12.0°C > 16.0°C: Increasing high cloud after clear start. Light /Moderate S wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:57 BST
A week away produced some more of the summer visitors
At the lake I added Garden Warbler, (Common) Whitethroat, Reed Warbler, all singing. My site year total moves to 80
At The Flash I added a fly-over Oystercatcher and a singing Sedge Warbler, probably just on passage. The Sedge Warbler is, according to my records, new for me at this site. My site year total moves to 55
Priorslee Lake: 05:40 – 07:25
(47th visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- the 4 cygnets seem to have gone: the pairs in the NW and NE area are sitting; the pair in the SE show no sign of building a nest
- the 2 Great Crested Grebes seemed to the ‘extra’ two birds from 10 days ago: the residents perhaps in the reeds at their nest
- low number of Coots: probably more also sitting on eggs
- the 2 Black-headed Gulls, both adults, flew straight through together: rather unusual here at this date
- Willow Warblers all apparently moved on
and
- a still unidentified ichneumon on the lamps
- unidentified caterpillar crawling across Teece Drive
- first flowers of Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) noted
- a few flowers of Wild Cherry (Prunus avium)
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 7 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines seen today
None
Warblers noted: figure in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 3 (3) Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 6 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:35 – 08:15
(33rd visit of the year)
Other notes from today
- the new pairing of Mute Swans not showing any interest in a nest site
- no idea where all the Mallard have gone: there were many fishermen present, though the Mallard usually ignore people (unless they have food!)
- 2 Song Thrushes singing here today: song has been very intermittent this year when I have been here
- most of the Willow Warblers have, as expected, moved on
- two male Blackcaps noted singing and chasing one female
and
- abundant Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) around the water
Birds noted flying over
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Oystercatcher
- 2 Feral Pigeons
Hirundines seen today
None
Warblers noted: figures in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 8 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 17 Canada Geese
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 12 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 12 Coots
Noted between the lake and The Flash
- a Moorhen on the lower pool
- 1 Willow Warbler singing by the upper pool
and
- Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) (Caltha palustris) flowers by the lower pool
- Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) flowers alongside the Wesley Brook
- Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) here too
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
20 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)
2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
5 Tufted Duck
12 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
31 Tufted Duck
1 Heron
1 Buzzard
6 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
3 Skylarks
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
6 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
5 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 Yellow Wagtail
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
1 Common Sandpiper
Swallows
Sand Martins
Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
The Nedge
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sedge Warblers
Reed Warbler
Common Sandpipers
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
12 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
27 Sand Martins
11 Swallows
5 House Martins
1 Sedge Warbler
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
25 Wrens
23 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings.
Lanes to the east of Priorslee Lake
6 Pheasants
8 Sky Larks
2 Whitethroats
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Greenfinch
6 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)