17 Mar 16

Priorslee Lake (including Woodhouse Lane): 07:15 – 09:25
Location

Sunrise: 06:17

c.4°C: Dull again with low cloud – a few breaks beginning to develop. Light/ moderate ENE breeze. Moderate / good visibility

Two highlights today
- the first proper summer migrant this morning. I visited the ‘migrant trap’ where the sluice from the lake exits in to the Wesley Brook towards Shifnal. With no sun and the wind blowing directly in to the area I did not hold out much hope. So I was rather surprised to hear and then see a Chiffchaff
- as I was waiting nearby for the bus back home a Meadow Pipit flew over. Sadly I cannot put it on either the lake or The Flash list as yet. I had my first two of the year last Saturday in the Newport area

(41st visit of the year)

Notes
- the Greylag x Canada Goose was only seen in flight but seemed to be the ‘usual’ bird. That said it is over a year since I last logged it.
- full quota of 15 Great Crested Grebes found this morning
- party of finches with at least 8 Redwings feeding in the Ricoh grounds and leaping to & fro to the nearby trees. I identified Goldfinches, Linnets and Siskins but the group was too flighty and too distant to specifically identify them all. At least 7 Linnets and 15 Siskins flew in to the area – and the other 5 Siskins noted as flying over could also have joined them

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 6 Canada Geese (2 parties)
- 1 Canada x Greylag Goose
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Stock Doves
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove again
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Goldfinch
- 5+ Siskins (see notes)

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall remain
- 6 (3♂) Mallard
- 16 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 15 Great Crested Grebes
- 19 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull

Cannot recall noticing these before lurking in one of the copses. Primroses: yes. But are they real or garden escapes?

A Song Thrush a-huntin’

(Ed Wilson)

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

Woodhouse Lane: 08:15 – 08:40
Location

Some notes
Apart from the Chiffchaff (as noted in the introduction) rather little of real note and most had been seen and / or heard from the lake on the other side of Castle Farm Road
- 2 Buzzards
- 3 Pheasants: a splendid male and 2 others calling
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming
- 3 Sky Larks (2 in song)
- pair of Bullfinches
- 1 Yellowhammer in song

(Ed Wilson)
    

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

Priorslee Flash: 09:35 – 09:55
Location

(28th visit of the year)

Notes
- most the Canada Geese now obviously paired and many noisily disputing territory on the island
- once more 3 of the Mallard sitting on roofs in Derwent Drive
- all the gulls spiralled in from a great height and flew around looking at the water, though not 100% sure that any ‘landed’

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Herring Gull
- 3 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 39 Canada Geese
- 1 the all-white feral goose
- 17 (14♂) Mallard
- 27 (15♂) Tufted Duck again
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 1 Cormorant yet again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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

On this day in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012

2012

Priorslee Lake

3 Bramblings
2 Chiffchaffs singing
(Martin Grant)

Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011

Priorslee Lake

1 Wigeon
14 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck 
1 Lapwing
2 Sand Martins
26 Greenfinches
23 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash 
2 Cormorants
24 Tufted Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Tree Sparrow
2 Reed Buntings
1 Chiffchaff  singing
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

2 Little Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebe 
12 Swan
6 Gadwall
20 Tufted Duck

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Mute Swan nest building

16 Tufted

(Mike Cooper)

The Flash

c.25 Tufted Duck

Chiffchaff singing

(Mike Cooper)

2007

Priorslee Lake

2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
12 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
1 Green Woodpecker
31 Wren
36 Robin
6 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Tit
44 Magpie
9 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Redpoll
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)