11.5°C > 14.0°C: Clear start with some mist; clouded later. Light SW wind after calm start. Excellent visibility.
Sunrise: 05:23 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:35 – 06:00 // 06:50 – 08:20
(86th visit of the year)
Best here today
- 4 Common Sandpipers this morning – multiples are unusual on Autumn passage
- 1 Kestrel flew high E at 07:45: only my 2nd record of this species here this year
Other notes from today:
- much better proportion of juvenile Black-headed Gulls (c.30 out of c.170)
- a single Swift at 05:05 briefly; 2 powered W 06:55; then 14 to NE of dam feeding with House Martins after 07:40
- amazingly the first Rooks of the week
and
- 4 pipistrelle-type bats seen again
- very few Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella) grass moths flushed from very wet grass
- Volucella pellucens (Pellucid Fly) hoverfly the only insect on the lamps this morning
On with the bird totals
Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 43 Greylag Geese (6 groups) outbound
- 33 Canada Geese (7 groups) all outbound
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 25 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Rooks
Hirundine etc. seen
- 17 Common Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 23 House Martins
Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese
- 27 (25?♂) Mallard
- 4 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 7 + 6 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 3 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 33 + 13 (12 broods) Coots
- 4 Common Sandpipers
- >170 (>30 juvenile) Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Mist rising.
Another mid-hover view.
A Song Thrush rooting about in the grass.
Between the lake and The Flash alongside the path
- adult Moorhen seen alongside and juvenile(s) heard at the upper pool
- 1 Chiffchaff heard calling here
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
(67th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- cob Swan and cygnets not seen today again
- neither were the Mallard ducklings
- no idea where many of the Coots were
- 3 different Coal Tits in song – and at least another near the upper pool just S of The Flash
- 2 Bullfinches seen, one of these a juvenile
Birds noted flying over
- 24 Wood Pigeons
Hirundine etc. noted
None
Warblers noted
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan again
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 39 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes remain
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 8 + 2 (1 brood) Coots only
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 08:25 – 08:40 // 09:20 – 09:45
(22nd visit of the year)
Notes from here
- one of the original cygnets ‘missing’ (but then so was one of the adults)
- Mallard numbers usually increase at this time of year but 29 is a good count
- unexpectedly high number of Tufted Ducks: just 1 drake – c.f. Middle Pool totals below
- Kingfisher here
- House Martins included juveniles
- 2 Bullfinches: a new species for me here this year
and on the wall of the Blue Pig
- 2 Red Underwing moths: new for me this year
see below for new species of flower
Birds noted flying over here
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- >75 Feral Pigeons in tight group (Racing Pigeons I assume)
Hirundine counts
- 8 House Martins: some juveniles
Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
The counts from the water
- 2 + 7 Mute Swans
- 29 (26) Mallards [also 1 ‘feral’ bird]
- 8 Tufted Ducks (1 drake)
- 2 + 2? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 4 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 23 + 13 (? broods) Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
And new species of flower here: in no particular order:
- White Dead-Nettle (Lamium album)
- Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris formerly Senecio jacobaea)
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare)
- Greater Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)
- Common (or Black) Knapweed (Centaurea nigra)
- Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
The tight flower-heads of Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare).
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 08:45 – 09:15
(18th visit of the year)
Notes
- as far as I can remember this is the first time I have known Mute Swans to breed here
- not sure of the number of broods of Canada Geese were involved – indeed some birds hard to distinguish from adults
- surprising number of Tufted Duck – and almost all drakes in contrast with Trench Lock Pool
- the Grey Heron was my first of the year here
- 4 Great Crested Grebes juveniles is a good brood size
- the broods of Coots were of all ages – some almost fledged whilst at least 2 broods very new
- a Racing Pigeon – it was wearing rings on both legs – was amongst the geese and was hard to avoid treading on at times: also new for me here this year
Birds noted flying over here
None
Warblers noted
None
The counts from the water
- 2 + 6 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 69 Canada Geese: (>17 goslings?)
- 27 (25♂) Mallard [also 2 ‘feral’ birds]
- 14 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 4 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 13 + 12 (8 broods) Coots
Plants not checked here
The Swans with their cygnets: my first record of breeding here.
