Steve's Swannery Sightings: Abbotsbury Swannery Bird Sightings

Highlights...

Two Pink-footed Geese would have been the best birds of the month if clinched but also of note were, a Garganey, a probable Green-winged Teal, two Scaup, at least one Black-necked Grebe, a Grey Phalarope, a Red-throated Diver, at least fifty-three Cattle Egrets, up to two Great Egrets, an Osprey, regular Marsh Harriers, seven Red Kites, regular Barn Owls, a Little Owl, at least one Kingfisher, regular Merlins, at least two Yellow-browed Warblers, at least two Firecrests, a Whinchat, five Yellow Wagtails and at least one Water Pipit.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Charlie Wheeler

The Month's Bird News In Full...

More details of the above highlights and the rest of this month's sightings...

Russian Brent Goose... There were fourteen settled in the embayment on the 14th, one on the 24th and five on the 27th.

Canada Goose... Present throughout. Five hundred were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Pink-footed Goose... Two grey geese, considered to be this species, flew southeast on the 13th. This follows last month's single which was the first site record of this county rarity since October 2005. Although the October birds weren't clinched it was interesting to learn that a flock of sixteen seen over Poole Harbour on the 20th had been joined by two more when they appeared a few days later over Christchurch Harbour.

Black Swan... One present from the 1st to the 28th was joined by another three from the 29th to the 31st.

Mute Swan... Present throughout. Five hundred and sixty-one were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

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

Shelduck... Singles were noted on the 9th and 29th.

Garganey... One (a first calendar year) was seen on the 8th, the first since June.

Shoveler... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least one hundred and twenty on the 21st.

Pintail, Teal & Shoveler, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Steve Groves

Wigeon... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least one hundred on the 25th.

Mallard... Present throughout. Four hundred and sixty were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Pintail... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least three hundred on the 23rd.

Teal... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least five hundred on the 11th.

Green-winged Teal... A moulting drake, beginning to show features of this species, was seen on the 9th and 17th. The possibility of it being a hybrid, however, could not be ruled out.

Pochard... Present throughout. The highest counts were of at least one hundred and fifty on the 20th and 21st.

Tufted Duck... Present throughout. The highest count was of one hundred and five on the 9th.

Scaup... Two (an adult female and a 1st calendar year) arrived on the 24th (the first since March). Only the adult female was present subsequently, however and lingered to the end of the month.

Pheasant... Present throughout.

Red-legged Partridge... Up to seven were regularly encountered.

Domestic/Feral Pigeon... Present throughout.

Stock Dove... Four were noted on the 19th, whilst twenty flew west on the 31st.

Woodpigeon... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least twenty on the 31st.

Collared Dove... Present throughout.

Water Rail... Regularly heard, with at least one seen on the 6th.

Moorhen... Present throughout. Seven were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Coot... Present throughout. Seven hundred were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Little Grebe... Present throughout. The highest count was of twelve on the 12th.

Little Grebe, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Steve Groves

Great Crested Grebe... Present throughout. Ten were counted during the Wetland Bird Survey on the 9th.

Black-necked Grebe... Singles were noted on the 1st, then from the 11th to the 13th and again on the 19th and 20th.

Lapwing... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least forty on the 20th.

Black-tailed Godwit... One on the 11th, two on the 22nd and one on the 23rd.

Dunlin... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of five on the 21st.

Dunlin, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Steve Groves

Snipe... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least twenty on the 30th.

Grey Phalarope... One was seen briefly on the 5th.

Common Sandpiper... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of four on the 5th.

Kittiwake... Singles were seen on the 1st, 26th and 30th.

Black-headed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least two hundred on the 28th.

Mediterranean Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least five hundred on the 26th.

Common Gull... Single figures were seen regularly.

Great Black-backed Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least eighty on the 26th.

Herring Gull... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least one hundred on the 31st.

Lesser Black-backed Gull... Single figures were seen regularly.

Red-throated Diver... One flew southeast on the 9th, the first site record since May 2019.

Cormorant... Present throughout. The highest count was of forty-one on the 12th.

Cattle Egret... Present throughout. The highest count was of fifty-three on the 13th.

Cattle Egrets, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Kev Butler

Grey Heron... Single figures were present throughout.

Great Egret... Singles were seen on the 1st and the 11th.

Little Egret... Single figures were present throughout.

Osprey... One flew southeast on the 26th.

Sparrowhawk... Singles were seen on three dates.

Marsh Harrier... At least one, sometimes two, were seen regularly.

Red Kite... Six were seen on the 10th and one on the 13th.

Buzzard... Single figures were present throughout.

Barn Owl... Singles were seen regularly.

Little Owl... One was heard on the 20th.

Tawny Owl... One was heard on the 11th.

Kingfisher... One or two were regularly encountered.

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

Green Woodpecker... Singles were regularly encountered.

Kestrel... Single figures were present throughout.

Merlin... Singles were seen regularly.

Peregrine... Singles were seen on three dates.

Magpie... Single figures were seen regularly.

Jackdaw... Present throughout.

Rook... Present throughout.

Carrion Crow... Present throughout.

Raven... Single figures were seen regularly.

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

Blue Tit... Present throughout.

Great Tit... Present throughout.

Skylark... Present throughout, often in double figures but over one hundred were noted on the 6th and 8th.

Sand Martin... Single figures were noted to the 3rd but none were seen subsequently.

Swallow... Over one thousand were present on the 2nd, double figures were then noted regularly to the 11th and then single figures were seen most days to the 27th.

House Martin... Over two hundred were noted on the 2nd and at least ten on the 8th but none were seen subsequently.

Cetti's Warbler... Present throughout.

Long-tailed Tit... Present throughout.

Yellow-browed Warbler... Singles were noted on the 22nd, 23rd and 29th. The first sire records since November 2020.

Yellow-browed Warbler, Abbotsbury Swannery, October 2022 © Steve Groves

Chiffchaff... Present throughout, with over fifty estimated to be on site on several dates.

Blackcap... Single figures at least were noted regularly.

Firecrest... One or two were noted regularly.

Goldcrest... Present throughout, with at least fifty noted on the 20th.

Wren... Present throughout.

Treecreeper... Present throughout.

Starling... Present throughout. The evening roost had built up to at least eight hundred by the end of the month.

Song Thrush... At least four were noted on the 20th and one on the 22nd.

Mistle Thrush... Singles were noted on the 8th and 31st.

Redwing... Several were heard pre-dawn on the 20th and at least one was seen on the 23rd. The first site records since February.

Blackbird... Present throughout.

Robin... Present throughout.

Whinchat... One was seen on the 12th.

Stonechat... Single figures were regularly encountered.

Wheatear... One was seen on the 11th.

House Sparrow... Regularly encountered at adjacent Grove Lane at least.

Dunnock... Present throughout.

Yellow Wagtail... Five were seen on the 1st but none were noted subsequently.

Grey Wagtail... One or two at least were regularly encountered.

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

Meadow Pipit... Present throughout. The highest count was of at least one hundred on the 8th.

Water Pipit... At least one was present from the 27th to the 31st. The first site record since April.

Rock Pipit... One or two at least were regularly encountered.

Chaffinch... Present throughout.

Bullfinch... Singles were heard on the 11th and 20th.

Greenfinch... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least ten on the 31st.

Linnet... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least four hundred and eighty, east on the 2nd.

Lesser Redpoll... Singles were heard on the 11th and 25th.

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

Siskin... Regularly encountered. The highest count was of at least fifty on the 27th.

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

November 2022 bird news to follow soon...

Until then I leave with a few of Joe's most interesting Swannery moth captures from this autumn...