20 Sep 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

10.0°C > 12.5°C: Mainly high cloud to start with low cloud by 07:00 and even some light drizzle. Light S wind. Very good visibility initially: good later in low cloud

Sunrise: 06:51 BST

Priorslee Lake: 05:45 – 07:20 // 08:05 – 09:35

(96th visit of the year)

Most of Monday ducks had moved on: the Gadwall will likely stay for the winter; a single duck Wigeon remains.

Unusual today was a group of at least 56 Pied Wagtails on the ‘football’ field adjacent to the Holy Trinity Academy. There were males, females and juveniles. None of those checked could be turned in to the continental race / species White Wagtail, a potential migrant at this date. It was my largest-ever total ‘on the ground’ and larger than any roost dispersal counts in recent years. All birds I had noted flying over the lake earlier were likely headed here and are not logged separately. This total was taken at the time all the pupils were arriving at the academy, so there may well have been others in the area

Also unusual were several parties of Starlings, totalling c.45 birds, flying low around the W end and briefly perching in the trees there. I assume they were feeding on the grass in the Ricoh grounds and being disturbed by the trucks moving around

Other notes from today:
- 6 of the Mallard flew out early today with 2 (of these?) flying in a few minutes later
- 4 of the Tufted Duck flew in before 06:20
- at least one more Great Crested Grebe this morning: as the locally raised juveniles get more and more independent and move around with and away from their parents it becomes hard to keep track of all these birds
- rather fewer gulls this morning and the initial arrival c.06:30 comprised just 8 birds. Rather more later but only half the number that was recorded Monday
- at last there seems to be a return of the dispersal of corvids pre-dawn: a party of 12 Jackdaws and 93 Rooks went over at 06:18. A scatter of stragglers after that
and
- two moths on the lamps: a Common Marbled Carpet and my first Engrailed for several years
- no bats confirmed this morning
- the following plants were omitted from yesterday’s ‘still in flower’ list (in no particular order)
- Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)
- Red Valerian (Valeriana officinalis)
- Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) – single plant
- Rosebay Willow-herb or Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium)
- Meadowsweet / Mead Wort (Filipendula ulmaria)
- Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)
- Wood Avens (Geum urbanum)
with the following provisionally ID-ed as new for me here
- Dwarf Thistle (Cirsium acaule)
- Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria)

On with the bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 7 Greylag Geese: 1 single outbound; party of 6 inbound
- 40 Canada Geese: 4 singles outbound; party of 36 inbound
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove again
- 27 Wood Pigeons
- 13 Jackdaws
- 114 Rooks
- 3 Mistle Thrushes

Hirundines etc. seen today
None

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 7 (1) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 1 (0♂) Eurasian Wigeon
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 16 (?♂) Mallard
- 29 (>15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 7 + 8 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 14 (4 juveniles) Moorhens
- 129 Coots
- c.75 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

“Red sky in the morning” ...

A slightly later view.

Just one Eurasian Wigeon present this morning. It came closer this morning so a better shot of this duck. Note the distinctive head shape and the orangey tone to the body.

Not too often you see a group of Goldfinches on the ground. The middle bird, at least, seems to be a first winter bird just acquiring its red face though they all look a bit scruffy and it may be no more than the annual moult.

And two more.

This moth is a specimen of The Engrailed. A variable species that now includes what used to be known as Small Engrailed. This specimen may be a late 2nd brood individual or perhaps an early 3rd brood.

Common Marbled Carpet is another very variable species of moth: this a fresh 2nd brood specimen of the rufous-tinged form. This form does not occur in the otherwise very similar Dark Marbled Carpet.

Another new flower for me and taxing my ability to ID. I think Saw-wort (Serratula tinctoria). If you know / think differently please let me know – indeed if you agree please let me know!

A close-up of the flowers.

Yet another provisional ID: this seems to be a Dwarf Thistle (Cirsium acaule). However all the literature suggests this grows on grazed areas on chalk which does not apply to Priorslee Lake. So? Perhaps the stones around the plant are creating a micro habitat for it.

Feel on safer ground here: the final flourish from Rosebay Willow-herb or Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium).

Another I am reasonably confident about: I think this is Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) [aka Herb Bennett] just about at the end of its season, the leaves turning black and most of the petals having dropped from the small yellow flower. I first noted it this year as long ago as 11 May.

I noted yesterday that there was a single flower of Greater Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) between the lake and The Flash: here it is, actually two flowers on a single stem today. A small spider lurks on the left-hand flower.
(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:30 – 08:00

(74th visit of the year)

Highlight here was a sign of Autumn with an over-flying Meadow Pipit. This became my 68th species recorded around and over The Flash this year

Notes from here
- where have all the geese gone?
- just 1 juvenile Great Crested Grebes noted: however the juveniles seem pretty independent and may well have been elsewhere around the lake

Birds noted flying over
- 13 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1Meadow Pipit
- 1 Mistle Thrush
- 1 Goldfinch

Hirundines etc. noted
None

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the water
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 white feral goose
- 30 (18♂) Mallard
- 42 (>12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 (3 juveniles) Moorhens
- 6 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls (all 1st winters)
- 1 Kingfisher

A Moorhen calling from the upper pool between the lake and The Flash was the only notable record here

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day..........

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Scaup
(Richard Vernon)


The Flash
Scaup
(Stuart Edmunds)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)