14 May 17

Priorslee Lake: 04:46 – 07:43

10.0°C > 11.0°C: Cloudy after early rain with clearance from W by 07:00. Light SW wind. Good visibility becoming very good after clearance

Sunrise: 05:14 BST

(65th visit of the year)

Notes from today:

- the 4 Mallard ducklings seen again today
- a pair of Tufted Ducks throughout were new in. Another pair arrived and stayed but minutes before flying off W
- there does seem to be but a single juvenile Great Crested Grebe: still not appeared on the water
- Lapwing flyover was on a rather unusual date for the lake. However I am told they are breeding on Nedge Hill which is not that far away
- lots of Swifts this morning: several small parties of 2 > 14 birds came and went: after the clearance a party of c.30 birds that may have included some / all of the previously seen birds
- Great Spotted Woodpeckers are nesting in the N side copse this year – previously they seem have used the Ricoh copse
- still cannot work out what is going on with the Willow Tit(s): bird(s) heard singing from both the NE and SW areas and while they were singing they seemed to be stationary. In the last few years what seemed to be a lone male has typically been singing while moving all around the lake (and the wooded area to the SE)
- all the Barn Swallows seemed to be moving through W rather than local birds feeding over the lake
- generally more singing warblers this morning
- 3 Sedge Warblers singing. A new(?) bird was continually singing and moving W along the S side; one at the W end was occasionally giving very short bursts of song; another in the NW area was giving full song but only sporadically
- a party of Tree Creepers along the N side presumably included juveniles
- a trio of Dunnocks at the W end included two juveniles

and
- still no moths on the lamps: just a single plumed midge sp. noted
- a bat sp early: a Pipistrelle-type at the W end

On with the totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 6 Canada Geese (3 pairs)
- 1 Lapwing
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 134 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 3 Starlings

Hirundine etc. counts:
- >30 Swifts
- 2 Sand Martins
- 9 Barn Swallows

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 12 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers still
- 16 (15) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 7 (3) Common Whitethroats
- 3 (3) Sedge Warblers
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 1 Mute Swan (other presumed on nest)
- 8 (5♂) + 4 (1 brood) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 6 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhen
- 21 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Black-tailed Godwit
3 Whimbrel
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
5 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)