Sunrise: 05:14 BST
9°C > 12°C Mainly clear start with only scattered cloud; low cloud spread in from E after 08:15. Wind light and variable, mainly N. Moderate visibility
One record from today is ‘pended’ – a rather heavy-looking Accipiter that is probably ‘just’ a large female Sparrowhawk: but I am having a few pix I tool checked out to eliminate any possibility of a Goshawk slipping through the net
(75th visit of the year)
Notes
- the Swans have 4 cygnets: as I did not visit yesterday not sure when they hatched and if, as is often the case, one or more might have been lost already
- lots of flying about by Mallard today, but seemed to be just 3 drakes involved
- Little Grebes were seen as well as heard this morning, sitting just inside the reeds along the N side
- Great Spotted Woodpecker heard in three different and widely separated locations this morning
- 2 Sky Larks seen over the old Celestica site: the only singing bird heard was, as usual, one over the fields to the E
- Lesser Whitethroat again heard from Ricoh hedge. I am tempted to suggest they are breeding here. Typically males arrive and as soon as they are paired more or less stop singing and get on with the business of nest-building and raising a family. They will probably start singing again between broods in about a month
- I think only 1 Common Whitethroat at the moment: what seems to be the same bird is ranging over quite a wide area
- two of the Reed Warblers were singing away from the reeds
- a Nuthatch was seen near the Teece Drive gate: this is my first around the lake for some while, all recent sightings and calls have been from the far end of Teece Drive
- fewer Starlings overhead. In Newport many of the nestlings fledged yesterday and the adults are no longer ferrying food back to the nests
- Mistle Thrush has not been singing during my last two visits: I suspect it is also too busy with nesting duties
and
- noted my first Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) of the year in flower this morning
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws
- 3 Starlings
Hirundine etc. approximate maxima
- >25 Common Swift
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 8 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Cetti’s Warbler
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs again
- 13 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 7 (6) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Little Grebes
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
Another view of Garden Warbler. You do not see this species in the open quite like this too often.
Carrying as large a beakful as it can manage! A Long-tailed Tit ferrying food to the nest
A nice juicy green caterpillar as well as a midge.
Oone of the Little Grebes lurking by the reeds this morning.
Say ah! The Swan with their new brood.
Again
(Ed Wilson)
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(46th visit of the year)
Not seen by me today but was sent a photo of a brood of 2 Coots taken yesterday (12th)
Notes
- I think we can assume the all-white feral Mallard-type duck is no more. As far as I know it could not fly – I never saw it even attempt to do so: and I have not seen it for some weeks. I have asked various locals and none of them has seen it recently or knows what happened
- the immature Cormorant again
- Wednesday’s Garden Warbler not heard today
Birds noted flying over
- 17 Feral Pigeons over houses to N
- 5 Goldfinches
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 4 Swifts again
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 21 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 12 (10♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂)Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in ...........
2009Priorslee Lake
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)