Location
Sunrise: 06:46 BST
c.1°C > c.6°C: Frosty start. Clear with just a few puffy clouds developing. Light SW wind. Very good visibility
(50th visit of the year)
Clear weather not the best for viewing passing birds; and not good for migrants either as they tend to pass straight over.
Other notes
- still only 1 Swan noted
- both pairs of Gadwall with no sign of the ‘extra’ drake today
- first sighting of Heron for over a week
- the Willow Tit again calling at the W end when I arrived
- hard to be certain of Chiffchaff numbers as birds rather mobile and some might have been counted twice: still migrants and no territory held a yet (a very short visit to the sluice area across Castle Farm Way produced my first non-signing bird, presumably a female)
- 2 Redwings in the trees: getting rather late for these
- 4 Pied Wagtails on the dam-top. Probably migrants and always worth checking for the grey-rumped and paler Continental race (sometimes ‘White Wagtail’): none today
- lots of Siskins heard over but difficult to see in the clear conditions; some heard in the trees but these equally elusive
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 4 Canada Geese (2 groups)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Goldfinch again
- 8+ Siskins
Hirundine totals
- none in clear weather
Singing warblers around the lake
- 1 Cetti’s Warbler still
- 7 Chiffchaffs
The counts from the lake area
- 1 Mute Swan (see notes)
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 4 (3♂) Mallard again
- 25 (16♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 11 Great Crested Grebes again
- 17 Moorhens
- 63 Coots
- no gulls
A tranquil scene: his mate seems to be on the nest at the moment.
It was the mist that wasn’t flat – honest!
The first leaves of Spring.
(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Flash: 09:35 – 09:55
Location
(33rd visit of the year)
Notes
- the other Swan probably, as at the lake, on / visiting the nest site
- 3 Cormorants resting at the edge of the island
- perhaps the missing Great Crested Grebe also on nest
- first Chiffchaff of the year here
The only birds noted flying over
- 2 Buzzard
- 11 Feral Pigeons
Singing warblers around the water
- 1 Chiffchaff
The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan
- 26 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
- 25 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 Moorhen
- 11 Coots only
- 1 Black-headed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in .....................
2014Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Redwing
1 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaffs
197 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
2 Common Teal
42 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Horsehay Pool
Mandarin Ducks
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
3 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood )
The Flash
46 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Raven
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Swallow
14 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Great Crested Grebe
1 Dabchick.
1 Grey Heron
20 Redwing
4 Siskins
2 Linnet
9 Greenfinch
4 Reed Bunting
10 Meadow Pipit
1 Willow Tit
(Martin R Adlam)