3 May 18

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.5°C > 10.5°C: Clear to E with a layer of medium / high cloud from the W for a while. Light WSW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 05:34 BST

Priorslee Lake: 05:30 – 06:15 // 07:10 – 09:30

(56th visit of the year)

Notes from today:
- the ‘resident’ 6 Mute Swans only: the pair that do not seem to be nesting were getting on well with the long-term resident cob: the new cob in the NE area was keeping them well clear of ‘his’ three-quarters of the water
- all hirundine-types only seen briefly this morning. 3 Barn Swallows flew through at 05:55: at 07:50 I noted two Swifts very high over – too high to see with the naked eye and only found as I checked some passing gulls: then 2 House Martins hawked briefly over the N-side trees at 08:15
- no Lesser Whitethroats heard today
- possibly 4 Common Whitethroat territories still – there were 4 singing birds when they first arrived. Two of the territories seem very close together and there is perhaps a third here as well
- single Garden Warbler heard and then seen in song on both laps of the lake but in slightly different locations: suspect two different birds
- the Reed Warblers that were in the very sparse reeds along the N side have been quiet for a few days and I suspect they have moved on. Two additional singing birds today – one in the NE area and the other at the W end. The bird in the NW reeds still present
- 1 of the Starlings from the estate landed on the school playing field to collect food. Unusual to see them on the ground in the vicinity of the lake
and
- an ichneumon, probably Ophion luteus, found on one of the lamps
- at least 2 unidentified crane-fly sps. busy amongst the vegetation: these are usually thought of as Autumn species but some members of the genus do fly in Spring and Summer. Did not settle to allow identification
- two small unidentified snails found eating Ramsons (Allium ursinum)

Today’s bird totals

Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 5 Canada Geese
- 3 Cormorants
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
- 1 Starling

Hirundines seen today
- 2 Common Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

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

The counts from the lake area
- 6 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada Goose
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 27 + 4 (1 brood) Coots

Brief flaring of the sunrise before ....

... the medium / high cloud killed the colour.

The bright sunrise lighting the new growth alongside Teece Drive with the darker clouds providing a contrasting back-drop.

This trio of Cormorants is very much against the light: nevertheless we can see no white thigh-patches or head-plumes on these birds. Their dark bellies and extensive white on their chins suggests adults. They seem to have moulted out of breeding plumage and indeed we see missing primaries where wing-moult has started.

They are supposed to be Wood Pigeons not road pigeons. What exactly do these find attractive in the roadway soon after dawn. There can be over a dozen birds here and, as in the bird on the right, they seem to be feeding on something.

Some way away but it will have to do for now. This is a Garden Warbler showing all its distinguishing features – i.e. none! If we look closely the all-dark bill is a clue as is the rather greyer nape contrasting with a rather pale rufous crown. An indistinct and broken eye-ring. Song is the best feature and to my ears they are more easily separable from Blackcaps than most Field Guides would have you believe. The song is more flowing and throaty and lacks the occasional somewhat harsh notes of Blackcap.

This ichneumon on the lamp today – plan view.

And more or less side-elevation. Wing venation looks good for Ophion luteus but there are several similar species.

A fully-open flower of Ramsons (Allium ursinum) with one small and one not-so-small snail feeding

Another flower without attendant wildlife.

They are common and often a gardener’s pest but large wild Dandelion sp. (probably Taraxacum officinale) give a sunny lift to a grass verge.

And single flowers in close up are rather splendid.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:00

(42nd visit of the year)

Notes from today
- just 2 Mallard ducklings remain: early broods never seem to do well
- 3 pairs of Tufted Duck today: one pair against the island
- no juvenile Coots seen: likely the adult was still brooding these at this early hour
- pair of Sparrowhawks heard briefly calling and then seen overhead
and
- the Streamer moth seems to have finally departed its lamp in squirrel alley

Birds noted flying over
- 2 (pair) Sparrowhawks
- 8 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines seen today
None

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

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese
- 14 (11♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens yet again
- 17 Coots

Mother Mallard with just two surviving ducklings.

Noted between the lake and The Flash
- a Moorhen on the lower pool
- no warblers heard or seen

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Nedge Hill
7 Wheatear
2 Fieldfare
(John Isherwood)

Wrekin
2 Wood Warbler
2 Tree Pipit
Pied Flycatchers
Common Redstarts
(Jim Almond)

2012
Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
Hobby
(Martin Grant / Arthur Harper)

2010
Nedge Hill
20 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpipers
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)