Priorslee Lake and The Flash: also Nedge Hill / The Wyke
6.5°C > 8.5°C: Mostly cloudy with spells of mainly light rain; turning showery with some sunny spells later. Light SE wind increasing in showers. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 06:38 BST
Highlight this morning was the Ring Ouzel found at Nedge Hill by John Isherwood who kindly came and extracted me from the lake to make a successful return visit to see and photograph it. Thanks John
Supporting cast on the Nedge included a pair of Wheatears
Also noteworthy was the rare opportunity to log all five thrushes on one day at one location – Ring Ouzel, Blackbird, Fieldfare, Song Thrush and Redwing. The first time I have achieved this
Priorslee Lake: 05:40 – 07:10 // 08:05 – 08:40 // 10:40 – 11:00
(39th visit of the year)
2 Blackcaps singing along the S side of lake at 06:30. My 75th species at the lake this year
Leaping off to Nedge meant I did not complete a second full lap of the lake and this may have affected, in particular, the warbler counts
Notes from today:
- just 3 Great Crested Grebes again: I suspect the 4th bird, in the NW corner, is sitting on eggs
- the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were all VERY distant
- no idea where most of the Jackdaws were this morning: I could in theory see the flight lines to E and W but only saw a few flying overhead. Did not hear any large groups either – possibly because of road noise from a wet M54
- 6 Sand Martins seen over the NW copse at 10:45; 2 more flew N 10:55
- a pair of Pied Wagtails on the football field; later two males on the SW grass
and
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 33 Jackdaws (see notes)
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Greenfinch
Hirundine count
- 8 Sand Martins
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warblers
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes still
- 5 Moorhens
- 41 Coots again
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:25 – 08:00
(25th visit of the year)
Two Stock Doves flying over and a singing Willow Warbler were both new species for me here this year taking my site total to 50
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Stock Doves
- 5 Wood Pigeons
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans again
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 16 Canada Geese
- 13 (12♂) Mallard
- 45 (28♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
- 5 Moorhens
- 17 Coots again
Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
(Ed Wilson)
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Nedge Hill / The Wyke
Late Morning: 08:45 – 10:35
Late Morning: 08:45 – 10:35
(1st visit of the year)
Some notes from here to supplement the highlighted Ring Ouzel and Wheatears
- several Buzzards of course
- an encouraging number of Lapwings with several in tumbling display flight
- >5 Skylarks in song: good to hear but a poor number compared to just a few years ago
- just a single Fieldfare over; a few Redwings; more Song Thrushes with 4 heard in song; 2 Mistle Thrushes in one of the horse fields
- Chiffchaffs were the only warblers heard
- a few Pied Wagtails in the fields with the cattle: none of these was a White Wagtail
- at least 3 Meadow Pipits in the fields (many of these fields have longer grass than in recent years)
- 2 Linnets were a welcome sight if a rather poor total. A declining species locally
- 3 male Yellowhammers well seen: others heard
and
- the fields still home to Rabbits – these very scarce / absent at Priorslee these days
The female Wheatear. Very delicate tones.
The male Wheatear.
and the back view of the same bird.
A fine male Yellowhammer.
A different male Yellowhammer. In this view we can just see the warm rufous tones of the rump.
(Ed Wilson)
Early Morning: 07:30
Ring Ouzel - 1 (male,lower horsefields)
Wheatear - 2 (middle horsefields)
Also ; Fieldfare, Redwing and several pairs of Lapwing in display flight.
(John Isherwood)
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Early Morning: 07:30
Ring Ouzel - 1 (male,lower horsefields)
Wheatear - 2 (middle horsefields)
Also ; Fieldfare, Redwing and several pairs of Lapwing in display flight.
(John Isherwood)
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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
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
3 Greylag Geese
5 Common Teal
4 Wigeon
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
c.12 Sand Martins
2 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Red-legged Partridge
4 Sky Larks
6 Meadow Pipits
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebe
2 Gadwall
13 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
Cackling Goose
(JW Reeves)
Leegomery
Woodcock
(JW Reeves)
Long Lane, Wellington
1 Redshank
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows
20 Sand Martins
2 Meadow Pipits
(Martin Grant)
2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Shoveler
2 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Snipe
1 Willow Warbler
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
(John Isherwood)
2008
Nedge Hill
Whinchat
(Paul King)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
318 Jackdaws
105 Wood Pigeons
1 Sky Lark
5 Meadow Pipits
22 Wrens
24 Robins
25 Blackbirds
58 Fieldfares
3 Willow Warblers
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)