9 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 – 06:40 // 07:30 – 09:30
The Flash:  06:45 – 07:25

7.0°C:  Overcast again. Moderate NE wind. Good visibility

Sunrise: 06:26 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 – 06:40 // 07:30 – 09:30

(94th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
80      Common Sandpiper
The first of the annual Spring passage. About a normal ‘first date’ – my records show 10th in 2014; (away in 2015); 12th in 2016 and 2018; 13th in 2017

Other bird notes from today
None

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Canada Geese (inbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Cormorants
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 16 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- >60 Sand Martins
- 1+ Barn Swallows at least

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 9 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 12 (7) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 10 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron yet again
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 6 Moorhens
- 21 Coots only
- 1 Common Sandpiper- 3 Black-headed Gulls (2 adults; 1 first summer)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Nothing on the lamp poles: noted elsewhere
- first Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) at this site in 2019

The first Common Sandpiper of the year. Not the best of light this morning. Note the white extending up the shoulder area. A piece of stray vegetation makes this bird look long-tailed.

Stepping out here we see it hasn’t got a long tail.

A fine adult Lesser Black-backed Gull lands on its favourite buoy. This seemed to be a very dark bird with almost no contrast between the upperwing and the wing tip. Had to double-check it was not a Great Black-backed Gull. This latter species would have been a larger bird, shown a bigger thick bill and had more white in the wing-tip.

And away it goes.

A Chiffchaff. This bird shows a rather longer than usual supercilium: however that is much less distinct than on a typical Willow Warbler. Note too the mainly horn-coloured bill – a Willow Warbler would show extensive pink at the base of the lower mandible. This bird appears to be wagging its tail sideways – did not notice that at the time I took the shot. Indeed it was dipping its tail continually as it worked through the vegetation – as this species always does.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:45 – 07:25

(87th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- the pen Mute Swan still with five eggs
- surprise surprise: the pair of Gadwall showed up again
- the Mallard brood not located
- Tufted Ducks numbers declining: wonder whether any will stay to breed this year
- no Willow Warblers heard (fewer at the lake as well)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Blackcaps again

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose (departed)
- 26 Canada Geese: 2 of these arrived
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 18 (12♂) Mallard
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Moorhens again
- 28 Coots again

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

- 1 Sparrowhawk over
- single Moorhen on the upper pool
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff between the pools
- 1 (1) Blackcap beside the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
12 Tufted Duck
3 Swallows
7 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
133 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling-type Goose
29 Tufted Ducks
5 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Sky Lark
1 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
22 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
5 Tufted Ducks
Little Ringed Plover
8 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Tit
3 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Greylag Goose 
1 Cackling Goose 
73 Tufted Duck 
Brambling
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
6 Redshank
18 Teal
(Martin Grant)

2011
Nedge Hill
Ring Ouzel
4 Common Redstart
7 Wheatear
(John Isherwood,Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
3 Pied Flycatchers
2 Common Redstarts
1 Tree Pipit
(JW Reeves)

2007
Priorslee lake
4 Tufted Duck
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Sand Martin
1 Skylark
1 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcap
2 Willow Warbler
9 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam) 

Priorslee Village
1 Swallow
(Martin Adlam)

2006 
Priorslee Lake 
5 Great Crested Grebes
3 Herons
1 Cormorant
7 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
259 Jackdaw
4 Stock Doves
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
13 Meadow Pipits
21 Wrens
18 Robins
22 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
3 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
4 Jays
6 Greenfinches
2 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)