1 Apr 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash: then Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

1.5°C > 5.0°C: Clear start: few stratus clouds for a while before clearing again: later both thin high cloud and puffy lower cloud built up. Light N wind, veering ENE. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:45 BST

Priorslee Lake: 05:50 – 07:30 // 08:30 – 09:40

(37th visit of the year)

I see the Council had decreed it possibly icy this morning and dispatched gritters. Clearly they have set routes which they cannot deviate from so the cul-de-sac that is Teece Drive leading only to the school was given the full treatment when there was no-one (other than me) to use it

Notes from today:
- many of the Magpies are still using the roost even though they then spend a lot of time maintaining and sitting around at their nests: at least 46 seen leaving
- 3 Jays together was rather unusual
- the clear weather and good visibility gave me a good view of the Jackdaws dispersal this morning and enough time to make a much more accurate count of the 21 groups, many some way to the E. There were still 2 birds some minutes ahead of the main parties - >10 minutes earlier than recently
- 2 of the singing Chiffchaffs still disputing territory around the Wesley Brook bridge. Many of the other birds heard rather briefly and may have been moving through
- no repeat of yesterday’s Willow Warbler here (or anywhere else)
- 1 Redwing heard again in trees at the W well pre- the non-dawn: one (the same?) seen later
- Song Thrushes heard singing from nine different locations. However many sang briefly and I suspect no more than five birds were involved, moving around to establish ‘their’ territory
- the Mistle Thrush heard in very distant song – at the moment singing well towards the Priorslee Avenue end of the Ricoh copse
- a loose party of 9 finches flew NW across the dam c.08:50. On size it seems likely these were Greenfinches. Unusually no calls were heard
and
- another, larger, White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) found on one of the lamps

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 5 Canada Geese
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 37 Wood Pigeons
- 344 Jackdaws
- 2 Goldfinches
- 9 finch sp. (see notes)
- 3 Siskins

Hirundine count
none

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 11 (9) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 3 Canada Geese
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 52 Coots

This was a Blue Moon at c.13:45 yesterday: the second Blue Moon of the year. One reason why Easter is so early – the Sunday (01 April) after the first full moon (31 March) after the Vernal Equinox (21 March).

Followed by a sunrise just catching a few low stratus clouds.

‘Only’ a Blue Tit, but a perky little fellow (or fellowess – I can’t tell: I assume they can).

A male Bullfinch doing what Bullfinches do best – eating buds.

A better view of a White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) than I managed last time.

Here showing the white legs clearly.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:40 – 08:20

(23rd visit of the year)

Notes from today
- two of the Chiffchaffs were together, one calling and the other silent, working their way up the W side before apparently flying off high N together

Birds noted flying over
None

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 4 (2) Chiffchaff

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 18 Canada Geese
- the white feral goose as ever
- 14 (12♂) Mallard once more
- 57 (38♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 19 Coots

Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 2 Canada Geese on the lower pool
- 1 (1♂) Mallard also on the lower pool
- 1 Moorhen – guess where?

This female Blackbird was almost too close!

Not sure what she was doing here but the pose allows us to see the rictal bristles around the mouth. It was long thought these were to do with catching insects and flycatchers certainly have more well-developed bristles. Why would Blackbirds need them? The jury seems to be out on their true function or whether they are, like our coccyx, something no longer needed.

A Song Thrush standing to attention.

A fine dumpy Robin.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:50 – 10:00 // 10:35 – 11:00

(12th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- the cob Mute Swan seen to be getting ‘close to’ one of his cygnets from last year: oh er missus
- the over flying Lesser Black-backed Gulls were very high and rather distant
- 1 Chiffchaff in song again

Birds noted flying over here [apart from the local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws coming and going]
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
and
- Daisy (Bellis perennis) noted in flower

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs again

The counts from the water
- 1 + 6 Mute Swans again
- 7 Canada Geese
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) ‘feral’ Mallard as usual
- 13 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 31 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:05 – 10:30

(12th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Martin Grant tells me that the missing last year’s cygnet has been taken in to care
- not sure where the erstwhile ‘feral’ Mallards could have gone. I have never seen any of them fly – but then most of the ‘real’ Mallards do not seen too inclined to do so anyway
- and where do all the Moorhens go? A few hide around the edges but does not account for the anything up to that occur in mid-Winter

Birds noted flying over here
None

The counts from the water
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans again
- 13 Greylag Geese
- 62 Canada Geese
- 12 (11♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 28 Coots again

Someone buy the Environment Agency a dictionary (or a spell-checker)!

(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

2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Sand Martin
4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
127 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Sand Martin
2 Teal
45 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Woodhouse Lane
1 Chiffchaff
2 Linnets
4 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Kittiwake
5 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
Kestrel
Sparrowhawk
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood, Jim Almond, Arthur Harper)

Horsehay Pool
2 Mandarin Ducks
(Jim Almond)

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
8 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)

Trench
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
32 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
33 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler

2007
The Flash
1 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
184 Wood Pigeons
2 Stock Doves
1 House Martin
5 Sand Martins
1 Curlew
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Sky Lark
2 Meadow Pipits
25 Wrens
20 Robins
27 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
2 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Tit
10 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)