7.0°C > 8.5°C: Unexpectedly cloudy but soon started to clear before more low cloud later. Light W breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:31 BST
(51st visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- a first-year Mute Swan arrived and was just about to touch down when it noticed the cob at full speed chasing the Canada Geese that had just arrived: he decided to leave. All the commotion and the en came off the nest to see what was going on
- more Tufted Duck today: one pair flew out before 06:00
- the cob swan had already had a go at the adult Lesser Black-backed Gull at 05:45 – I guess it is likely that it roosted. When the gull eventually left at 06:30 it seemed to have a damaged wing, unable to lift it above the horizontal, even though it flew off strongly
- 2 Sand Martins flew more or less straight through at 08:00
- 2 Redwings seen in trees
- Song Thrushes heard singing from nine different locations this morning but I am not entirely convinced there are more than five different songsters
and
- no moths again
- a millipede, probably Tachypodoiulus niger
- small bat sp., presumed a Pipistrelle, flying pre-dawn
- a few Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) flowers opened since yesterday
- first Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis) flowers
Birds noted flying over the lake
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 428 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks again
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Linnet
Hirundine counts
- 2 Sand Martins
Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 11 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 10 (7) Blackcaps
The counts from the lake area
- 3 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 2 Canada Geese briefly
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 14 (8♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (3?) Grey Herons yet again!
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 Coots again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
The early cloud clearing away to the SW to leave a clear (and tame?) sunrise.
... we not quite. A bit of colour.
And worth another shot.
.. or two!
The first-year Mute Swan still with some grey in the plumage decides not to stop.
A drake Mallard in close-up. Note the blue speculum just peeking out from the folded wing.
And his mate, also keeping a careful watch on me.
It is usually male Blackbirds that are better at posing for photos, so this female was welcome.
These are the first flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis).
The Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) flowers already look a bit tatty.
The fine weather has persuaded some Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) flowers to open.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in ...........
2016Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Snipe
(Ed Wilson, A. Harper)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
34 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
11 Tufted Ducks
12 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Heron
15 Tufted Ducks
Woodcock
1 Sky Lark
3 Meadow Pipits
7 Redwings
39 Fieldfare
149 Jackdaws
Brambling
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Pochard
48 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridge
2 Sky Larks
1 Redwing
1 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
20+ Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 House Martin
7 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcap
(Martin Grant)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Redshank
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Common Redstart
(Observer Unknown)
2007
Priorslee lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
11 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Buzzard
2 Sand Martin
5 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Cormorants
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
118 Jackdaws
4 Stock Doves
3 Sky Larks
3 Meadow Pipits
19 Robins
27 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
1 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
3 Jays
8 Greenfinches
10 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)