20 Aug 16

The Flash: 07:00 – 07:20
Location

Sunrise: 06:00 BST

14°C > 16°C: Mainly low cloud with showery rain. Fresh S wind. Good visibility but moderate in rain

Started very dull again. I had hopes for the strong winds to have blown something interesting: in fact it seemed to have blown most things out!

(81st visit of the year)

Notes
- most of the geese were away again with >100 seen arriving while I was at the lake
- none of the juvenile Tufted Ducks seen today: rather few adults as well so perhaps they were hiding inside the island
- the single House Martin was the only hirundine seen today

Birds noted flying over
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 House Martin

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds, though song very sporadic now
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 9 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 33 (?♂) Mallard
- 15 (♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 Moorhens
- 11 + 4 (4? broods) Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls (1 juveniles)

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 09:25
Location

(116th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- c.110 geese noted in two large parties from the NE in towards The Flash. Too far away to positively ID though many Canada Geese with possibly a few Greylag Geese lurking amongst them
- some of the most advanced juvenile Coots are now mingling with the loafing adults and it is impossible to determine how many separate broods they originate from
- at least 35 Goldfinches at the W end on the thistle-heads
and
- I noted no insects again

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- c.110 geese (see notes)
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 101 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. seen here today
None

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds, though song very sporadic now
- 6 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (0) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 18 (?♂) Mallard
- 8 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 8 + 6 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes still present
- 1 Grey Heron once more
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 41 + 12 (? broods) Coots
- 73 Black-headed Gulls (10 juveniles)
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Nothing special in this Wood Pigeon, just an obliging individual.

Another day: another Lesser Black-backed Gull. Lots of ‘bits missing’ during the wing moult – and much of the tail too.

Black-headed Gulls seem to like standing on buoys and there can be much dispute as to who has the rights to any particular buoy. These two dispute their favoured site.

The loser still objecting loudly!

Compare and contrast time: Black-headed and Lesser Black-backed Gulls both transiting from juvenile in to 1st winter plumage with many retained juvenile feathers.

A return visit to Dunnock / Hedge Sparrow: another rather scruffy bird but here the rather blotchy head lacking significant grey tones on nape indicate it is a 1st year bird moulting out of juvenile plumage.

And its other side.

A female Blackbird: why is not a juvenile / 1st winter? These would show all-dark bills. The other notable feature is the typical drooped wings

A Grey Wagtail in a rather unusual situation – this is the main roadway of Teece Drive. They usually stick reasonably closely to water courses but can, as here, be seen nearby. The Wesley Brook is only a few yards away here but rather overgrown at this point and unlikely to be that attractive feeding area.

The poisonous berries of Arum maculatum, variously known colloquially as Cuckoo Pint, Lords and Ladies, Adam and Eve, Tender Ear, Jack-in-the-pulpit and many others. In practice the acrid and bitter berries usually dissuade the eating of the berries before any serious amount of poison in ingested.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)