31 May 15

Priorslee Lake: 6:21am - 8:32am
Map

11.5°C > 13.0°C. Cloudy, often low cloud, with occasional rain or drizzle. Light / moderate SSW wind. Moderate visibility, poor in drizzle.

(70th visit of the year)

A late start and a shorter visit means not too much should be read in to the figures.

Notes
- the 5 Canada Geese flew in and proved troublesome for the Swan to shift. Several times they flew off but did not seem to know where else to go, flying back and forth and then returning. It was 4th time lucky when they got the message.
- the 3 Tufted Duck flew in and stayed until the cob Swan forced them to dive as he thundered across the water to chase the errant Canada Geese. They decided elsewhere might be safer.
- during one of the bouts of drizzle a party of 27 House Martins descended from beyond visual range and stayed high overhead for a few minutes before vanishing back in to the cloud.
- Starlings again seen in the Ricoh grounds. I now suspect they have nested in one of the roadway light gantries that is hidden from view behind trees.
and
- the first Silver-ground Carpet moths of the year – 3 flushed this morning.

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 5 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 32 Jackdaws
- 43 Rooks

Count of hirundines etc
- 14 Swifts
- 6 Swallows again
- 29 House Martins

Count of singing warblers
- 6 Chiffchaffs
- 16 Blackcaps
- 8 Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 28 + 3 (1 brood) Coots

Wonder what owners Severn-Trent would make of this? Cannot be fly-tipping as the only access is locked.

This is a Silver-ground Carpet. It is a night-flying moth but is easily disturbed from vegetation during the day. It usually flies away and hides under leaves and twigs and usually with its wings open. Here, unusually and probably because of the wet vegetation it went to rest with wings closed.

You did not want to get through the kissing-gate off of Castle Farm Way did you? The weight of the rain water on the new Spring growth has brought a sizeable branch across the entrance and you now have to climb over the locked vehicle gate.

(Ed Wilson)

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Lawley
Map

Turnstone flew over at 11:25am heading north. Via Birdguides

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On this day in 2007 and 2014
2007
Wrekin - Map
3 Tree Pipit
2 Wood Warbler
1 Pied Flycatcher
2 Spotted Flycatcher
(Martin Adlam)
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2014
Priorslee Lake