2.5°C > 3.5°C: Intermittent rain, heaviest early on. Moderate N wind. Good visibility, though a very dull start
Sunrise: 06:47 BST
Small passage of Tufted Ducks seems likely with three at the lake and an increase at The Flash
Priorslee Lake: 05:55 – 07:40 // 08:25 – 09:40
(36th visit of the year)
A Willow Warbler heard briefly in song along the N side at c.07:30 (but not thereafter) was new for me this year and brings my 2018 site total to 73
After all the recent rain the lake is about as full as I recall and the paths around the lake a horrendous muddy mess from which they seem unlikely to recover. The water itself was >50% mud-stained. Looking at the Wesley Brook inflows near the Teece Drive gate most of the mud was not coming down the Wesley Brook itself from The Flash but from the drains under the school and fields
Other notes from today:
- all the Mute Swans seem to have come to some sort of accommodation as to where they should be without upsetting any of the others. Only the ‘new’ cygnet occasionally gets any agro. It is noticeable that this bird’s bill is still black whereas the resident cygnets’ bills all have a slight orange tone
- the ‘resident’ pair (‘pair 1’) seem likely to be building their nest at the moment in the NW reeds. The pair in the NE area (‘pair 2’) are busily building their nest in the reeds here. The other pair (‘pair 3’) are still in the SE / S area but seem to have nowhere to build
- Coots are becoming hard to census as birds disappear in to the reeds, sitting on nests
- two Goldcrest territories noted today with another non-singing bird present
- singing Chiffchaffs are already disputing territory around the Wesley Brook bridge
- at least 1 Redwing heard in trees at the W well pre- the non-dawn this morning
- a lone Mistle Thrush over the football field and then in trees in the Ricoh copse: still no song
and
- nothing on the lamps
Today’s bird totals – all affected to some degree by the rain and dull conditions
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- 31 Jackdaws
Hirundine count
none
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans as is now usual
- 2 Canada Geese
- 4 (3♂) Mallard again
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 56 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:50 – 08:20
(22nd visit of the year)
Notes from today
- two Treecreepers low down at point-blank range in the NW area: sadly much too dark (and wet!) to get the camera out. My first at The Flash this year– my 47th species
Birds noted flying over
None
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 3 (2) Chiffchaff
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- the white feral goose
- 14 (12♂) Mallard again
- 61 (39♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 6 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
15 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
139 Jackdaws
5 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
47 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Wrekin
Mallard
Coot
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Green Woodpecker
Meadow Pipit
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Marsh Tit
Treecreeper
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Linnet
Bullfinch.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
c.100 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Lake
c.15 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
Green Woodpecker
2 Brambling
2 Linnets
2 Redpolls
3 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Duck
6 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
6 Greylag Geese
48 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
8 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
8 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
1 Blackcap
(Martin Grant)
2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
7 Redwing- 1 singing
33 Tufted Duck
7 Gadwall
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
16 Tufted Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
7 Sand Martin
2 Swallow
7 Redwing
6 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Tit
2 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Flash
Shoveler
4 Snipe
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
10 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
183 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
19 Sand Martins
1 Kestrel
3 Buzzards
4 Jays
2 Stock Doves
270 Wood Pigeons
1 Sky Lark
3 Meadow Pipits
3 Grey Wagtails
15 Robins
20 Blackbirds
5 Fieldfare
13 Redwings
2 Willow Warblers
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
8 Greenfinches
5 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)