4 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 9.0°C: Mostly cloudy with some very light drizzle later. A very few sunny intervals. Calm start with moderate southerly wind developing ahead of storm Dave. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:38 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 07:05 // 08:05 – 09:45

(79th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- as I was walking toward The Flash a trio of Mute Swans (two adults and a first year) flew low West overhead. Talking to the fishermen both here and at The Flash it seems these birds merely flew over and did not annoy either resident pair.
- the Great (White) Egret arrived at 06:06 ahead of everything.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- no geese
- 3 Mute Swans: two adults and a first year flew West
- no gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 117 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese at various times with coming and going
- 2 Greylag Geese: throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 15 (13♂) Mallard
- 14 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens still
- 24 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- no Willow Warbler
- 18 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (7) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Moths:
- *1 Agonopterix sp., probably Brindled Brown A. arenella [was Brindled Flat-body]
- *1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
- *1 Clouded Drab Orthosia inserta

Flies etc.:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *1 mosquito Culex pipiens
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- several small midges

Springtails:
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *1 unidentified ground-beetle

Arthropod:
- *1 Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede Cylindroiulus punctatus

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]

Of note around the area later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- 1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Flies:
- *1 $ dagger fly Rhamphomyia subcinerascens

Fungus:
- *1 probable Common Inkcap Coprinopsis atramentaria

Plants:
- *Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens

Very little colour to the dawn sky. The shapes on the water in the foreground are Tufted Duck.

One of the pair of Great Crested Grebes seems to be amazed at the angle the other has twisted it head.

I know about glasshouses and stones but it really does look in need of a good comb!

Three moths on the street lamp poles this morning: the curled antennae on this micromoth indicate it is an Agonopterix species, probably Brindled Brown A. arenella, formerly called Brindled Flat-body. I'll check with the Shropshire recorder.

This is a Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla: not new for the year here.

A Clouded Drab moth Orthosia inserta. A very common species though as with most moths in the Noctuid group (moths that broadly look like this at rest with wings held tent-wise) they usually are attracted to light in the first part of the night and later hide away.

The long antennae on this fly suggest it is a female mosquito Culex pipiens. A male would have extensive plumes on the antennae. The female should have a proboscis: it is hard to be sure. Perhaps I am wrong!

I believe this to be the dagger fly Rhamphomyia subcinerascens. This is a Spring species and one that I have not identified previously. The main identification feature, other than the date, is the extensive hairs on the front and back legs. The "dagger" mouth-part is being held pointing down.

This is a winter cranefly from the genus Trichocera sp. It is not the most common (and the only easily identifiable) species T. regelationis as it lack a dark spot in the wings.

An unidentified ground-beetle: there are hundreds of species in the UK. Very few can be identified from photos and most only by detailed examination with a hand lens (and then you have to know what you are looking for).

A Blunt-tailed Snake Millipede Cylindroiulus punctatus with a banded brown body.

A Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius. A species that has not been seen as often as usual this winter-period.

This fungus looks very reminiscent of a decaying Shaggy Inkcap or Lawyer's Wig Coprinus comatus: which is very unlikely as this date. I think it is Common Inkcap Coprinopsis atramentaria, a species recorded between Spring to Autumn. Although edible it, like many other species of fungus, causes a very bad reaction when alcohol is also consumed, even several days later.

I photographed my first Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens of the year in Woodhouse Lane yesterday. This one was in flower at the lake today.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies
- 2 unidentified midges

Nothing else noted

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 07:10 – 08:00

(77th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- fewer Tufted Duck noted. Perhaps with more fishermen around some of them had moved to the Balancing Lake where there were more. With the sailing club active there today perhaps some will move back.
- both Willow Warblers were singing very intermittently. If others were doing the same I could easily have walked past them without knowing they were there.
- no Siskins seen or heard today.

One I will have to let pass. While using the Merlin app to confirm I was hearing a Blackcap singing in the distance it reported a Marsh Tit. There were several Coal Tits in the area, as there had been when I heard and saw a Marsh Tit on 30 March. I could not hear or see one today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew North
- 7 Wood Pigeons flew high North together

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese: of these a pair departed
- 10 Greylag Geese: of these a sextet and a pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (23♂) Mallard
- no (Common) Teal
- 14 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Skylarks
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 Skylark
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)

3 Apr 26

The Flash, Priorslee Balancing Lake and Woodhouse Lane area

8.0°C > 14.0°C: Mostly cloudy at low level. A few blue patches did not produce any sunshine. Some very light drizzle later. Moderate south-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:40 BST]

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

A late start on a dull morning. As usual with late starts it was a visit to The Flash first.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 08:35 – 09:40 // 10:25 – 10:40

(78th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- fewer geese for some unknown reason.
- a single Tufted Duck – a drake

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: a pair flew North and a pair flew West
- 3 Stock Doves: a pair and a single
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair arrived from the East
- 2 Mute Swans
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens yet again
- 24 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- no gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived, staying no more than 10 minutes
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 13 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- at least two bumblebees seen in flight only

Flies etc.:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus at rest
- very many annoying midges

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 money spider-type?

Also of note:

The fishermen camped overnight reported many pipistrelle-type bats last evening

The puzzling Mallard that I usually see at The Flash. The curled rail-feather and the white neck ring suggest a drake. There is some green on the head and some yellow on the bill. The flanks look like those of a duck Mallard. It is not an immature as it was exactly the same last year. Would be interesting to do a DNA analysis.

A complaining Grey Heron.

The female Pied Wagtail from the friendly pair that are on the dam most days.

Her partner steps out.

Today's unidentified spider. At the time I thought a money spider but that group mostly has dark legs.

If tree pollen gives you hay-fever look away. From an Acer species, possibly a Sycamore A. pseudoplatanus.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Woodhouse Lane: 09:40 – 10:25

(4th full visit of the year)

As with the Balancing Lake a later visiting time will have affected some numbers. In particular the composting site was active.

At the upper pool
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Coot: part of the time it seemed to be sitting on a nest: I could not find another

At the lower pool:
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
I could not seen any of the previously recorded Moorhen or Coot

In the lane

[with common species omitted] (the number in brackets refers to birds singing)::
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 2 (2) Skylarks: neither of these close-enough to Castle Farm Way as to be audible from the dam area.
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Song Thrushes
- 2 Grey Wagtails
- 2 Pied/White Wagtails: in flight only so not separable
- 2 (1) Chaffinch
- 2 Linnets
- 6 Goldfinches
- *2 Yellowhammers

Also noted:

Plants not yet recorded around the Balancing Lake:
- *Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa
- *Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens
- *Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea

Not good light to photograph Yellowhammers. This male on a "bad feather" day.

Yes you!

This flower is Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa. I see it some years at the lake but a few weeks later growing in the shade. There is no "wood" along Woodhouse Lane these days so I guess this is a remnant population.

There are a few flowers of Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna around the lake and The Flash. In Woodhouse Lane there are several large clusters of these early Spring flowers.

This plant is Green Alkanet Pentaglottis sempervirens. The "green" in Green Alkanet refers to its evergreen foliage.

This flower is Greater Stitchwort Stellaria holostea. There are only five petals: each petal is deeply divided in to two lobes, a feature sometimes called bifid.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 07:25 – 08:30

(76th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the pen Mute Swan does not seem to be settling down to nesting duty, spending most of her time out on the water.
- neither yesterday's (Common) Teal nor brownhead Goosander seen.
- an influx of Tufted Duck – almost all drakes.
- at least two Siskins heard from tree-tops at the top end.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Herring Gull: adult

Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 23 (20♂) Mallard
- 26 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: near adults, together briefly

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- *4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- *other midges

Mrs. Mallard contemplates the water.

"Well if he goes..."

"...perhaps I had better take the plunge".

One of the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls that dropped in for a few minutes. The extent of black on the bill suggests this one is not yet in full adult breeding condition.

Grey Herons have been scarce here recently. This one was flying over.

"Barn door" pose. Looks smart here but...

...somewhat ragged in this view.

I think it is called "billing and cooing". A pair – you can't be sure these days – of Wood Pigeons full of the joys of Spring.

Is that how it is done? No wonder they look rather cross-eyed!

Another Willow Warbler. Note the long supercilium and the pale legs. The wings look long here and indeed they are marginally longer than those of the Chiffchaff as they have to propel the birds back from sub-Saharan Africa. Chiffchaffs' preferred wintering quarters are in the Mediterranean basin.

Unusual view of female midge from underneath. It was sitting on my windscreen (I was parked at the time!) Unusual for a small fly it is possible to make out one of the halteres. These are usually only visible on larger craneflies etc.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
2 Greylag Geese
9 Tufted Duck
c.30 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
4 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
2 Common Teal
53 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
c.25 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
2 Gadwall
32 Tufted Ducks
75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
41 Herring Gulls on the water.
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
Hybrid Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Martin Ryder)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Tufted Duck: both drakes this morning
7 Blackcaps
14 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
40 Tufted Duck
7 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Pool
5 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Redhill
6 Tree Sparrow
(John Isherwood)

2011
Nedge Hill
Male Common Redstart
4 Wheatear
(Martin and Ian Grant)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
12 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Stock Doves
178 Wood Pigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Skylarks
3 Meadow Pipits
168 Sand Martins
1 House Martin
28 Wrens
29 Blackbirds
3 Blackcap
4 Willow Warblers
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
8 Greenfinches
4 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2 Apr 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 9.0°C: Early low cloud with some very light drizzle gave way to sunny intervals and fair-weather clouds. A light northerly breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:42 BST

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 07:00 // 08:10 – 09:45

(77th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Great (White) Egret arrived at 06:18 again was just beaten in the "first seen flying" stakes this morning by one of the two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls and an outbound party of 16 Jackdaws.
- a group of c.12 Sand Martins dropped in briefly c.09:00 and were seen climbing away high to the north-west. About 10 minutes later c.12 were noted high overhead before also heading off north-west. The same?
- all four Blackcaps noted were males. One was, strangely, not heard singing.
- on my first walk around I noted four singing Goldcrests. None was heard (or seen) on my second lap when it was fully light.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: immature
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- c.175 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 2 Meadow Pipits

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: a pair and a single throughout; two pairs arrived and departed.
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (8♂) Mallard
- 9 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 28 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, briefly around dawn
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:
- c.12 Sand Martins: see notes

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- no Willow Warbler
- 16 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Flies etc.:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- several small midges
- 1 unidentified cranefly

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni
- *1 weevil sp.

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 comb-footed spider, possibly Anelosimus vittatus
- *1 money spider-type

Plants:
- *flowering Wild Cherry Prunus avium

Of note around the area later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 possible Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa [Early Mining Bee]

Hoverflies:
- *1 Early Epistrophe Epistrophe eligans [Spring Smoothtail]
- *1 Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

Other flies:
- *numerous unidentified flies

Beetles:
- *1 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

The Great (White) Egret flies off...

...to perch rather precariously in the trees.

Basking in the sun is what Obsidentify was 94% sure was an Orange-tailed Mining Bee Andrena haemorrhoa.

This is the same bee in my shadow. Obsidentify was no longer sure what species of mining bee it was.

This is the hoverfly Early Epistrophe Epistrophe eligans . It looks somewhat like a Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax but is noticeably smaller with a much more prominent scutellum. This is my earliest date by over a week for seeing this species.

This is a Tapered Dronefly and surprisingly tapered as a female (the eyes do not meet).

A number of flies came out to bask in the sun. Here is one.

And another. Neither identified.

A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

Obsidentify helpfully suggested "Weevil". Thank you.

A 100% certain identification of this spider by Obsidentify as a comb-footed spider Anelosimus vittatus. The rubric in NatureSpot says that the dark area extends down the length of the carapace (abdomen). So? Note this is a male with the "boxing glove" palps.

And a money spider-type.

Flowering Wild Cherry Prunus avium though I am not sure how "wild" any of the trees and shrubs around the lake are.

Plane of the day. There are not too many 4-engined jets operational and most of them are, as here, freighters.

The slightly misleading information from FlightRadar24. It is owned by Kalitta Air but was not flying from Gander to "not available" but from Hill Air Force Base outside Salt Lake City in Utah to Fairford in Gloucestershire. The CMB flight code refers to the radio call-sign "Camber" and indicates a civilian aircraft operating a US Department of Defence (War?) mission. The aircraft is 33 years old and originally flew as a passenger aircraft with Korean Air who later converted it as a freighter. Kalitta has been flying it with this identity for nine years.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:

Flies
- *several unidentified midges
nothing else noted

A midge primer though their identity remains somewhat of a mystery. A female here and although the abdomen is banded it is too slim to be the midge Chironomus plumosus.

This seems to be the male of the same species.

Another female midge and slight more robust.

This is what I think a female Chironomus plumosus should look like with a broad and marked thorax and a substantial body.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 07:05 – 08:05

(75th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the pair of (Common) Teal accidentally flushed from the top end. A drake seen later beside the island presumably one of these.
- *a surprise was seeing two brownhead Goosander.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Collared Doves together: not apparently any of the local birds

Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 20 (16♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) (Common) Teal
- 12 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- *2 (0♂) Goosander
- 4 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- *1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Garden Spider Araneus diadematus [Garden Cross Spider]
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

These two brownhead Goosander were a surprise. My previous sighting here was on 16 February. My only other April record here was on 1st April 2023.

A Willow Warbler. It was singing which helps to separate it from the similar-looking but very different sounding Chiffchaff.

Here we see the more prominent supercilium and that the legs are not black (though this is not a 100% reliable feature as some Chiffchaffs have paler legs). One reliable behavioural difference is that Chiffchaff is always on the move flitting through the branches constantly dipping its tail and flitting after prey. The slightly larger and more robust Willow Warbler almost never dips its tail and works through the vegetation usually gleaning insects from off of the branches.

Yesterday I photographed a Song Thrush apparently collecting nest material from alongside the Wesley Brook. Here is a female Blackbird...

...doing the same thing (sorry about the stick! I am sure there is an AI photo editor that could remove the stick but hey-ho)

A spider taking refuge in a fold in a street lamp pole. The diagnostic mark at the top of the abdomen is not visible but it looks to be a good candidate for a Garden Spider Araneus diadematus.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Greylag Geese
14 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
229 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
6 Greylag Geese
1 Cackling Goose
52 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
12 Tufted Ducks
1 Little Gull
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
33 Greylag Geese
10 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
2 Little Grebe
Chiffchaff
Reed Bunting.
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
1 Brambling
1 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
>100 Fieldfare
> 50 Redwing
6 Lapwing
Meadow Pipit
Yellowhammer
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
9 Greylag Geese
2 Tufted Duck
1 Curlew
1 Peregrine
4 Blackcaps
13 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
48 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
5 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Curlew
5 Skylarks
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Curlew
Wheatear
> 50 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 male Common Redstart
21 Wheatear
(John Isherwood, Ian Grant)

2010
Priorslee Lake
White Wagtail
Wheatear
3 Sand Martin
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
Common Redstart
6 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
17 Tufted Duck
2 Willow Tit
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Bullfinch
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
25 Tufted Duck
2 Shoveler
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
2 Curlew
1 Blackcap
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Meadow Pipits
4 Skylarks
4 Chiffchaffs
8 Goldfinches
5 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
146 Jackdaws
1 Stock Dove
192 Wood Pigeons
2 Skylarks
1 Meadow Pipit
27 Blackbirds
31 Fieldfares
3 Swallow
53 Sand Martins
4 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
2 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Jays
22 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)