27 Sep 17

Priorslee Lake

12.0°C > 14.5°C: Another very dull start with some drizzle in the wind. Lifted slowly and a little. Light / moderate SE wind. Poor visibility, becoming moderate.

Sunrise: 07:03 BST

A very busy morning over the lake left no time for any visit to The Flash

Main interest was a huge passage of Barn Swallows that started at 07:35 and lasted just about 2 hours with a dip ‘in the middle’. Over 100 passed at 07:36 and were presumably leaving an en route roost nearby – likely a field of maize somewhere. By the end I had logged 878 Barn Swallows and in with these there was a party of 18 Sand Martins and a party of 32 House Martins. This astonishing total far exceeds anything I have seen before

While the hirundines were heading mainly E (and many apparently following the M54) and before 08:00 there were also 29 Pied Wagtails heading SE and 20 Meadow Pipits heading S (there were more of the latter later). A couple of small thrushes could have been Song Thrushes or early Redwings – too far away to be sure

Priorslee Lake: 06:00 – 10:05

(103rd visit of the year)

Other notes from today:
- the adult Swans were sleeping well apart from their cygnets this morning. The first cygnet I found was sleeping on its own just off the dam and turned out to be an interloper and was chased around once the adults awoke. It eventually left 08:25. It looked little different from the resident cygnets but seemed able to fly quite strongly. The resident cygnets just about managed a lift-off this morning on this morning’s test-flight
- once again a disappearing trick by the Mallard: 21 when I arrived; 17 seen flying off at 06:15; and 4 (2 drakes) later
- two of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes seemed to be having a ‘I can fly further than you’ competition this morning. As they become independent it is getting harder and harder to count these
- there were 40 Pied Wagtails on the football field at 08:10 (this after the 29 over flying birds had gone SE). 13 remained by 09:50
- yet another fly-by Hobby – not too surprising as these sometimes prey on hirundines
- none of the Chiffchaffs was minded to sing today
- another late Blackcap found
- tight group of >50 Goldfinches flying in and around the trees in the NE area. At least 10 more elsewhere including 3 on the grass with the Pied Wagtails
and
- no moths on the lamps again
- a pipistrelle-type bat, again briefly, and apparently going to roost just as the Rooks flew over
- still more fungus: at least three more (unidentified) species
- newly in fruit was Spindle-tree (Euonymus europaea)
- also identified in fruit were Elder (Sambucus nigra) and a whitebeam (Sorbus sp.) likely a planted hybrid
- galls of the Spangle Gall Wasp (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum) were on oak leaves

On with the bird totals

Birds noted flying over the lake:
- 22 Canada Geese inbound
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Hobby
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 52 Wood Pigeons
- 65 Jackdaws
- 148 Rooks
- 44 Meadow Pipits
- 2 small thrushes
- 29 Pied Wagtails

Hirundines etc. seen today
- 18 Sand Martins
- 878 Barn Swallows
- 32 House Martins

Warblers counts: number in brackets = singing birds
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 21 (?♂) Mallard
- 22 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 6 + 8 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 7 (2 juveniles) Moorhens
- 130 Coots
- >130 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher again

This is the interloper cygnet Mute Swan. Not that much white plumage but flew strongly-enough to get here – and to leave when chased off.

Scattering Black-headed Gulls as it went. I had hoped that photos might reveal any ring number but we see it has no ring on its right leg [a Lesser Black-backed Gull is standing on a buoy in the background].

Still scattering Black-headed Gulls it comes in to land and shows it has no rings on either leg.

Giving up attempts to stay, here it is leaving.

Most definitely a ‘record shot’ of a fast-passing Hobby. The long wings held rather Swift-like and the long tail can be seen.

The fruits of Elder (Sambucus nigra). The very similar Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) has leaves without serrated edges.

Less sure about this: I think they are fruits of a whitebeam (Sorbus sp.) likely a planted hybrid.

A fruit of the Spindle-tree (Euonymus europaea). These are poisonous.

A whole cluster of them.

These galls are on an oak leaf and are of the Spangle Gall Wasp (Neuroterus quercusbaccarum).

The first unidentified fungus from today. Any help much appreciated.

Close-up of the edge.

Another fungus sp.

This fruit of the same fungus is already being eaten by something!

A broken-off specimen showing some of the gill structure – often important for correct ID.

This illustrates the difficulty of identification: as they age the appearance and colour of any species of fungus can change quite dramatically and many have very short periods as fruiting bodies.

A third species of fungus today. All these found at the edge of the ‘football field’.

A ‘fairy ring’ on grass. These rings are caused by the underground mycelia of fungus which depending on the species can deplete or enhance the nutrients under the grass making either a brown or, as here, bright circle. Exactly why some species of fungus grow in circles – and circles that tend to expand over the years – is not well understood.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
3 Wigeon
1 Kingfisher
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Meadow Pipits
3 Redpoll
Siskin
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Common Scoter
3 Little Grebes
Drake Pintail x Mallard
(Ed Wilson/Andy Latham)