Location
Sunrise: 05:09 BST
6°C > 11°C Broken low cloud clearing before some more puffy clouds later. Light / moderate W / NW wind. Very good visibility. Feeling fresh again
(77th visit of the year)
Notes
- the duck Mallard and her chicks were tucked-up on one of the banks and it was difficult to be sure how many ducklings survive: I could see 4 only
- I noted my first brood of Coot here this year
- I pretty sure I heard a Sedge Warbler in the distance, singing from where there was a bird for several days some while ago. When I got closer I could hear or see nothing – and they are generally a rather noisy species when nesting with males often making brief and very visible song flights
- the Reed Warbler singing from the S-side bramble thicket seems to have attracted a mate – there were two birds there this morning. Best count of singing birds thus far this year
- the Grey Wagtail over was my first here since 07 March and I assumed they were not breeding in the area this year
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Canada Goose
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 3 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
- 1 Starling again
- 1 Grey Wagtail
- 2 Greenfinches
Hirundine etc. approximate maxima
- >25 Common Swift
- 2 Sand Martins
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 2 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Cetti’s Warbler
- 7 (5) Chiffchaffs again
- 17 (13) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 3 (2) Common Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Sedge Warblers? (see notes)
- 11 (9) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 9 (7♂) +4? (1 brood) Mallard (see notes)
- 9 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 25 + 4 (1 brood) Coots
Dad Swan with his 4 charges
And a neat line they make too
Tight group of 3 drake and 2 duck Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:25 – 09:55
Location
(47th visit of the year)
Not seen by me today but was sent a photo of a brood of 2 Coots taken yesterday (12th)
Notes
- the cob Swan was standing by the nest site and that is all I saw. One of he fishermen had been told that there were 6 cygnets
- I only saw a single juvenile Coot in the family party; given that was climbing back in to the nest, likely that other juveniles were already back in the nest
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Goldfinches
Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 6 Swifts
- 8 House Martins
Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff again
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler yet again
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- (2 + 6 Mute Swans – see notes)
- 27 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral-goose
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂)Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 14 +1 Coots (see notes)
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in ...........
2015Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2012
Nedge Hill
10 Northern Wheatears
(Richard Camp)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)