Map
8.5°C > 14.0°C: Mainly cloudy. Calm, then light E wind. Moderate visibility
Best bird was the female Kestrel first seen carrying prey and then perched in the scrubby trees to the E of Castle Farm Way pre-dawn. Only my 4th record this year here of this once-regular species. My previous record was on 01 July. I hope this was the medium-sized falcon that, much later, I flushed from trees on the N shore of the lake and that it was not something even better.
Confirmed migrants noted were
- 5 Meadow Pipits over the lake
Up to 25 House Martins were heard and seen high over The Flash but these were all heading E which was in to the wind and I think they were likely local birds on a feeding foray – hirundines usually feed in to the wind – I assume because the closing speed on their prey is lower and makes them easier to catch.
(105th visit of the year)
Other notes
1 Little Grebe: a new bird as this was an immature / winter plumage bird whereas that seen on 10th was in summer plumage.
4 Great Crested Grebes: 2 adults and 1 juvenile: could not make my mind up about the age of the 4th!
In one of the outbound parties of geese there was a small bird, assumed to be the Cackling-type goose: this was later seen arriving back at The Flash.
Where were all the Mallard this morning? lower number at The Flash as well.
and
A Common Darter dragonfly
also
A Green Carpet moth on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue foot-tunnel: my first log in the Priorslee area though a common-enough moth (this was one of the less-usual 2nd brood specimens).
Counts
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
9 Greylag Geese (all outbound)
1 Cackling-type Goose (outbound)
37 Canada Geese (31 outbound)
3 (2) Mallard
2 (2) Tufted Duck
3 + 4 (4 broods) Moorhen
92 Coots
93 Black-headed Gulls
16 large gulls: 7 of these over
3 (0) Blackcaps
8 (3) Chiffchaffs
Corvid roost dispersal: 37 Jackdaws and 125 Rooks logged
(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Flash: 7:35am - 8:30am
Map
(88th visit of the year)
Other notes
Another big goose fly-in: all the birds logged flew in while I was present apart from: the 5 + 1 Canada Geese (and the feral goose) that seem unable / unwilling to fly; and 18 of the Greylags that circled the already busy water and decided to move on.
Counts
2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
143 Greylag Geese
1 Greylag x ? Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
56 + 1 Canada Geese
The all-white feral goose
24 (16) Mallard
The all-white feral duck
31 (16) Tufted Ducks
4 + 4 (4 broods) Moorhen
20 Coots
8 Black-headed Gulls
10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over
and
1 Barn Swallow
25 House Martins
2 Blackcaps
3 (2) Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)