10 May 15

Priorslee Lake: 4:57am - 6:56am // 8:02am - 9:08am
Map

Telford sunrise: 5:20am

7.5°C > 11.5°C. Areas of medium cloud melted away to leave high overcast: after 08:00 some mainly thin low cloud. Light, increasing SW wind. Very good visibility.

(51st visit of the year)

No real highlight this morning.

Other notes
- a Greylag Goose dropped in but was soon seen off by the Swan
- a drake Tufted Duck also dropped in for a few minutes
- after yesterday’s significant movement of hirundines it was quiet today. Several single Swallows passed through after 6:25am; the first Swifts arrived at 6:55am and by 9:00am there were about 30 screaming overhead. Just 6 Sand Martins with the first arriving soon after 8:00am.
- after at least 10 days of continuous song the Willow Warbler seems to have gone – it did seem a rather unsuitable location and perhaps he gave up trying attract a mate?
- Reed Warblers seem to be gradually increasing in number – they can be hard to count as often either none or all the birds are singing together in any patch of reeds.

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 6 Canada Geese (3 groups)
- 2 Cormorants
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Feral Pigeons
- 92 Jackdaws
- 43 Rooks

Count of hirundines etc
- c.30 Swifts
- 6 Sand Martins
- 5 Swallows

Count of singing warblers
- 5 Chiffchaffs
- 12 Blackcaps
- 1 Garden Warbler
- 3 Common Whitethroats
- 6 Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose, briefly
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck, briefly
- 8 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 29 Coots

The red sunrise did not presage rain or much in the way of wind today.

Here is the happy family: just the three cygnets again this year.

A close-up of the cygnets.

See how this drake Mallard is losing its breeding finery and about to start acquiring duller so-called eclipse plumage which it will wear while grounded as it simultaneously replaces all its flight feathers.

Old-enough to sit-up and take notice: the rapidly growing juvenile Great Crested Grebes are still small-enough to ride on mum’s back (actually I am assuming it is mum: in these enlightened times perhaps not ...).

For over 15's only: a mating pair of Crane-flies (Tipula sp.).

 “I’ll keep this for later”. A spider has just finished wrapping a midge that has been snagged by the web.

(Ed Wilson)
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Nedge Hill: 6:59am - 7:59am
Map

(3rd visit of the year)

Rather quiet with no Wheatears or other obvious migrants.

Notes
- pair of Canada Geese seem resident on the fields towards The Wyke
- female Blackbird with white patches caused momentary panic, but just a partial albino and not the Ring Ouzel that was last seen (by others) over a week ago.
- Garden Warbler seems to have moved on
- singing Lesser Whitethroat was new here

Counts of birds flying over
None noted

Count of singing warblers
- 3 Chiffchaffs
- 5 Blackcaps
- 3 Common Whitethroats
- 1 Lesser Whitethroat
Of the specialities of this location
- covey of Red-legged Partridge heard only
- 5 singing Sky Larks
- 3 Linnets
- 1 Yellowhammer

This caused momentary panic when I glimpsed it fly away – a female Blackbird with white on it. Perhaps the reported female Ring Ouzel seen last week? Not so: just a Blackbird with partial albino spotting. Not uncommon in Blackbirds. Often, because such birds are easily noticed, they fall victim to predators.

(Ed Wilson)
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Wrekin
Map

Spotted Flycatcher.

(Mike Stokes)

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On this day in 2006 and 2013
2013
Priorslee Lake - Map
Great White Egret
(Ed Wilson)
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2006
Priorslee Lake - Map

Pair of Ruddy Ducks

(Ed Wilson)