Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings - September 2022...

 Highlights...

September's best birds were a Pink-footed Goose, a Honey-buzzard and a Rosy Starling.

Pink-footed Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Joe Stockwell

Also of note were a Greylag Goose, a Black-necked Grebe, three Ruffs, five Curlew Sandpipers, six Sanderlings, a Spotted Redshank, two Yellow-legged Gulls, at least fifty-one Cattle Egrets, up to three Great Egrets, up to four Ospreys, two Marsh Harriers, three Red Kites, at least three Barn Owls, a Little Owl, a Short-eared Owl, at least two Kingfishers, two Merlins, two Hobbies, a few Ravens, a Grasshopper Warbler, at least two Firecrests, a Pied Flycatcher, numerous Yellow Wagtails, a probable Blue-headed Wagtail and a White Wagtail. 

Great Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © 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 on the 18th and 27th, the first since April.

Russian Brent Goose, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Canada Goose... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least two hundred on the 17th.

Greylag Goose... One on the 17th was the first since June.

Pink-footed Goose... One was seen a couple of times in flight on the 16th (Joe Stockwell). The first site record of this county rarity since October 2005.

Black Swan... Seven were present daily to the 14th but only one was then present to the end of the month.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. Six hundred were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

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

Shelduck... There were regular sightings of up to six to the 9th but none were seen subsequently.

Shoveler...  Present throughout. The highest count was of at least sixty on the 27th.

Gadwall... Four on the 2nd were followed by singles on the 7th and 9th.

Wigeon... Up to around twenty were seen regularly throughout the month. The first since a single in July.

Wigeons, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

Mallard... Present throughout. Five hundred and ninety were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 17th.

Pintail... Present throughout. The high counts were of at least two hundred on the 25th and 30th.

Teal... Present throughout. The high counts were of at least four hundred on the 27th and 30th.

Pochard... Present throughout. The highest count was of ninety on the 30th.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. The highest count was of one hundred and twenty on the 22nd.

Pheasant... Present throughout.

Red-legged Partridge... A covey of seven were regularly encountered.

Swift... One on the 17th only.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout. 

Stock Dove... Two were seen on the 5th and 29th.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout.

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Water Rail... Regularly heard and occasionally seen. At least five were noted on the 12th but no doubt present throughout. 

Moorhen... Present throughout.

Coot... Present throughout. Four hundred and six were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Little Grebe... Present throughout. The highest count was of eleven on the 30th.

Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout. Fourteen were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Black-necked Grebe... One was seen on six dates from the 15th to the 30th.

Black-necked Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Oystercatcher... One or two were seen on four dates from the 3rd to the 23rd.

Lapwing... Present throughout. The highest count was of thirteen on the 26th.

Golden Plover... From one to five were noted on five dates from the 14th to the 27th.

Grey Plover... From one to three were noted on four dates from the 4th to the 27th.

Ringed Plover... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of six on the 14th.

Ringed Plovers, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Bar-tailed Godwit... Two on the 24th only.

Black-tailed Godwit... Twelve on the 6th, four on the 14th and one on the 21st.

Turnstone... Two lingered from the 1st to the 5th and one was present on the 8th.

Turnstones, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Ruff... Three were present on the 20th, the first since April.

Ruffs, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Curlew Sandpiper... Two were present on the 5th and three were seen on the 21st, the first since September 2020.

Curlew Sandpiper, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Sanderling... Six were present on the 8th.

Dunlin... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least twenty-five on the 21st.

Snipe... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least five on the 21st.

Common Sandpiper... Present throughout. The highest count was of ten on the 2nd.

Green Sandpiper... One on the 17th only.

Redshank... Regularly encountered. An unprecedented flock of at least one hundred flew south on the 5th.

Spotted Redshank... One was seen on the 21st, the first since April 2021!

Greenshank... One on the 11th only.

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least two hundred on the 1st.

Mediterranean Gull... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least one hundred on the 11th.

Common Gull... From one to three at least were seen regularly from the 23rd.

Common Gull (1cy), Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least sixty on the 9th.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least two hundred on the 1st. 

Yellow-legged Gull... Single first calendar year birds were seen on the 22nd and 24th.

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

Sandwich Tern... One or two were noted on four dates

Gannet... One on the 6th and 7th, two on the 8th, all no doubt suffering from avian influenza.

Gannet, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Cormorant... Present throughout. The highest count was of fifty-three on the 2nd.

Cormorant, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Cattle Egret... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least fifty-one on the 12th.

Grey Heron... Present throughout. The highest count was of twenty-three on the 21st.

Great Egret... Singles were seen on the 17th, 19th and 24th, the first since June.

Great Egret, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Little Egret... Present throughout. Five were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 11th.

Osprey... One was seen on the 2nd, two on the 6th and one on the 15th.

Honey-buzzard... One flew northwest on the 14th (Joe Stockwell), the first site record of this county rarity since 2013.

Sparrowhawk... Singles were regularly encountered but two were seen on at least one date.

Sparrowhawk, with Reed Warbler prey, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 
© Joe Stockwell

Marsh Harrier... Singles were seen on the 2nd and 11th.

Red Kite... Singles were seen on the 2nd, 16th and 24th.

Buzzard... Present throughout. 

Buzzard, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Barn Owl... One or two were seen regularly but three were noted on the 20th.

Barn Owls, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

Little Owl... One was heard on the 15th, the first record since September 2021.

Short-eared Owl... One was seen on the 14th and 15th, the first since May.

Kingfisher... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least two on the 21st.

Great Spotted Woodpecker... One or two were regularly encountered.                                  

Green Woodpecker... Singles were regularly encountered.

Kestrel... Present throughout. The highest count was of five on the 11th.

Merlin... Singles were seen on the 22nd and 30th, the first since April.

Hobby... Singles were seen on the 4th and 24th.

Peregrine... Singles were seen regularly.

Magpie... One or two were seen regularly.

Jackdaw... Present throughout.

Rook... Present throughout.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout, with at least twenty seen on the 23rd.

Raven... One or two were noted on three dates at least.

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

Blue Tit... Present throughout.

Great Tit... Present throughout.

Skylark... Regularly encountered. At least ten were noted on the 24th and 28th.

Sand Martin... Regularly encountered. Over five hundred were noted on the 12th.

Swallow... Present throughout. Over 0ne thousand were noted on the 12th and 25th.

House Martin... Regularly encountered. Over two thousand were noted on the 25th.

Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.

Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least 10 on the 21st.

Willow Warbler... Regularly encountered in the first half of the month, with at least ten seen most days until the 11th but with then only single figures noted until the last on the 17th. 

Chiffchaff... Present throughout, with over fifty estimated to be on site on the 21st.

Sedge Warbler... Regularly encountered, with over ten noted on the 1st and 14th but only single figures were seen subsequently, with the last on the 25th. 

Reed Warbler... Regularly encountered, with over thirty noted on the 20th but only single figures  were noted subsequently, with the last on the 29th. 

Grasshopper Warbler... One was seen on the 26th.

Blackcap... Present throughout, with at least ten noted on several dates.

Whitethroat... One or two were noted on the 11th, 12th and 14th. 

Firecrest... One or two were noted regularly.

Goldcrest... Present throughout, with at least ten noted on several dates.

Wren... Present throughout.

Treecreeper... Present throughout.

Rosy Starling... A juvenile came into roost with Starlings on the evening of the 21st (Steve Groves). This is the second site record of this county rarity following a near identical occurrence in 2003.

Starling... Flocks of up to one hundred at least were regularly encountered. 

Song Thrush... One or two were noted on two dates.

Mistle Thrush... One was heard on the 11th.

Blackbird... Present throughout.

Spotted Flycatcher... One or two were noted on five dates.

Robin... Present throughout. 

Pied Flycatcher... One was seen on the 7th.

Whinchat... Noted on six dates with a peak count of six on the 14th.

Stonechat... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least twelve on the 28th.

Wheatear... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least fourteen on the 2nd.

Wheatear, Abbotsbury Swannery, September 2022 © Steve Groves

House Sparrow... Regularly encountered.  

Dunnock... Present throughout.

Yellow Wagtail... Present throughout. The highest counts were of at least two hundred on the 1st and 2nd. 

Blue-headed Wagtail... An individual showing features of this form was seen on the 14th.

Grey Wagtail... Regularly encountered. 

Pied Wagtail... A roost of up to fifty at least was present throughout. 

White Wagtail... One was seen on the 23rd.

Meadow Pipit... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least four hundred and fifty east on the 14th. 

Rock Pipit... Noted on five dates from the 24th with a peak count of five on the 30th.

Chaffinch... Present throughout.

Linnet... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least thirty on the 30th.

Goldfinch... A flock of at least thirty were present throughout.

Siskin... At least one was noted on the 17th, 27th and 28th. The first since April.

Reed Bunting... Present throughout.     

And finally, until the next post here's Joe Stockwell's photo of the Red-necked Phalarope that spent a couple of days of September at Ferny Hole Flight Pond, near Abbotsbury Hill. Unfortunately this species has never been seen within The Swannery recording area. So near but so far! 

Red-necked Phalarope, Ferny Hole Flight Pond, Abbotsbury, September 2022 
© Joe Stockwell

 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 an extra big thanks to Charlie and Joe for the use of their photos. 

October 2022 bird news to follow shortly.