26 Apr 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.5°C > 9.5°C: Variable cloud with a few very light showers in the area. Moderate WSW wind, feeling chill again. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 05:48 BST

Priorslee Lake: 05:35 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:30
(51st visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the pair of Mute Swans in the SE area briefly took to flight but soon returned. Both the cobs of nesting birds paid close attention and made sure they did not leave their ‘top of dam’ home
- three Common Sandpipers today
- 2 Sky Larks seen singing in flight over fields to the E
- single Barn Swallows flew through at 05:45 and 06:05: 2 more stayed around with 12 Sand Martins after c.08:10
- 3 Starlings seen flying out of the estate area – likely the remnant of a once large nesting group now deprived of nest holes by the installation of plastic soffits to the houses
- no Willow Warblers heard today
- Mistle Thrush again seen leaving the football field: it, or another, heard in song briefly from the Ricoh area
and
- yet again a White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) was on one of the lamps
- a plumed midge sp. (Chironomus plumosus?) also on a lamp
- the first flowers of Ramsons (Allium ursinum) are just breaking
- also first noted in flower was Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum)

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Sparrowhawk again
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Stock Doves
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Rook

Hirundines seen today
- 2 Common Swifts
- 12 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds (not all the males seen might have been singing)
- 10 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 16 (11) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 6 Mute Swans again
- 4 Canada Geese again
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 4 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 3 Common Sandpipers

One of the pair of Mute Swans leaves the top of the dam and takes a short flight.

Rather distant (it was over the fields the other side of Castle Farm Way) but the distinctive rounded wing silhouette of a sing Skylark.

Best shot this year to date of Chiffchaff. All the features – indistinct supercilium; broken eye-ring; dark legs often, as here, with some orange on the feet; brown tones only under the base of the lower mandible. This also shows the not often seen olive tone to the rump.

I knew I’d get a better shot of (Common) Whitethroat. This male collecting nesting material was managing to sing with its beak full as I took this photo.

I wonder why they are called whitethroats?

A ‘blizzard’ of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) blossom – and blizzard it was with the gusty wind blowing petals everywhere.

I noted Wood Anemone (Anemone nemorosa) in flower a few days ago. My attempts to photograph these in heavy shade were rubbish. This is slightly better and shows they are close to the end of their flowering season.

The first flower of Ramsons (Allium ursinum) just beginning to open. These will soon be pervading the air around the Teece Drive gate with the smell of onions.

For a change this plumed midge sp., likely Chironomus plumosus, was not too high up a lamp post and provided an usually detailed image. Seems to be missing part of its right front leg.

Now what exactly is this sitting on top of a nettle leaf?

Turning it over shows it is not bug. My best suggestion is that it is the discarded sheath of a leaf-bud.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:30 – 07:15

(37th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- I was told that a duck Mallard with c.8 small ducklings was seen both yesterday and earlier this morning: hiding from me!
- today more Tufted Ducks: still very obviously in pairs
- 1 Great Crested Grebe seen lurking under overhanging vegetation: partner likely hiding there too
- the Sedge Warbler not heard or seen
and
- the same Streamer moth in exactly the same place on the lamp in squirrel alley

Birds noted flying over
None

Hirundines seen today
- 8 Barn Swallows flew N 07:10

Warblers noted: figures in brackets is singing birds (not all the males seen might have been singing)
- 4 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (4) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 resident Mute Swans
- 3 Greylag Geese again
- 11 Canada Geese only
- 9 (9♂) Mallard
- 14 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 2 Moorhen
- 12 Coots again

This male Blackbird with its beakful of worms shows rather little yellow eye-ring. I can only assume this is a first-year bird.

Noted between the lake and The Flash
- a Moorhen heard at the upper pool
- 1 Blackcap singing by the upper pool today

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cranes
(Observer Unknown)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warbler
(Damon H, Jim A, Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpipers
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear
3 Reed Warblers 
12 Blackcaps 
7 Chiffchaffs 
2 Willow Warblers 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Greylag Goose 
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 
3 Pochard 
7 Tufted Duck 
4 Blackcaps 
2 Chiffchaffs 
4 Willow Warblers
2 Swallows
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes 
28 Greylag Geese 
1 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap 
3 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes 
6 Tufted Duck 
2 Swifts 
c.5 Sand Martins 
c.30 Swallows 
c.40 House Martins 
1 Blackcap 
1 Chiffchaff 
1 Willow Warbler
Sparrowhawk
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
Swallows
(Richard Camp)

Long Lane, Wellington
c10 Ringed Plover
c10 Dunlin
Spotted Redshank
(JV Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
12 House Martin
7 Swallow
(Martin Grant)

2011
The Wrekin
3 Pied Flycatcher
1 Common Redstart
2 Marsh Tit
1 Wood Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Swift
3 Common Sandpipers 
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Reed Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

East of Priorslee Lake
6 Whitethroats
2 Sky Larks
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
3 Swallows
3 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Jays
28 Magpies
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
(Peter Nickless)

Priorslee Flash
1 Cormorant
Swallows
34 Blackbirds
6 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Flash
5 Mallard
1 Buzzard
1 Heron
Sky Larks
Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
6 Stock Doves
1 Swift
2 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
1 Raven
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)