23 Mar 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 8.5C: Broken cloud to start; this mainly filled in with a few light showers. Moderate WSW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:06 GMT

A shock this morning after two weeks in the relative warmth of the southern USA

A ‘normal’ summer routine this morning with an early circuit of the lake; then a walk to The Flash; a circuit there; a walk back ahead of the chaos of the school-run; then another circuit of the lake

Priorslee Lake: 05:30 – 06:35 // 07:35 – 09:02

(28th visit of the year)

Three new species for my site year-list this morning
- 3 Goldeneyes: a drake, a duck and an apparent 1st year drake. Typically wary and flighty these left at 08:30. As far as I can recall this is my first record of multiple birds here
- at least 4 Chiffchaffs, two of them singing. At this time of year all birds, singing or not, are likely males passing through and exact numbers are therefore hard to determine
- a Nuthatch heard giving its territorial call from alongside Teece Drive
My year species total here now stands at 66

Notes from today:
- the resident pair of Mute Swans and last year’s 3 cygnets still present, mainly at the W end. Another pair of adults remains in the NE area with 3rd pair in the SE area. The 4th cygnet went for a fly with the three resident cygnets. When they all landed the resident cob chased it away from his brood, though it also later chased his own cygnets, albeit rather half-heatedly
- the pair of Canada Geese present when I arrived soon left. Another (?) pair flew in later
- 2 Grey Herons calling and sparring overhead: none at the lake
- 2 Little Grebes in the NE area; later another (?) in the SW area. All now in summer plumage
- very few Black-headed Gulls with a small party of 24 staying only a few minutes
- 1 Green Woodpecker heard and then seen along the N side
- c.100 Jackdaws flew low over Teece Drive as I arrived – I got my timing wrong after two weeks away and was late arriving. However I would not have been able to see these birds from any of my normal viewing points. Just a scatter of mainly singles seen thereafter
- a Goldcrest in song
- a Sky Lark heard singing from the fields to the E
- 3 Reed Buntings in song
and
- nothing on the lamps
- a few Blackthorn [Sloe] (Prunus spinosa) flowers
- both Daisies (Bellis perennis) and Dandelion sp. (probably Taraxacum officinale) seen in flowers
- many other plants noted growing with no flowers yet visible

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 3 Greylag Geese (pair and single inbound)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair outbound)
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 27 Wood Pigeons
- >115 Jackdaws

Singing warblers
- 2 Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 23 (13♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 (2♂) Goldeneye
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 63 Coots
- 24 Black-headed Gulls

The four cygnets go for a fly together (the lake really does slope – well it does when you are jet-lagged).

Another view with an almost level horizon.

Another opportunity to photo a favourite – a drake Gadwall holdings its wing to show the diagnostic chestnut patch.

The drake Goldeneye. The unique headshape is very obvious here. The white face patch is only shared with the very rare vagrant (in the UK) Barrow’s Goldeneye from the high Pacific Arctic.

The other two Goldeneyes. The bird on the left seems to be a first-winter drake. It lacks any white on the face but the white along the flanks seem to be too extensive for it to be a duck – compare with the bird on the right.

All three birds just about fit in the photo here.

The first Blackthorn [Sloe] (Prunus spinosa) flowers just open.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:45 – 07:25

(16th visit of the year)

A Chiffchaff heard singing: my 43rd species here this year

Other notes from today
- only 1 Mute Swan seen: likely the other inside the island
- probably a few more Canada Geese also inside the island

Birds noted flying over
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 4 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan only
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 16 Canada Geese
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 12 (10♂) Mallard
- 38 (23♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 19 Black-headed Gulls

And between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Moorhen at the upper pool
- Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna [was Ranunculus ficaria]) in flower in ditches

A Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna [was Ranunculus ficaria]) flower between the lake and The Flash.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Meadow Pipit 
1 Woodcock
7 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
33 Tufted Ducks
c.45 Black-headed Gulls
c.20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
 c.30 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Nedge Hill
15 Golden Plover
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Teal
2 Redpoll
1 Siskin
1 Little Grebe 
2 Gadwall
24 Tufted Duck
c.160 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Great Crested Grebe 
28 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
13 Cormorant
6 Greylag Geese
29 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Lapwing
3 Stock Dove
242 Wood Pigeon
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Meadow Pipit
29 Wren
27 Robin
24 Blackbird
2 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
50 Magpie
6 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
9 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
3 Buzzard
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
1 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
700 Black-headed Gulls
125 Jackdaws
474 Wood Pigeons
1 Meadow Pipit
3 Grey Wagtails
20 Wrens
20 Robins
20 Blackbirds
7 Fieldfares
27 Redwings
9 Greenfinches
7 Siskins
3 Linnets
1 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)