Location
(128th visit of the year)
Telford sunrise: 07:05
5.5°C > 14.5°C. Clear and fine with puffy clouds later. Wispy mist low over the lake again and rather hazy. Calm with light / moderate SE later. Mainly good visibility
Best today was the Red Kite that drifted over the lake c.07:05. New for me this year in Shropshire
A few unusual ducks again with a pair of Shoveler at the lake; a Wigeon at Trench Lock and two duck Teal at Middle Pool – my first at this site
Seems to have been an exodus of warblers with just single Chiffchaffs left calling at both the lake and The Flash. Of course a clear night is good for migration though I am not sure how the bright full moon might affect navigate by the stars – assuming it how they do it
Other notes
- 3 Mute Swans flew in, one wearing a blue Darvic ring and the other a deep orange ring (neither readable). These birds paddled across the lake apparently to make friends with the residents. When the residents woke up all idea of friendship vanished and they soon left. Later a single bird – one of the these? – landed for a short while; and 2 birds flew over
- Greylag Geese: 2 present when I arrived and flew off; 48 flew outbound in 3 groups; >180 flew inbound in 2 large groups; 1 landed back on the water with Canada Geese later but did not stay
- Canada Geese: 79 present when I arrived and flew off; 59 flew outbound in 4 groups; 15 flew inbound in 1 group; 55 landed back on the water with the Greylag Goose later but did not stay
- a small goose, probably the Cackling-type Canada Goose was seen leaving with other geese
- had many attempts to count the Great Crested Grebes with totals between 10 and 16. I am sure there are 16 but the ages of these is open to question. Some of the juveniles now need more than a quick glance to age accurately
- very few large gulls at all today: indeed low number of gulls period
- no idea where most of the Jackdaws were this morning: it was rather hazy at the time, but apparently not sufficiently so to ‘loose’ >100 birds
- 3 Ravens flew S. Shortly after bird(s) heard calling but I could not see the relevant bit of the sky to know whether they were the same birds
- 1 calling Chiffchaff the only warbler noted
- another good mix of small birds flying over with Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Redpoll and Linnet all logged
and
- no bats again
- no moths on the lamps or in the Priorslee Avenue foot tunnel
- 1 Common Darter dragonfly
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Mute Swans – see notes
- >225 Greylag Geese (5 parties)
- 74 Canada Geese (5 parties)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Red Kite
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves
- 118 only Jackdaws
- 219 Rooks
- 3+ Ravens
- 2 Starlings
- 21 Pied Wagtails
- 5 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Siskin
- 2 Linnets
- 1 Redpoll
Hirundines etc
Telford sunrise: 07:05
5.5°C > 14.5°C. Clear and fine with puffy clouds later. Wispy mist low over the lake again and rather hazy. Calm with light / moderate SE later. Mainly good visibility
Best today was the Red Kite that drifted over the lake c.07:05. New for me this year in Shropshire
A few unusual ducks again with a pair of Shoveler at the lake; a Wigeon at Trench Lock and two duck Teal at Middle Pool – my first at this site
Seems to have been an exodus of warblers with just single Chiffchaffs left calling at both the lake and The Flash. Of course a clear night is good for migration though I am not sure how the bright full moon might affect navigate by the stars – assuming it how they do it
Other notes
- 3 Mute Swans flew in, one wearing a blue Darvic ring and the other a deep orange ring (neither readable). These birds paddled across the lake apparently to make friends with the residents. When the residents woke up all idea of friendship vanished and they soon left. Later a single bird – one of the these? – landed for a short while; and 2 birds flew over
- Greylag Geese: 2 present when I arrived and flew off; 48 flew outbound in 3 groups; >180 flew inbound in 2 large groups; 1 landed back on the water with Canada Geese later but did not stay
- Canada Geese: 79 present when I arrived and flew off; 59 flew outbound in 4 groups; 15 flew inbound in 1 group; 55 landed back on the water with the Greylag Goose later but did not stay
- a small goose, probably the Cackling-type Canada Goose was seen leaving with other geese
- had many attempts to count the Great Crested Grebes with totals between 10 and 16. I am sure there are 16 but the ages of these is open to question. Some of the juveniles now need more than a quick glance to age accurately
- very few large gulls at all today: indeed low number of gulls period
- no idea where most of the Jackdaws were this morning: it was rather hazy at the time, but apparently not sufficiently so to ‘loose’ >100 birds
- 3 Ravens flew S. Shortly after bird(s) heard calling but I could not see the relevant bit of the sky to know whether they were the same birds
- 1 calling Chiffchaff the only warbler noted
- another good mix of small birds flying over with Meadow Pipit, Siskin, Redpoll and Linnet all logged
and
- no bats again
- no moths on the lamps or in the Priorslee Avenue foot tunnel
- 1 Common Darter dragonfly
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Mute Swans – see notes
- >225 Greylag Geese (5 parties)
- 74 Canada Geese (5 parties)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Red Kite
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves
- 118 only Jackdaws
- 219 Rooks
- 3+ Ravens
- 2 Starlings
- 21 Pied Wagtails
- 5 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Siskin
- 2 Linnets
- 1 Redpoll
Hirundines etc
None
The counts from the lake area
- 5 or 6 Mute Swans – see notes
- 23 Greylag Geese
- 134 Canada Geese
- 1 Cackling-type Canada Goose
- 19 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 37 (25?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Little Grebes
- 16 Great Crested Grebes – see notes
- 11 + 14 Moorhens
- 194 Coots
- c.70 Black-headed Gulls
- no large gulls
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:26 – 09:58
Trench Lock Pool: 10:06 – 10:15 // 10:49 – 11:24
(42nd visit of the year)
Notes
- what I assume to be the resident pen Mute Swan was tucked up at the S end. What I assume to be the long-term interloper was again close to the N back. And what I assume to be the resident cob was going back and forth across the water, giving a half-hearted chase to the interloper and then moving closer, but not that close, to the pen. None of these birds is ringed so their identity cannot be confirmed
- where do the apparently non-flying feral ducks hide? 2 of them are big and white!
- two of the 3 Great Crested Grebes were behaving as if paired
- no warblers heard here
Trench Middle Pool: 10:20 – 10:45
(17th visit of the year)
Notes
- the Greylag and 26 of the Canada Geese flew in as I was preparing to leave
- where do all the feral ducks hide? – inside the island somewhere I guess
- another high count of Tufted Duck
- all 3 Great Crested Grebes were adults today so assume the juveniles have fledged and gone
- Coal Tit was new for me here this year
- no warblers heard
- Grey Wagtail here as well to make it a clean sweep at all 4 sites
- 5 or 6 Mute Swans – see notes
- 23 Greylag Geese
- 134 Canada Geese
- 1 Cackling-type Canada Goose
- 19 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 37 (25?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Little Grebes
- 16 Great Crested Grebes – see notes
- 11 + 14 Moorhens
- 194 Coots
- c.70 Black-headed Gulls
- no large gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:26 – 09:58
(88th visit of the year)
Notes
- another ‘new’ cob Mute Swan had turned up by this morning – blue 7HLP. The two adults were seen displaying so they obviously are getting on together. And the cygnets were with them all the time
- usual caveat on geese numbers: even more that usual this morning with a real cacophony coming from inside the island
- no idea why there were so few Mallard today
- another high count of Tufted Duck: c.20 of these seemed to fly in while I was present
- just 1 calling Chiffchaff
- Meadow Pipits over again and another Redpoll
Notes
- another ‘new’ cob Mute Swan had turned up by this morning – blue 7HLP. The two adults were seen displaying so they obviously are getting on together. And the cygnets were with them all the time
- usual caveat on geese numbers: even more that usual this morning with a real cacophony coming from inside the island
- no idea why there were so few Mallard today
- another high count of Tufted Duck: c.20 of these seemed to fly in while I was present
- just 1 calling Chiffchaff
- Meadow Pipits over again and another Redpoll
Also
- a different species of harvestman spider seen on the lamps here
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Meadow Pipits again
- 1 Redpoll
Hirundines etc.
- a different species of harvestman spider seen on the lamps here
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Meadow Pipits again
- 1 Redpoll
Hirundines etc.
None
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- >90 Greylag Geese
- >100 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 18 (11♂) Mallard
- 93 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 2 + 2 Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 1 + 1 Moorhens
- 18 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- >90 Greylag Geese
- >100 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 18 (11♂) Mallard
- 93 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 2 + 2 Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 1 + 1 Moorhens
- 18 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Lock Pool: 10:06 – 10:15 // 10:49 – 11:24
(42nd visit of the year)
Notes
- what I assume to be the resident pen Mute Swan was tucked up at the S end. What I assume to be the long-term interloper was again close to the N back. And what I assume to be the resident cob was going back and forth across the water, giving a half-hearted chase to the interloper and then moving closer, but not that close, to the pen. None of these birds is ringed so their identity cannot be confirmed
- where do the apparently non-flying feral ducks hide? 2 of them are big and white!
- two of the 3 Great Crested Grebes were behaving as if paired
- no warblers heard here
Also
- a Southern Hawker dragonfly’s territory was invaded by a Brown Hawker which was soon seen off. At least 1 other Brown Hawker
- at least 2 species of hoverfly
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Meadow Pipits
Hirundines etc
- a Southern Hawker dragonfly’s territory was invaded by a Brown Hawker which was soon seen off. At least 1 other Brown Hawker
- at least 2 species of hoverfly
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Meadow Pipits
Hirundines etc
None
The counts from the water
- 3 Mute Swans still
- 1 (0♂) Wigeon
- 3 (1♂) Mallard
- [no feral Mallard-type ducks]
- 7 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 + 2 Moorhens
- 161 Coots
- no gulls at all
(Ed Wilson)
- 3 Mute Swans still
- 1 (0♂) Wigeon
- 3 (1♂) Mallard
- [no feral Mallard-type ducks]
- 7 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 + 2 Moorhens
- 161 Coots
- no gulls at all
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Middle Pool: 10:20 – 10:45
(17th visit of the year)
Notes
- the Greylag and 26 of the Canada Geese flew in as I was preparing to leave
- where do all the feral ducks hide? – inside the island somewhere I guess
- another high count of Tufted Duck
- all 3 Great Crested Grebes were adults today so assume the juveniles have fledged and gone
- Coal Tit was new for me here this year
- no warblers heard
- Grey Wagtail here as well to make it a clean sweep at all 4 sites
And
- no insects of note
Birds noted flying over
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Hirundines etc
- no insects of note
Birds noted flying over
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Hirundines etc
None
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans (one blue 7HSZ)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 57 Canada Geese
- 2 (0♂) Teal
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- [no feral Mallard-type ducks]
- 30 (>4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron
- 8 + 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
- 2 Mute Swans (one blue 7HSZ)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 57 Canada Geese
- 2 (0♂) Teal
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- [no feral Mallard-type ducks]
- 30 (>4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Grey Heron
- 8 + 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)