27 Mar 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 4.0°C: Low overcast and misty. Moderate ESE wind. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 06:56 BST

Priorslee Lake: 05:54 – 09:00

(41st visit of the year)

Well I did want a cloudy morning: not quite like this though. Very misty

A singing Blackcap in S-side bushes became my 79th confirmed bird species logged from around the lake this year

Notes from today:
- a pair of Shoveler dropped in between 06:30 and 06:40
- perhaps many of the Jackdaws were too far away to see in the murky conditions: certainly they were passing both E & W of my location which, unless you are Janus, is a bit of a problem when visibility is not good
- Goldcrests were up and about early this morning: the first (of three singing birds) started at 06:15
- Reed Buntings do not seem to be singing around the lake as they usually do. I hear calls and see birds well away from the reeds. The only song within the last 10 days or so has come from the fields to the E of Castle Farm Way
and
- still no moths on the lamps
- a clump of Primroses (Primula vulgaris) found lurking deep in cover
- signs the flowering Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) is just opening

Birds noted flying over the lake
- 8 Canada Geese (3 groups) again
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 136 Jackdaws (17 groups)
- 11 Rooks (10 singles / pairs)
- 2 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Goldfinch
- 1 Lesser Redpoll again

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shoveler
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 35 Coots

Best I could do with the (un)available light – the clump of Primroses (Primula vulgaris) found lurking deep in cover at the lake.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash 09:05 – 09:35

(30th visit of the year)

Notes
- drake Gadwall still present
- only 1 Great Crested Grebe seen but the bird took a fish to a hidden location behind overhanging bushes – partner on nest here?

Birds noted flying over
None

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 32 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 11 (9♂) Mallard
- 30 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Great Crested Grebe (see notes)
- 7 Moorhens again
- 14 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull

Between the lake and The Flash alongside the path
- single Moorhens on both the upper and the lower pools
- a singing Chiffchaff around the lower pool again
and
- the first Kingcups or marsh-marigolds (Caltha palustris) are flowering around the upper pool.

Another not exactly stunning shot: the Kingcups or marsh-marigolds (Caltha palustris) flowering around the upper pool between the lake and The Flash.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
5+ Cormorants
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
7 Fieldfare
6 Chiffchaffs
c.230 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Cackling Goose
2 Teal
49 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
7 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
1 Pochard 
34 Tufted Ducks 
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull 
5 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash 
3 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Pochard 
62 Tufted Duck 
Steppe Gull?
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Cormorant 
26 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Cormorants
2 Goosander 
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Dunlin
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Willow Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
16 Fieldfares
1 Willow Warbler
4 Great Crested Grebe 
4 Herons 
4 Gadwall
29 Tufted Duck
c.215 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Ducks
16 Meadow Pipits
36 Robins
28 Blackbirds
5 Chiffchaffs
1 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
127 Wood Pigeon
21 Wrens
3 Fieldfare
3 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warblers
8 Sand Martins
22 Siskin
6 Linnets
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam, Martin Grant)