7 May 15

Priorslee Lake: 5:12am - 8:11am

Telford sunrise: 5:26am

7.0°C > 11.5°C. Broken cloud increasing with shower approaching. Light WSW wind increasing moderate. Very good visibility.

(48th visit of the year)

Notes
- a brood of 2 juvenile Great Crested Grebes confirmed
- Kestrel in the area again
- again no sign of Coot juveniles: cannot blame the wind today
- the Common Sandpiper seen once only and apparently flew out
- hirundines present for much of the time in smaller numbers: 11 Sand Martins and 12 Swallows flew through W at 05:40 presumably from a local roost. Otherwise apart from several single Swallows passing it was 06:20 before any more birds arrived, soon joined by Swifts
- Sedge Warbler(s) seem to have gone
- probably two pairs of Mistle Thrushes (at each end of the lake) this year

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Canada Geese
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 110 Jackdaws
- 23 Rooks

Count of hirundines etc (see notes)
- c.20 Swifts
- c.25 Sand Martins
- c.15 Swallows
- c.50 House Martins

Count of singing warblers
- 7 Chiffchaffs
- 1 Willow Warbler
- 9 Blackcaps
- 1 Garden Warbler
- 3 Common Whitethroats
- 4 Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- 7 (7♂) Mallard
- 8 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens again
- 30 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper

About time we had another moon shot: almost full but enough cross-lighting to highlight some of the craters.

The early sunrise. You can just about make out two posturing Great Crested Grebes, disputing the ownership of the water in front of the ‘piers’.

The sunrise got better.

After all the ‘black throat’ photos here is why it is a really a Whitethroat.

And to prove the change is easy all it has to do is inflate its throat!

A busy time for birds at the moment: this female Blackbird is busy collecting nesting material.

Crane flies are usually associated with Autumn but some species can be seen at other times. This is probably Tipula oleracea, sometimes called Common Crane-fly, but the folded wings makes the pattern hard to discern.

The Great Crested Grebe seems to have two juveniles on her back ....

.. but still manages a preen, but ...

The wing-flap dumps the juveniles in the water!

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 8:16am - 9:03am
Map

(40th visit of the year)

Notes
- the Canada Goose still sitting on nest right alongside footpath
- no Mallard ducklings seen today
- again 2 juvenile Coots only noted with the pair of around the island: another pair alongside Derwent Drive now with 3 juveniles
- many Swifts for the first time this year
- 1 Swallow flew through was new for me here this year
- 1 Garden Warbler singing at N end was also new for me here this year

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Count of hirundines etc
- 12 Swifts
- 1 Swallow
- 6 House Martins

Count of singing warblers
- 3 Chiffchaffs
- 2 Blackcaps
- 1 Garden Warbler

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- 33 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 16 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 white feral duck
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 15 + 5 (2 broods) Coots

I have always thought juvenile Coots are ugly and this unusual view does nothing to change my view. What big feet they have. Just what is the red mark at the front of the flank?

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013
2013
Nedge Hill - Map
Yellow Wagtail
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
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2012
Wrekin - Map
2 Wood Warblers
4 Pied Flycatchers
(Mike Stokes)
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2011
Nedge Hill - Map
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
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2008
Priorslee Lake - Map
18 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)
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2006
Priorslee Lake - Map
Pair of Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)