7 Apr 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 7.5°C: Broken medium/high cloud soon filled in and lowered with rain from c.08:00. Calm at first; light SE wind later. Good visibility until rain arrived when moderate at best.

Sunrise: 06:31 BST

I hoped the rain might ground some migrants. It did not – not even any hirundines seen. Likely because the rain came from the S the any migrants had already been grounded

Priorslee Lake: 05:30 – 06:45 // 07:45 – 08:50

(41st visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the drake Tufted Duck was seen at 06:15: not noted later after the rain started
- just 2 Great Crested Grebes: both of the pair looking to nest in the N-side reeds. The bird(s) in the NW area not seen
- the sky seemed to be light-enough to see the Jackdaws leaving but no big groups seen or heard – the 125 birds seen were in 19 small groups after the first 8 birds at 05:59
and, all on various lamps
- another White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger) on one of the lamps
- a Common stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa)
- a Trichocera regelationis ('winter gnat' sp.)
- a very small ladybird and plumed midge that eluded my attempts to photograph them and enable a better ID. The ladybird was perhaps a Pine Ladybird, our smallest ladybird

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 1 Greylag Goose again
- 11 Canada Geese
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Buzzard
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 24 Wood Pigeons
- 129 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

Hirundine again today
None

Warblers noted: figure in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 6 + 4 Mute Swans once again
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 33 Coots (post rain so likely under-recorded)

Not easy to see on one of the bolts holding the street-lamp to the pole! Seems to be a Common stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa).

This looks like a Trichocera regelationis also known as the 'winter gnat' though a number of different species share that vernacular name.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:35

(27th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- the pen Mute Swan appears to have a broken wing. Since she apparently has eggs and has been sitting it is not a good time to take her in to care
- not clear why there were so many geese here this morning. Several of these flew off
- for a number of days now just a single duck Mallard and this is always, at least part of the time, with a drake on the roof of one of several houses in the estate
and
- what seemed to be a Common Pug moth found on one of the lamps

Birds noted flying over
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws

Warblers noted: figures in brackets are singing birds (not necessarily all the males seen were noted singing)
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Willow Warblers
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 11 Greylag Geese
- 30 Canada Geese
- 12 (11♂) Mallard again
- 51 (31♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 16 Coots again

It appears one of the Mute Swans now has a broken wing. As the pair has eggs what to do about taking it in to care at this time ...? Am taking advice.

I have remarked before on Moorhens’ ability to climb in to bushes: as here.

I always struggle to ID pug moths and this is no exception. Often the way they hold their wings at rest provides some clue but here the wings are held atypically – note I have had to rotate the photo 90 degrees here. My vote is Common Pug mainly on the strength of the pattern on the just visible part of the right underwing – not shown by the other ‘candidate’ Brindled Pug.

Noted between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Moorhen calling from the lower pool again
- 1 singing Chiffchaff between the two pools.

(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
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Snipe
(Ed Wilson, A. Harper)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
34 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
11 Tufted Ducks
12 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
2 Cormorants
1 Heron
15 Tufted Ducks 
Woodcock
1 Sky Lark
3 Meadow Pipits
7 Redwings
39 Fieldfare 
149 Jackdaws
Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard 
48 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridge
2 Sky Larks 
1 Redwing
1 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake 
20+ Sand Martins 
3 Swallows 
1 House Martin 
7 Chiffchaff 
2 Blackcap 
(Martin Grant) 

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Redshank 
(Ed Wilson) 

Nedge Hill 
Common Redstart 
(Observer Unknown) 

2007
Priorslee lake
3 Great Crested Grebe 
1 Pintail x Mallard 
11 Tufted Duck 
1 Ruddy Duck 
2 Buzzard 
2 Sand Martin 
5 Meadow Pipit 
4 Blackcap 
8 Chiffchaff 
1 Willow Tit 
3 Reed Bunting 
(Martin Adlam) 

2006 
Priorslee Lake 
6 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Heron 
3 Cormorants 
4 Tufted Ducks 
2 Ruddy Ducks 
118 Jackdaws 
4 Stock Doves 
3 Sky Larks 
3 Meadow Pipits 
19 Robins 
27 Blackbirds 
1 Redwing 
1 Blackcap 
7 Chiffchaffs 
4 Willow Warblers 
17 Magpies 
3 Jays 
8 Greenfinches 
10 Siskins 
5 Reed Buntings 
(Ed Wilson)