6.0°C > 9.0°C: Mainly clear start: soon began to cloud: light shower c.09:15. Moderate WSW wind, feeling chilly. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:50 BST
Priorslee Lake: 05:35 – 06:35 // 07:50 – 09:20
(50th visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- the pair of Mute Swans in the SE area were on the water at dawn but moved back to the grass above the dam sometime later
- another Common Sandpiper on passage
- two singing Goldcrests by the Castle Farm Gate disputing territory with their ‘crests’ open
- today’s Willow Warbler was singing in a very different location from the bird heard yesterday
- just inside the Teece Drive gate my ears were being assaulted by song from what I think was 2 Blackcaps and 3 Garden Warblers all mixed up with a Song Thrush, a Blackbird and a Wren all shouting their territorial claims. Both before and after this a Garden Warbler was singing a few yards away and seemed likely to be a 4th bird
- no Reed Warbler heard singing from the N-side reeds this morning: when I investigated I saw two birds working their way through the scrub here. Perhaps he has found a mate
and
- nothing on the lamps
- a few flowers of Lady's Smock (Cardamine pratensis) in the sheltered area near the boat club hut
- first spike of Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) noted
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Wood Pigeons only
Hirundines seen today
- 4 Common Swifts
- >4 Sand Martins
- >2 Barn Swallows
- >2 House Martin
a total of at least 24 birds, most not specifically identified
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds (not all the males seen might have been singing)
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 11 (9) Blackcaps
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers (see notes)
- 5 (4) (Common) Whitethroats again
- 3 (1) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 6 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 4 Canada Geese
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens again
- 28 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
Today’s sunrise.
And slightly later with more colour.
A Wood Pigeon proves that despite its bulk it can be acrobatic when after food.
“I spy with my little eye a juicy worm”.
Yummy!
The first spike of Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:45 – 07:40
(36th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- the slightly fewer Tufted Ducks were all very obviously in pairs
- two Willow Warblers seen chasing and wing-flicking: as only one was singing I assume this was a pair-bonding exercise rather than a territorial dispute
- the Garden Warbler not heard or seen today
- the Sedge Warbler remains at the top end, skulking away: briefly seen in flight between two scrubby clumps of brambles
and
- a Streamer moth found on one of the lamps in squirrel alley
- many spikes of a horsetail sp. (likely Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense)) also in ‘squirrel alley’
Birds noted flying over
- 4 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines seen today
None
Warblers noted: figures in brackets is singing birds (not all the males seen might have been singing)
- 6 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (4) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 25 Canada Geese
- 14 (13♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 12 Coots
Male Great Tit stares me out.
An unusual view as the two Willow Warblers fought.
Need I say this is a male Blackbird.
Can a bird look beseeching? This Dunnock is making a good effort.
Head-down on a lamp is this nicely-marked Streamer moth.
Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Blackcap singing by the lower pool
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Reed Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2013
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Lapwings
2 Common Sandpiper
3 Reed Warblers
14 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Greylag Goose
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
12 Tufted Duck
5 Song Thrushes
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)
Woodhouse Lane
3 Common Whitethroats
2 Linnets.
7 Yellowhammers
Blackcaps
Chiffchaffs
Willow Warbler.
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
4 Meadow Pipits
4 Sky Lark
20 Wheatear
2 Fieldfare
1 Lesser Whitethroat.
2 Common Whitethroats.
3 Blackcaps.
2 Chiffchaffs.
1 Linnet.
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Long Lane, Wellington
1 Whimbrel
2 Curlew
6 Dunlin
2 Ringed Plover
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
35 Swallows
2 House Martins
Grey Wagtail
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
2 Swift
1 Grasshopper Warbler
(John Isherwood, J W Reeves, Martin Grant)
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
9 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Common Sandpiper
(Andy Latham)
Nedge Hill
Swift
12 Wheatear
1 Whinchat
Lesser Whitethroat
2 Whitethroat
Blackcap
(Andy Latham)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Turtle Doves
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
Sand Martins
Swallows
1 Tufted Duck
1 Sedge Warbler
4 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Common Whitethroat
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Tufted Duck
1 Wheatear
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
5 Wheatears
1 Whinchat
1 Sedge Warbler
Common Whitethroat
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
Swallows
1 Grey Wagtail
6 Blackcaps
6 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
4 Herons
4 Greylag Geese
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrels
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Sky Lark
23 Sand Martins
12 Swallows
29 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
2 Reed Warblers
11 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
2 Jays
7 Greenfinches
21 Redpolls
5 Reed Buntings.
Lanes
3 Whitethroats
2 Sky Larks
3 Whitethroats
2 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
4 Linnets
6 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)