24 Apr 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 11.0°C: High overcast, lowering with spots of rain after 08:15. Light WSW wind, increasing moderate again. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 05:52 BST

Another arrival: a single Common Swift over the lake at 08:15 and overhead for at least 15 minutes was my first for the year. It is my earliest date here for at least 4 years. My Priorslee Lake year species total moves to 84

Priorslee Lake:

Afternoon Update: 13:00 - 15:00

My afternoon visit, although raining most of the time. Mute Swan 2 pairs incubating + pair on the dam, Great-crested Grebe 5, Tufted Duck 5 male 2 female, Mallard 4 males, Coot 15, Moorhen 1, Common Sandpiper 1, Swift 1, Swallow 6+, House Martin 25+, Sand Martin 12+, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Wood Pigeon 2, Magpie 3, Mistle Thrush 1, Blackbird 2, Robin, Dunnock 2, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Wren, Lesser Whitethroat 1, Willow Warbler 2, Chiffchaff 6, Blackcap 3, Reed Bunting pair.

(Martin Grant)

Morning Update Swift 2, Common Sandpiper and Reed Warbler.

(Via Shropshire WHATSAPP sightings from "John")

Morning Report: 05:30 – 06:25 // 07:40 – 09:20

(49th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the pair of Mute Swans in the SE area were on the grass above the dam
- a drake Tufted Duck appeared between my two visits
- yesterday’s Common Sandpipers have moved on
- I am arriving too late for the roost dispersal of Jackdaws so numbers over are low at the moment
- hirundine numbers ‘best effort’ with birds wheeling around in mixed groups
- Willow Warbler first for a few days: could have been present throughout – once a territory is established and breeding starts song becomes intermittent especially if no rivals are present
- yesterday’s Lesser Whitethroat and Sedge Warbler also appear to have moved on
- a 4th singing Common Whitethroat today: also a non-singing bird noted
- Mistle Thrush seen flying off W from the football field carrying food or nesting material: its territory seems to be too far away to hear the song this year
and, all on the lamps
- two different unidentified spider sps.
- another mayfly sp. that also seemed to be Olive Upright (Rhithrogena semicolorata)
with
- Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia) on the verge of Teece Drive
- horsetail sp., probably Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail)
- as yet unidentified horsetail sp. seen
- Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior) flowers noted

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 4 Canada Geese
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 6 Jackdaws

Hirundines seen today
- 1 Common Swift
- >6 Sand Martins
- >4 Barn Swallows
- >4 House Martin

Warblers noted: figure in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were singing)
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 16 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warblers
- 5 (4) (Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Reed Warblers again

The counts from the lake area
- 6 Mute Swans still
- 2 Canada Geese
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1) Tufted Duck
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 Coots

The pair of Mute Swans hitherto in the SE area have now been forced on to the grass above the dam where they were viewing the dogs and dog-walkers with disdain.

This perhaps qualifies as my worst photo to date: a record shot of the Common Swift!

I am sure as this (Common) Whitethroat settles in to its territory it will allow rather closer approach and better photos. Meanwhile here we see the key features – the very obvious white throat and the brown wings contrasting with the grey head.

Another individual amongst the Blackthorn looks quite different showing what effect the angle of light can have – the head looks almost black here recalling rare vagrants like Sardinian Warbler. We can rule most of these species out as they have red eye-rings. Anyway it was singing and calling just like a Whitethroat.

Before the council’s contractors mow the verges outside the academy we can find Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia).

Some of the Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) is dropping its flowers already so here is a complete array.

NOT a caterpillar but a catkin. I do not have any reference works on catkins. A search of the web suggests a willow (Salix sp.).

This had me thinking: the black bud tells us this is an Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior). There is an old English weather saw predicting the Summer weather:
“If the Oak is before the Ash
we will only have a splash.
If the Ash is before the Oak
we will have a soak”
referring to the first appearance of leaves. The saw has no scientific merit because Ash is not normally fully-leaved before early-June. Given that I have seen no sign of Oak leaves .... Turns out these are the flowers that precede the leaves. I suppose ash keys have to come from somewhere. Not sure I have been conscious of Ash flowers before.

This is clearly a horsetail sp. but which? Field? or Marsh? Well that is a good question and at this stage of development I cannot be sure. Two days ago when I first noticed it as a brown column I could probably have ID-ed it. I hope that when it fully opens in the next few days I can have another go at it. My vote would be Equisetum arvense (Field Horsetail).

One of the two spider sps. seen this morning. I have been unable to identify the species. Why is it that despite excellent photo galleries on the web my spiders always look quite different? Having to photo them when they are 10 feet away up a pole does not help!

Here we go again! Well I suppose it is a spider – it has lots of legs! But what exactly are all those yellow dots?

A mayfly sp. that also seems to be an Olive Upright (Rhithrogena semicolorata).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30

(35th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- three different drake Mallards were sitting atop roofs in the estate
- the Tufted Ducks were very flighty and calling a lot: about to leave? or just the effect of an extra drake being present this morning?
- the Garden Warbler here for its second day: I spent some while waiting for it to come out of cover before a male Blackcap popped out! Luckily the Garden Warbler continued to sing and the Blackcap clearly wasn’t singing. The song of these species can be confused: however I usually get them right and if I am not sure it always turns out to be a Blackcap
- the Sedge Warbler gave but two short bursts of song and trying to sort out exactly where it was at the top end was made difficult by a very noisy Song Thrush singing close-by. The bird two days ago was at the other end of the water
and
- 2 bugs, probably leafhopper sp., found on a lamp post
- first flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis): over 2 weeks later than in 2017

Birds noted flying over
None

Hirundines seen today
None

Warblers noted: figures in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were singing)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler again
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 19 Canada Geese
- 15 (15♂) Mallard
- 13 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
- 3 Moorhens
- 16 Coots

A roof-standing drake Mallard.

Two Collared Doves, probably a pair. Sexes not distinguishable – by humans anyway – though one does appear to have a more extensive eye-ring.

Flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis). This is the food-plant of the Orange-tip butterfly. Interestingly this plant is abundant at the lake but as far as I can tell is not even visible yet, much less in flower. Difference in microclimate?

My best suggestion here is a leafhopper although I cannot match it with any on the inter-web. That the body extends beyond the wings is unusual in this group. The short antennae rule out most other bugs.

Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 1 drake Mallard on the lower pool
- 1 Blackcap singing above the lower pool and perhaps another later above the upper pool

Between the lake and The Flash is this flowering Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). This is the earliest of the umbellifers to flower and typically shows rather ‘open’ branched umbels.

This is one such umbel – at the moment in a rather dark area and difficult to shoot without ‘noise’ at the shutter speed needed to stop the wind movement.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Wheatear
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
5 Common Sandpipers
2 Reed Warblers
6 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
20 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
Lesser Whitethroat
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
11 Greylag
1 Tufted Duck
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
14 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
11 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
17 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
6 Skylarks
4 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
8 Wheatear
28 Fieldfare
2 Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Reed Warblers
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Tufted Duck
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench
8 Tufted Duck
8 Swallows
3 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Common Sandpiper
3 Swift
32 House Martin
3 Swallow
3 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
1 Garden Warbler
6 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
7 Sand Martins
14 Swallows
1 House Martin
3 Stock Doves
3 Grey Wagtails
30 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
1 Reed Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
9 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
8 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings.(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the East of Priorslee lake
6 Stock Doves
2 Sky Larks
2 Whitethroats
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnets
1 Reed Bunting
7 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)