Priorslee Lake: 05:40 – 07:05 // 08:00 – 09:13
Map
Telford sunrise: 06:37
6.0°C > 7.5°C Another day with low overcast with drizzle early and late. Moderate / fresh NNW wind. Mostly moderate visibility, poor in drizzle.
As yesterday the low cloud and drizzle was mainly confined to the very local area with brighter skies only a few miles away.
Highlights this morning were
- 2 Oystercatchers again on one of the boat piers and then on the SW grass. Same birds?
- at least 7 Sand Martins.
(40th visit of the year)
Notes
- back to 2 pairs of Gadwall this morning
- many of the Tufted Duck gathered along the SW shore and then hauled out on the grass and did some running about – unusual behaviour.
- Raven calling from trees on N side of the Celestica site was unusual – they are normally just fly-overs here.
- 2 Goldcrests singing this morning.
- the Sky Lark singing over the fields to the E at 05:40: I had always wondered about ‘up with the lark’ as previously I have not noted Sky Larks singing until well after dawn.
- a single Sand Martin was found high over / to the E of the dam area at the early time of 06:55. Nothing more seen until 2 at 08:35 with eventually 6 by 09:00.
- noisy Nuthatch calling alongside Teece Drive.
- a pair of Pied Wagtails on the dam for the 3rd day: are they thinking of nesting nearby?
- a single Meadow Pipit over early and then 4 more together later.
- 1 Reed Bunting singing along the dam again: and females seen in 4 different locations – all different birds?
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake) again affected by the poor visibility.
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 7 Canada Geese in 4 groups
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 12 Feral Pigeons
- 102 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks only
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 5 Meadow Pipits
Counts of birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 1 Pheasant
- >30 Wood Pigeons
- >25 Magpies
With the NW wind I went along the N side pre-dawn and flushed all the birds noted above. There may have been a 2nd Pheasant, but the clatter of the Wood Pigeons distracted me. There may also have been more Magpies but when flushed they all dispersed and there was no way to get a better count.
Count of singing warblers
- 7 Chiffchaffs
The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 27 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Cormorants
- 11 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Oystercatchers
- 8 Moorhens
- 50 Coots exactly
No gulls on the water
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash: 07:15 – 07:50
Map
(36th visit of the year)
Notes
- Mute Swans look as if they are nesting but, unlike those at the lake, the pen is not currently sitting on the nest
- the single Greylag Goose seems to be paired with a Canada Goose at the moment
- Mallard mainly absent today
- my first Heron sighting here since 12 February
- Mistle Thrushes were heard singing distantly both to the N and S: I cannot recall hearing two singing birds here previously
Nothing noted flying over
Count of singing warblers
- 4 Chiffchaffs
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 26 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 white feral duck
- 18 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 14 Coots
No gulls here either.
(Ed Wilson)
Map
Telford sunrise: 06:37
6.0°C > 7.5°C Another day with low overcast with drizzle early and late. Moderate / fresh NNW wind. Mostly moderate visibility, poor in drizzle.
As yesterday the low cloud and drizzle was mainly confined to the very local area with brighter skies only a few miles away.
Highlights this morning were
- 2 Oystercatchers again on one of the boat piers and then on the SW grass. Same birds?
- at least 7 Sand Martins.
(40th visit of the year)
Notes
- back to 2 pairs of Gadwall this morning
- many of the Tufted Duck gathered along the SW shore and then hauled out on the grass and did some running about – unusual behaviour.
- Raven calling from trees on N side of the Celestica site was unusual – they are normally just fly-overs here.
- 2 Goldcrests singing this morning.
- the Sky Lark singing over the fields to the E at 05:40: I had always wondered about ‘up with the lark’ as previously I have not noted Sky Larks singing until well after dawn.
- a single Sand Martin was found high over / to the E of the dam area at the early time of 06:55. Nothing more seen until 2 at 08:35 with eventually 6 by 09:00.
- noisy Nuthatch calling alongside Teece Drive.
- a pair of Pied Wagtails on the dam for the 3rd day: are they thinking of nesting nearby?
- a single Meadow Pipit over early and then 4 more together later.
- 1 Reed Bunting singing along the dam again: and females seen in 4 different locations – all different birds?
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake) again affected by the poor visibility.
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 7 Canada Geese in 4 groups
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 6 Herring Gulls
- 12 Feral Pigeons
- 102 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks only
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 5 Meadow Pipits
Counts of birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 1 Pheasant
- >30 Wood Pigeons
- >25 Magpies
With the NW wind I went along the N side pre-dawn and flushed all the birds noted above. There may have been a 2nd Pheasant, but the clatter of the Wood Pigeons distracted me. There may also have been more Magpies but when flushed they all dispersed and there was no way to get a better count.
Count of singing warblers
- 7 Chiffchaffs
The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 27 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Cormorants
- 11 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Oystercatchers
- 8 Moorhens
- 50 Coots exactly
No gulls on the water
Another ‘record’ shot of the Oystercatchers at the lake
------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Flash: 07:15 – 07:50
Map
(36th visit of the year)
Notes
- Mute Swans look as if they are nesting but, unlike those at the lake, the pen is not currently sitting on the nest
- the single Greylag Goose seems to be paired with a Canada Goose at the moment
- Mallard mainly absent today
- my first Heron sighting here since 12 February
- Mistle Thrushes were heard singing distantly both to the N and S: I cannot recall hearing two singing birds here previously
Nothing noted flying over
Count of singing warblers
- 4 Chiffchaffs
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 26 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 white feral duck
- 18 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 14 Coots
No gulls here either.
These two seem to be paired so look out for some more ‘odd-looking’ geese in the future. Of course if they nest here – The Flash – the eggs will likely be treated by the council and we will be spared the confusion.
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On this day in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Adult Kittiwake
2014
Adult Kittiwake
c.12 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
2 Willow Warblers
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2 Willow Warblers
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
20122 Swallows
20 Sand Martins
(Martin Grant)
------------------------------
2009
2 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)
------------------------------
2006
3 Swallows.
6 Chiffchaffs
6 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
58 Fieldfare
58 Fieldfare
Kingfisher
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)