4 Apr 16

Priorslee Lake:
Location

Morning Report: 07:15 – 09:00

Sunrise: 06:35 BST

7C > 9C Rather misty with very variable amounts of cloud with both clear spells and also low overcast. Very light and variable wind. Moderate visibility

Best today were the sightings at Nedge Hill, my logs all courtesy of John Isherwood who found the birds and was kind enough to pick me up and let me join the hunt

(53rd visit of the year)

Other notes
- not sure about the Mallard flying over? were they local birds or not
- the Gadwall seem to have gone: they often do around this date
- one of the Moorhens was seen 10’ up one of the bushes: it always amazes me how adept these birds are at climbing
- possible the same Black-headed Gull was again rather sluggish, today around the boat-launching platforms
- none of the Sand Martin nor Swallow stopped off at the lake – they just flew by
and
- my first plumed midge of the year on the lamps

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Greylag Geese (1 group)
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Stock Doves
- 27 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Greenfinch
- 1 Redpoll

Hirundine totals
- 4 Sand Martins
- 1 Swallow

Singing warblers around the lake
- 1 Cetti’s Warbler again
- 12 Chiffchaffs
- 5 Willow Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 20 (13♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 1 Cormorant
- 13 Great Crested Grebes
- 14 Moorhens
- 57 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull again

The rather uninspiring and misty start to the day.

This little fellow is my first plumed midge sp. of the year: on one of the lamps along the W end footpath.

(Ed Wilson)

Early Morning: 06:45

Cetti's Warbler singing from NW reedbed

(John Isherwood)

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Woodhouse Lane: 08:20 – 08:40

Nothing too interesting with the Willow Warbler not, as expected, around the sluice area but from the copse in the middle of the field
- 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
- 2 Skylarks
- 3 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

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Nedge Hill: 09:05 – 10:50
Location

Full report:
All the morning’s real highlights and my notes a supplement to John Isherwood’s sightings
- 1 male Ring Ouzel
- 1 male Redstart
- 9 Wheatears, at least

Also of note
- 2 Red-legged Partridges
- 4 Lapwings, at least, in fields
- 3 Sky Larks at least, in song
- 2 Meadow Pipits over
- 2 or more Linnets over
and
- 2 Rabbits

Note:  Thanks to John Isherwood who not only found these birds but also came back to the lake and drove me there I was able to tick all these off at Nedge this morning.

The special birds ...

Well: it was a long way away but unmistakeably a female Wheatear.

Even further away but the white crescent on its breast and the silvery edges to the wings identify this as a male Ring Ouzel – the upland equivalent of Blackbird. We can just about make out the pale fringes to the black belly-feathers, giving it a slightly mottled appearance. This bird is a new arrival, likely having spent winter in the Atlas Mountains of North-west Africa.

(Ed Wilson)

Early Morning Report: 08:00

Birds seen with locations
4 Ring Ouzel - possibly 5, all males ; 2 'middle' horse field, 2 Naird Lane (where it becomes single track) and later, perhaps one of the latter, at Shaw Farm (Ed took record shot of this bird).

1 Common Redstart - male, lower horse fields

10 Wheatear - 9 Shaw Farm, 1 airfield

(John Isherwood)

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On this day in .....................
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
3 Greylag Geese
5 Common Teal
4 Wigeon
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
c.12 Sand Martins
2 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Red-legged Partridge
4 Sky Larks
6 Meadow Pipits
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake

2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Gadwall
13 Tufted Ducks 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Cackling Goose
(JW Reeves)

Leegomery
Woodcock
(JW Reeves)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Redshank
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake

2 Swallows
20 Sand Martins
2 Meadow Pipits
(Martin Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake

4 Shoveler
2 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Snipe
1 Willow Warbler

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
(John Isherwood)

2008
Nedge Hill

Whinchat
(Paul King)

2007

Priorslee Lake

1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
318 Jackdaws
105 Wood Pigeons
1 Sky Lark
5 Meadow Pipits
22 Wrens
24 Robins
25 Blackbirds
58 Fieldfares
3 Willow Warblers
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)