Priorslee Lake: 04:05 – 05:45 // 06:45 – 08:20
The Flash: 05:50 – 06:40
12.0°C > 15.0°C: Mostly cloudy. Calm start: light SSW breeze later. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:52 BST.
Priorslee Lake: 04:05 – 05:45 // 06:45 – 08:20
(142nd visit of the year)
I was correct in thinking that the bank along the side of the football field had been left un-mown by oversight. Yesterday the football field was cut and so was the bank. Its array of wildflowers is no more.
Bird notes from today
- Two (near) adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls stopped off for a few minutes and chose to sit atop the sailing club shelter. The pen Mute Swan decided, perhaps wisely, to round up the cygnets and put them on her back for the duration.
- Two Barn Swallows flew high N at 05:15 and were perhaps late arriving migrants. I guess if you are an insect-eater and breed in Iceland then there is not much point getting there before June. Several singles / pairs later were perhaps more local birds?
- Song from the Sedge Warbler has become increasingly intermittent recently so this morning’s lack of song was perhaps to be expected.
- House Sparrows in the grounds of the academy again. This species is becoming regular inside my recording area.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 19 Canada Geese (15 outbound; 4 inbound)
- 1 Cormorant again
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Stock Doves
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 84 Jackdaws
- 27 Rooks
- 1 Starling
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >15 Swifts
- >10 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (17) Blackcaps
- 5 (4) Garden Warblers again
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- [no Sedge Warbler]
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers again
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 11 (10♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard again
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks throughout
- 1 Grey Heron at dawn only
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 26 + 20 (7 broods) Coots
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls briefly
Still nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn.
Seen later:
- 2 Silver-ground Carpet moths (Xanthorhoe montanata)
- >2 noctule-type bats
and
- the first spikes of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii)
Ah! Not easy to see there are seven from this angle.
Life is exhausting – time for a sleep.
What seems to be spikes of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii)
The basal leaves are certainly spotted!
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:50 – 06:40
(135th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- The brood of five Mallard ducklings are now almost full-size and apart from having ‘short’ wings could easily pass as duck Mallard. Several are now somewhat independent and not always with their parents or siblings.
- Yesterday the only Great Crested Grebe was on the water and I could not locate a bird at the nest site. Today the only bird seen was on the putative nest.
- All the Swifts were very high up and screaming around. Did not seem to be any House Martins with them.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 5 Feral Pigeons
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Rook
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >40 Swifts
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese
- 26 (17♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard
- 12 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 + 5 (2 broods) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash:
At or around the lower pool (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
At or around the upper pool (singing birds):
- 1 (0) Blackcap
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
At or around the lower pool (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
At or around the upper pool (singing birds):
- 1 (0) Blackcap
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........