10 Apr 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 7.0°C: Low cloud with some occasional drizzle after early sometimes heavy rain. Light E wind. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 06:24 BST

I eschewed my usual early start in the rain

Priorslee Lake: 11:00 – 12:45

(44th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- a party of 26 hirundines appeared over the lake: initially there seemed to be 16 Sand Martin and 10 Barn Swallows: later there seemed to be more swallows though I never got an accurate count. Tried without success to find a House Martin. These are usually the last of the trio of hirundines to arrive [Swifts are not true hirundines and arrive much later – the very end of April]
- a Skylark appeared over the lake soon after a Sparrowhawk flew over. There might have been no connection. It did not seem to be one of the birds from the fields to the E
- 9 Blackcaps logged: 2 males singing: 5 males not singing: 1 female: 1 bird heard calling only and not sexed. The damp chilly weather seemed to discourage song
and
- nothing on the lamps again

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Sky Lark

Hirundines seen today
- c.16 Sand Martins
- c.10 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted: figure in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- no Willow Warblers
- 9 (2) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 30 Coots

Dull weather does not make for great photos: we can just about see on this Buzzard the yellow cere indicating an adult.

Another ‘angry bird’ photo: a male Blackcap.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 12:50 – 13:50

(30th visit of the year)

Highlight here today was at least 2 Bramblings in with Goldfinches in an Ash tree at the top end of the water. As far as I can recall these are my first-ever record of this species here. I have previously recorded this species quite close – near the gardens with bird feeders near the upper pool between the lake and The Flash

A party of 10 Sand Martins was overhead much of the time I was present

These two take my species count here this year to 52

Other notes from today
- I was told that the RSPCA did attend the Mute Swan with the broken wing and decided that nothing could be done and put the bird out of its pain. Exactly how a ‘spare’ pen found the territory so quickly is a mystery
- significant decline in number of Tufted Duck present
- a high number of Willow Warblers remains: still mobile but less obviously moving through – movements more random
- the Blackcaps were rather more vocal here, though I had to wait before several apparently non-singing birds decided to break their silence

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 6 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines seen today
- 10 Sand Martins

Warblers noted: figures in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (7) Willow Warblers
- 4 (4) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan only
- Greylag Geese heard from inside island
- 14 Canada Geese
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 23 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 18 Coots again

This Wood Pigeon is sitting on a nest. This site has been used for a number of years, hence the unusually large pile of sticks. Wood Pigeons are not noted for their nest-building capability.

A record shot at best: in this Ash tree (black buds) we see two Goldfinches and a single female Brambling (in the middle of the photo). While the Brambling is not that clear we can see a dark bill, grey side to the head and one of the two parallel dark lines that run down the nape.

Here is a rather better shot of the male Brambling – the pale bill; the dark face and the extensive orange on the shoulder all indicate it is a male. Another easy separation from Chaffinch when the birds are overhead is the more extensive and brighter white on the belly.

This is the same male: note it is only the front of the face that has acquired the black shown by breeding males.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
3 Greylag Geese
13 Tufted Duck
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Dunlin
>50 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Woodhouse Lane
4 Sky Larks
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
3 Linnets
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
10 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
26 Tufted Ducks
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
1 Wheatear
Kestrel
Lapwing
> 50 Meadow Pipits
(John Isherwood)

2013
The Flash
Cackling Goose
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
3 Wheatear
10 Meadow Pipit
(John Isherwood)

2009
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
3 Wheatear
1 Redwing
6 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martin
Ruddy duck
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake 
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
11 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
387 Jackdaw
2 Stock Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
1 Sky Lark
1 Tree Pipit
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
17 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
17 Robins
18 Blackbirds
4 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
8 Greenfinches
5 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)