquatic Warbler.

Aquatic Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Also of note were several Little Ringed Plovers, two Knots, a Sanderling, two Yellow-legged Gulls, up to seventeen Cattle Egrets, at least one Osprey, regular Marsh Harriers, a Red Kite, at least one Barn Owl, up to three Kingfishers, two Hobby, regular Ravens, two Grasshopper Warblers, at least one Firecrest, five Pied Flycatchers, numerous Yellow Wagtails and up to four Tree Pipits. 

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. 360 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Black Swan... Seven were present throughout.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. 530 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Whooper Swan... The resident (presumed escape) was present throughout.

Shelduck... Present throughout. The highest count was of 13 on the 1st.

Shoveler...  Present throughout. The highest count was of 25 on the 25th.

Gadwall... Two on the 2nd, three on the 12th and two on the 23rd, were the only records.

Mallard... Present throughout. 368 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 17th.

Pintail... One on the 29th was the only record and the first since April.

Teal... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least 50 on the 22nd/23rd.

Pochard... Present throughout. The highest count was of 16 on the 31st.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. The highest count was of 28 on the 29th.

Pheasant... Present throughout.

Red-legged Partridge... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of seven on the 26th and 31st.

Swift... From one to three were regularly encountered until the 25th. There were none subsequently.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout. 

Stock Dove... Single figures were noted on six dates.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout.

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Water Rail... Two on the 17th were the first since March. Subsequently there were singles on the 25th and 26th.

Moorhen... Present throughout.

Coot... Present throughout. 385 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Little Grebe... Present throughout. The highest count was of eight on the 22nd.

Little Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout. The highest count was of 32 on the 26th.

Oystercatcher... Present throughout. at least two were present for much of the month.

Lapwing... Present throughout. The highest count was of ten on the 31st.

Golden Plover... One on the 14th, the first since April.

Golden Plover, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Ringed Plover... Singles on the 14th, 16th and 22nd; two on the 29th and 31st.

Little Ringed Plover... One on the 4th, two on the 5th and five on the 7th/8th.

Whimbrel... Singles on the 1st and 22nd, eight on the 23rd and at least two on the 25th. 

Curlew... At least two were seen on the 1st only.

Black-tailed Godwit... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least 21 on the 3rd.

Black-tailed Godwit, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Turnstone... One lingered from the 27th to the 28th.

Knot... Singles on the 15th and 22nd.

Sanderling... One on the 8th.

Dunlin... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least 30 on the 8th.

Snipe... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of seven on the 15th.

Common Sandpiper... Virtually present throughout. The highest count was of 14 on the 21st.

Green Sandpiper... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of three on the 4th.

Green Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Redshank... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of 11 on the 12th.

Greenshank... Singles on the 19th, 23rd and 25th, two on the 12th and 21st.

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least 600 on the 12th.

Mediterranean Gull... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least 100 on the 4th.

Common Gull... Singles were seen on the 19th, 21st and 29th. The first since May.

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least five on the 31st. The nightly roost no doubt held more but was not counted.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least 200 on the 2nd. 

Yellow-legged Gull... Singles on the 15th and 25th.

Lesser Black-backed Gull... One or two were regularly encountered. 

Sandwich Tern... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of three on the 14th.

Little Tern... One on the 24th.

Common Tern... Virtually present throughout, with the last few chicks fledging in the last week. The highest count was of 23 on the 17th.

Fulmar... One on the 22nd was the first since October 2021.

Gannet... One on the 25th was the first since November 2020.

Cormorant... Present throughout. 21 were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 14th.

Cattle Egret... Virtually present throughout. The highest count was of 17 on the 30th.

Cattle Egret & Little Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Grey Heron... Present throughout. The highest count was of four on the 1st.

Little Egret... Present throughout. The highest count was of 32 on the 9th.

Osprey... Singles 0n the 21st, 26th and 29th. The first since June.

Sparrowhawk... Singles were regularly encountered.

Marsh Harrier... Singles were regularly encountered but two were seen on the 8th.

Red Kite... One on the 30th.

Buzzard... Present throughout. 

Barn Owl... Singles were regularly encountered.

Tawny Owl... Heard on three dates.

Kingfisher... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of three on the 5th.

Great Spotted Woodpecker... Singles were regularly encountered.                                  

Green Woodpecker... Singles were regularly encountered.

Kestrel... Present throughout. The highest count was of four on the 26th.

Hobby... Two were seen on the 16th. The first since May.

Peregrine... Singles were seen on four dates.

Jay... One was heard on the 27th.

Magpie... Two were seen regularly.

Jackdaw... Present throughout.

Rook... Present throughout.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout.

Raven... Two were seen regularly.

Coal Tit... One or two were regularly encountered.

Blue Tit... Present throughout.

Great Tit... Present throughout.

Skylark... Singles on the 17th and 24th.

Sand Martin... Regularly encountered. Over 100 were present on the 19th and 28th.

Swallow... Present throughout. Over 100 were seen on several dates.

House Martin... Regularly encountered. Over 50 were present on several dates.

Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.

Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least 10 on the 9th.

Willow Warbler... Regularly encountered. Over 50 were estimated to be present on the 7th at least. 

Chiffchaff... Present throughout. Over 50 were estimated to be on site on several dates.

Aquatic Warbler... One was present on the 14th (Steve Groves), the first since August 2019.

Aquatic Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Sedge Warbler... Regularly encountered. Over 50 were estimated to be present on the 14th at least. 

Reed Warbler... Present throughout. Over 30 were estimated to be on site on several dates.

Grasshopper Warbler... Two were seen on the 15th. The first since September 2021.

Blackcap... Present throughout. At least 10 were estimated to be present on several dates.

Garden Warbler... One on the 7th. The first since May.

Lesser Whitethroat... One on the 23rd. The first since May.

Whitethroat... One or two were regularly encountered. 

Firecrest... At least one was noted regularly from the 21st to the 26th.

Firecrest, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Goldcrest... Present throughout. At least 10 were estimated to be present on several dates.

Wren... Present throughout.

Treecreeper... Present throughout.

Starling... Flocks of up to 20 at least were regularly encountered. 

Starling (juv.),  Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Song Thrush... One was noted on three dates.

Mistle Thrush... One on the 2nd and two on the 15th.

Blackbird... Present throughout.

Spotted Flycatcher... Singles on the 15th, 22nd and 26th, at least three on the 31st.

Robin... Present throughout. 

Pied Flycatcher... One on the 15th and four on the 25th, were the first since April.

Pied Flycatcher, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Redstart... Two on the 25th and one on the 26th. The first since September 2021.

Whinchat... One on the 18th, at least four on the 25th and one on the 31st. The first since April.

Whinchat, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Stonechat... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least five on the 6th.

Wheatear... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least ten on the 13th.

House Sparrow... Regularly encountered.  

Dunnock... Present throughout.

Yellow Wagtail... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least 120 on the 26th.

Grey Wagtail... One on the 9th, two on the 26th and one on the 31st.

Grey Wagtail, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Pied Wagtail... Present throughout. Flocks of up to 20 at least were regularly encountered. 

Meadow Pipit... One or two were regularly encountered.

Tree Pipit... Two on the 25th and 26th. The first since April.

Rock Pipit... One on the 11th. The first since March.

Chaffinch... Present throughout.

Bullfinch... At least one was noted on the 1st and 7th.

Greenfinch... At least one was noted on the 18th.

Linnet... Regularly encountered. 

Goldfinch... Present throughout.

Reed Bunting... Present throughout.     

And that's it for this post except to thank my colleagues, Joe Stockwell, Charlie Wheeler, Kev Butler and Phil Jenks for additional sightings; Alan Barrett, Ian McLean and Nick Urch for carrying out the WeBS and also an extra big thanks to Joe for the use several of his photos. 

Until the next post here's a few images of other wildlife seen in August 2022... 

Jersey Tiger Moth, Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Sika Deer (stag), Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Sika Deer (young stag), Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

Roe Deer (young), Abbotsbury Swannery, August 2022 © Steve Groves

 

September 2022 bird news to follow shortly.