13 Apr 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:25
Location

[Woodhouse Lane: 08:35 – 08:50]

Sunrise: 06:14 BST

1°C > 9°C Mist and frost rapidly clearing. Calm and rather hazy with moderate visibility

Very little to highlight today except the very high number of common warbler

As I was leaving Council contractors arrived to fell several large willow trees alongside Teece Drive, apparently because they were leaning. It was not obvious to me that they were about to fall; neither was it obvious that if they did so they would cause a problem as they were inside the copse and would not have fallen on the grass. It is of course pointless to talk to the contractors – they are just doing what they have been paid to do. They told me that a Council official, named Onions, was due at 10:30 and I could discuss the matter with him: but I had other commitments. It seems a pity that no notices were posted, similar to planning applications, allowing representations to made before the contractors were engaged.

(61st visit of the year)

Other notes
- about half the Tufted Ducks seem to have left
- just 2 Common Sandpipers seen this morning. I am never sure whether birds always get moved on each day by dog-walkers, and on-lake activities and therefore these are probably different birds
- first Sand Martin noted at 07:40; thereafter variable numbers with c.30 the highest instantaneous count
- the numbers of singing warblers is reported below as usual: as best I could the total number of each species seen was 16 Chiffchaffs, 14 Willow Warblers and 12 Blackcaps

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws again
- 4 Rooks
- 1 Goldfinch

Hirundine totals
- >30 Sand Martins

Singing warblers around the lake
- 1 Cetti’s Warbler again
- 9 Chiffchaffs
- 12 Willow Warbler
- 11 Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 22 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 2 Common Sandpipers

I make no apology for returning to warblers for today’s photos – there are but a few days before the leaves will sprout and make photographs much harder. This is a Willow Warbler – the pale legs are the best clue here, but note also the rather yellow wash to the plumage.

Out in the open and singing we see the rather prominent supercilium, strongest in front of the eye.

A different Willow Warbler preening: note the long wing even though the length is somewhat accentuated by the angle.

And possibly and ideal pose!

Note how just a small change in angle makes the supercilium look much more pronounced.

Here is a male Blackcap.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse Lane 08:35 – 08:50

Mainly looking around the sluice exit area where it was very quiet. As usual I scanned the larches here in faint hope of ever seeing a Crossbill on the cones and was at least rewarded with a bird – a singing Coal Tit!

Other notes

- 4 Skylarks: 2 in song

- 2 Song Thrushes singing

- 2 Chiffchaffs with 1 singing

and that was all.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:00

(39th visit of the year)

Notes

- some of the Chiffchaffs seemed to have moved on, but Willow Warblers in good numbers still

- not heard Song Thrush singing here for a while – could be a time of day issue? But I did a bird apparently gathering food

- the over flying Siskins were good to hear. Must be a real chance they will nest in the area this year

Birds noted flying over

- 2 Siskins

Hirundines

None

Singing warblers around the water (see proviso on introduction)

- 2 Chiffchaffs

- 7 Willow Warblers

- 2 Blackcaps again

The counts from the water

- 2 Mute Swans

- 37 Canada Geese

- 1 all-white feral goose

- 16 (13♂) Mallard

- 14 (8♂) Tufted Ducks

- 1 all-white feral duck

- 1 Cormorant again

- 2 Great Crested Grebes

- 4 Moorhen

- 15 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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Naird Lane
Location

1 Ring Ouzel this morning at 9:17am, in horse field at bottom of crops. Via BirdGuides Here

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Telford
Location

A male Iberian Chiffchaff still in scrub on south side of Granville Road, 100m west of kissing gate and north of pond early afternoon. From the Donnington Asda roundabout, take Granville Road for 800m. Via BirdGuides Here

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On this day in .....................

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's News Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
1 Common Sandpiper
c.10 Sand Martins
>6 Barn Swallows
1 House Martin
2 Tawny Owls
2 Meadow Pipits
8 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warbler
276 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
17 Tufted Ducks
1 Swallow
5 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Ringed Plover
>20 Willow Warbler
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Common Redstart
8 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
47 Black-tailed Godwit
6 Ringed Plover
3 Redshank
1 Dunlin
3 Swallows
(Andy Latham)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
7 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
4 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
12 Swallow
23 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
5 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Fieldfares
3 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers
2 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
1 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)