26 Sep 17

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

13.0°C > 14.5°C: Very low overcast and light drizzle to start. Cloud gradually lifted, especially after 09:00. Calm start again with light E breeze later. Very poor visibility, becoming good

Sunrise: 07:01 BST

Note revised timing of visit to The Flash. As the mornings draw in I can no longer complete a lap of the lake and get to The Flash and back before the chaos of the school run (to say nothing of it being sadly ill-advised these days to be near school children with binoculars and cameras)

Also of note is that once the weather cleared there was a small passage of Skylarks and Meadow Pipits

Priorslee Lake: 06:05 – 09:05 // 09:55 – 10:30

(102nd visit of the year)

NB: the 101st visit was yesterday in thick mist and drizzle and so was not reported

Notes from today:
- usual disappearing trick by the Mallard: 22 when I arrived but only 7 (2 drakes) by 08:30
- count of Coots taken when still rather gloomy and misty: low number likely due to these conditions
- a Green Woodpecker heard calling and then seen flying over – my first actual sighting here this year
- the corvid dispersal was at a time when only birds passing low and directly overhead could be see and is the likely reason for the lower number of Rooks
- in addition to the over flying Meadow Pipits another bird was briefly on the ‘football field’ with the Pied Wagtails. My first ‘on the ground’ here for many a year
- the Pied Wagtails started to arrive on the ‘football field’ at 07:45: soon after there were 20 birds. A recount at 09:00 produced a count of 29. Just 3 at 09:55 and then only 2 at 10:25
- a party of at least 4 Goldcrest. Not too surprising as there were three territories in the breeding season. However I had not seen or heard more than the odd bird recently
and
- no moths on the lamps today
- Garden Spiders (Arameus diadematus) again
- a pipistrelle-type bat, briefly, and not where I usually see them
- more fungus found: not (yet?) identified

On with the bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 31 Greylag Geese outbound
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 33 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves
- 87 Jackdaws
- 51 Rooks
- 2 Ravens
- 2 Skylarks
- 4 Starling
- 15 Meadow Pipits
- 1 Mistle Thrush
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 2 Goldfinch
- 1 Linnet

Hirundines etc. seen today
- 2 Barn Swallows

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

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 22 (?♂) Mallard
- 26 (10?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 6 + 8 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 11 (5 juveniles) Moorhens
- 117 Coots
- c.135 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

The edges of this fungus are deliquescing which suggests it is an ink-cap type (Coprinus / Coprinopsis ssp). All the fungus in these genera dramatically change appearance within days and I have been unable to find a match on the web.

Here the dark gills on the underside.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 09:50

(78th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- the cygnets were doing their own thing today and their parents were at opposite ends of the water
- a single juvenile Great Crested Grebe noted this morning: nowhere near the adults
- the lone Chiffchaff seemed to be moving through, calling as it moved quickly down the E side

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 3 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
- 4 Skylarks
- 1 Song Thrush
- 16 Meadow Pipits
- 8 Goldfinches

Hirundines etc. noted
None

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

The counts from the water
- 2 + 2 Mute Swans as usual
- 50 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 16 Canada Geese
- [the white feral goose not seen (nor heard)]
- 24 (18♂) Mallard
- 18 (6?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 11 Coots
- 13 Black-headed Gulls

The usual calling Moorhen at the overgrown upper pool between the lake and The Flash; another Chiffchaff was calling in the area

(Ed Wilson)

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

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake
115 Greylag Geese
420+ Canada Geese
Shoveler
Common Sandpiper
Kingfisher
3 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)