10 May 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:15 – 09:25
Location

Sunrise: 05:19 BST

14°C > 17°C Mainly light rain from medium / high overcast; heavier rain 08:40 – 09:15. Light ENE wind. Moderate visibility

With overcast conditions and light rain I was hoping that some birds had been brought down: was not to be, with only a single Swift – eventually; and rather few true hirundines

(73rd visit of the year)

Notes
- all 8 Great Crested Grebes were seen this morning
- a Willow Tit was heard giving its nasal call-note and then a non-singing bird was seen. I had hopes this might suggest there was a pair, but song soon started and there was no real evidence of a second bird
- all the Willow and Sedge Warblers seem to have moved on
- only 1 Reed Warbler was singing from reeds this morning – none was heard from the main N-side reeds. Singles were singing from the NW reeds; the W end Ricoh hedge; the small copse alongside the yacht club HQ; and the S-side brambles. Very odd

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Jackdaws
- 16 Rooks
- 7 Starlings
- 2 Goldfinches

Hirundine etc. totals
- 1 Common Swift
- 1 Sand Martin
- 8 Barn Swallows
- 3 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the lake: numbers in brackets are singing birds
- 1 (1) Cetti’s Warbler
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (11) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers again
- 3 (2) Common Whitethroats
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 12 (10♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard with ducklings
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe heard
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 2 Common Sandpipers again

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

Great White Egret
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)