18 Mar 17

Priorslee Lake

10.5°C > 13.0°C: Broken cloud, somewhat clearer to W at times; fresh W wind easing somewhat; very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:18 GMT

Priorslee Lake: 05:03 – 09:09

(34th visit of the year)

Best today were the three distant parties of Golden Plover heading N to the far E of the lake

Notes from today:
- a Greylag Goose dropped in for a while and was ignored by the swans that were too busy with the Feral Goose
- the all-white Feral Goose re-appeared: suspect it was hiding behind the cafe in the lay-by begging for food yesterday when I thought it had gone
- one or more Pheasants heard: calls from N side, S side and the Ricoh area – all same?
- c.65 of the over flying Wood Pigeons were seen leaving as a group from the trees to the E of Castle Farm Way
- Jackdaw passage prolonged today: birds swirling around in the wind made exact numbers hard to ascertain
- several of the Rooks seen carrying food / faecal sacs: this bird is an early nester
- Kingfisher seen carrying food E over the dame – nesting already?
- the Siskins were in four tight groups flying W low over the S side. As none was seen later at the W end then I assume all these birds flew through
and
- no moths on the lamps – all blown away by the overnight wind?
- explored the running track / cricket field adjacent to the Holy Trinity Academy (something I am cautious about doing when school is in) and added three flowers to my 2017 list: Daisy (Bellis perennis); Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and Slender Speedwell (Veronica filiformis)

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 14 Canada Geese (5 groups)
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- c.120 Golden Plover (3 groups)
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (3 groups)
- 2 Herring Gulls (singles)
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Stock Doves (2 groups)
- 76 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- 420 Jackdaws (39 groups)
- 33 Rooks (27 singles / groups)
- 21 Fieldfare (3 groups)
- 27 Redwings (4 groups)
- 6 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 4 Goldfinches again
- 43 Siskins (4 groups)

Warbler counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 all-white feral goose (see notes)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 18 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 Cormorants
- 7 Great Crested Grebes once more
- 1 Water Rail
- 8 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull

Well it must have been clear part of the time! The cross-lighting on the partial moon is better to show up the craters.

A brief sunny spell across the lake: along the S side.

And along the N side.

Even at 50x zoom this was the closest that the Golden Plover ever came. We see the characteristic loose ‘V’ formation of the group. We can also see the long and pointed wings shown by this species in flight which separates from, say, a group of Wood Pigeons. I reckon 61 birds in this group.

A rather handsome Wood Pigeon.

This flying Carrion Crow shows some white feathers in the wings – a feature frequently seen in this species but almost unheard of in Rooks. Bill shape separates of course (as well as call).

The secondaries and inner primaries of the underwing, when they catch the light, can look very white – but aren’t!

No need to shout! This male Great Tit (the width of the black zip tells us when it is not singing) was making a call not unlike a Tree Sparrow that had my pulses going for a moment.

This is probably a Blue Bottle Fly (Calliphora vomitoria): the glistening blue sheen is only visible at certain angles.

Just to show it is not just the lamp stems that attract flies to bask in the sun: this is the Wesley Brook foot bridge.

Hawthorn leaves opening already: must be earlier than normal.

Here is the Daisy (Bellis perennis) and ...

... the Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) ...

And Slender Speedwell aka Threadstalk or Creeping Speedwell (Veronica filiformis).

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Teal
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
Green Woodpecker
Linnet
Meadow Pipit
Red-legged Partridge
Stock Dove
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Iceland Gull
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon 
21 Tufted Ducks 
Chiffchaff 
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Pochard 
1 Greater Scaup 
69 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
20 Linnets
Meadow Pipit
Fieldfare
Redwing
Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Gadwall
22 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
9 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
4 Buzzard
24 Wren
24 Robin
21 Blackbird
33 Redwing
39 Magpie
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
c.2500 Black-headed Gulls
605 Lesser-black backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
3rd Winter Lesser-black backed Gull Larus fuscus race: heuglini (Siberian Gull)
7 Pochard
34 Tufted Duck
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Dabchick
1 Cormorant
7 Siskins
(Martin R Adlam)