6 Apr 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:25
Location

Sunrise: 06:30 BST

8°C > 9°C: Low cloud and rain clearing as I arrived; sunny for a while then mostly cloudy with showers visible. Moderate WSW breeze. Very good visibility once rain cleared

Most noteworthy were the plethora of Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers and it was rather difficult to keep track of them all. A few non-singing birds to further confuse

(55th visit of the year)

Other notes
- party of 4 Sand Martin stopped off briefly; later a single flew through
- in the past week I have seen Long-tailed Tits but once: just prior to that there seemed to be 4 different groups consistently in the same locations and I assumed these were breeding sites. Now they are elusive!
- 2 Linnets still lingering around the Academy entrance area

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 6 Canada Geese (2 groups)
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Feral Pigeons (2 parties)
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 7 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Greenfinch
- 2 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin

Hirundine totals
- 5 Sand Martins

Singing warblers around the lake
- 1 Cetti’s Warbler still present
- 11 Chiffchaffs again
- 9 Willow Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Canada Goose
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 26 (18♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 15 Moorhens again
- 47 Coots
no gulls

Looking North along Woodhouse Lane we see signs of Spring with the boundary hedge on the left, largely Hawthorn, with a patina of green; so too has one of the big willows in the distance.

And looking South down Woodhouse Lane: very little sign of Spring this way.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse Lane: 07:45 – 08:05

Nothing too interesting again

- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 2 Skylarks
- 1 Chiffchaff
- 1 Willow Warbler, again in the small copse in the big field
- 1 male Reed Bunting again

(Ed Wilson)

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

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
12 Tufted Duck
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Cormorant
1 Cackling Goose
39 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Sand Martin
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Gadwall
21 Tufted Ducks
6 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
372 Jackdaws
Kestrel
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
1 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
1 Brambling
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
2 Greylag Geese
4 Shoveler
19 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
50 Meadow Pipit
100 Redwing
Green Woodpecker
3 Red legged Partridge
Fieldfare
7 Lapwing
Linnet
(John Isherwood)

2012
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Nedge Hill
2 Common Redstart
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
Garden Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
20 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Skylark
36 Meadow Pipit
9 Chiffchaff
1 Redpoll
8 Bullfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
7 Stock Doves
235 Wood Pigeons
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
7 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares again
2 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
15 Greenfinches
3 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)