Nice to get the Autumn Caspian Gull tally started this afternoon with this absolute monster 1cy bird, the first of many hopefully! @swannerysteve.bsky.social
Steve Groves
@swannerysteve.bsky.social
Swanherd & patch birder. Posting only Abbotsbury Swannery bird sightings & other wildlife news.
Sublime views of today's juv Black Tern at the Swannery, reappearing at 4:30 It showed superbly well around the tern rails, although just about annual lately they never show this well @swannerysteve.bsky.social
Black Tern briefly over the Swannery Embayment earlier picked up by @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
A Wood Sandpiper dropped in to the Swannery earlier this morning @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Caspian Tern just flown over the Swannery grounds, quite purposefully north @swannerysteve.bsky.social
Juv. Yellow-legged Gull briefly in Swannery Embayment then flew west. @joestockwell.bsky.social @bexbirder.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Honey-buzzard north over the Swannery around 12.30pm. Found by Kev Butler confirmed by @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Two Roseate Terns at the Swannery this morning. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
No further sign of the Roseate Terns. 8 Whimbrel again, 5 Dunlin, a Bar-tailed Godwit & a Ringed Plover the only migrant waders. Nothing else of much note. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Two Roseate Terns on rail by tern island this lunch time. Abbotsbury Swannery. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
No sign of ‘the’ tern today, not even in this evening’s pre-roost gathering (it was present the last 2 evenings). 8 Whimbrel & a single Dunlin the only migrant waders. 2 Cattle Egrets the first since April. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
The Common Tern ‘showing characters of one of the eastern forms’ was present briefly again this evening but before I could get any pics, HeliOps promptly flushed all the terns out over the beach & into Lyme Bay 🤨 @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
The ‘Eastern type’ Common Tern at Abbotsbury this evening. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social @therockinbirder.bsky.social
I haven’t been on site today bar a quick trip down this evening & there was no sign of the Bonaparte’s Gull. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Heavily cropped images of @luvaducksbutt.bsky.social Bonaparte’s at Lynch Cove & mine at the Swannery. Hard to tell regarding the rear head markings as his is alert & mine relaxed but the markings around the bill do look like a pretty good match 🤔 Hope you don’t mind me pinching your pic Brett.
The Bonaparte's Gull did the decent thing this afternoon and showed up at the 4pm feed, sumptuous views of a mighty fine looking gull. It was only a matter of time before myself or @swannerysteve.bsky.social turned one up, a much deserved find for a dedicated patch watcher!
Slightly better pic of the Bonaparte’s Gull at Abbotsbury yesterday. It turned up earlier this evening & @joestockwell.bsky.social was able to connect & no doubt has better pics. @luvaducksbutt.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
No sign all day then this evening bingo! Bonaparte’s Gull (2cy) at Abbotsbury again. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
At last, perseverance has paid off! Bonaparte’s Gull (2cy) this evening way out in the Swannery embayment. A nice addition to the Swannery list 😊 @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
The Mareca type duck still present this morning. Clearly got either/&/or Gadwall/Falcated/Wigeon sp in it. Can’t personally see any Mallard influence but duck hybrids can be tricky. Call sounds identical to Falcated to my ear. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Possible female Falcated Duck or hybrid for 2nd day at the Swannery this morning. Relatively tame however and largely with Mallard 🤔 @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Today along with Curlew Sand were 3 Barwits, singles of Dunlin, Common Sand, Greenshank & Whimbrel. Still good numbers of terns including 2 Little again. Osprey late afternoon. 100s of small gulls roosting this evening but as for the target for the last 2 weeks it was again… Not tonight Josephine! 🫤
Nice red Curlew Sandpiper at the Swannery this morning. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Grasshopper Warbler reeling in my Abbotsbury garden this morning… which is nice 😊
70+ Common Terns today, 80+ Sandwich Terns (120+ yesterday) & 2 Little Terns. 5 Common Sandpipers, 5 Whimbrel, 2 Bar-tailed Godwits & a Greenshank. A Wheatear & a Whinchat best of the passerines though 2 new in Coal Tits may have been ater. @joestockwell.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
Abbotsbury Swannery WeBS: lovely morning with highlights being a flock of 14 Common Sands (+1 singleton), 7 Red Kites heading west and 3 Whimbrel. @swannerysteve.bsky.social @dorsetbirdclub.bsky.social
My wife’s Merlin app suggested a Western Subalpine Warbler singing along New Barn Road, Abbotsbury this morning., just west of the Elworth turning… roughly what3words ///grinning.generals.hides Nothing but Whitethroat when I briefly checked in my coffee break 😅