Priorslee Lake: 07:45 – 09:50
The Flash: 07:15 – 07:40
c.13.0°C > c.17.0°C: Apart from some patches of low cloud mostly sunny. Light N wind. Moderate visibility and still rather hazy.
Sunrise: 04:45 BST
From today I am changing the reporting order to bring all the bird information to the front: and then do the burgeoning summer list of butterflies, moths, insects and flowers at the end of each location
Priorslee Lake: 07:45 – 09:50
(74th visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- the original pair of Mute Swans has lost one of their cygnets since Saturday morning. The three cygnets with the new pair seem to be growing more quickly. Their parents seem to be paying them more attention
- at least one further brood of Coots is to come – the adult is still on the nest
- the / a Common Tern present throughout most, if not all, the time I was at the lake – it confused me by resting on a different buoy from usual. Often rather noisy
- first sighting of a Rook overhead for a while. As already noted I was told that the big nest site in Kynnersley is no longer in use: the site near me in Newport seems reduced in size too
- an extremely agitated Garden Warbler scolding me suggested juveniles near-by
- a Grey Wagtail seen on the SW grass. It, or another, on the dam later. Neither seen well: both seemed rather pale – juveniles?
today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Wood Pigeons again
- 2 Jackdaws again
- 1 Rook
- 1 Starling
Hirundines seen today
- Common Swifts heard only
- 5 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 6 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (6) Blackcaps
- 4 (3) Garden Warbler
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroat again
- 6 (4) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 4 + 7 (2) Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese
- 11 (11♂) Mallard
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen again
- 29 + 16 (8 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Tern
and
- the following species of butterfly noted
- >10 Speckled Wood – perhaps my largest-ever total here
- >5 skipper sp. at least two of which was a Large Skipper
- a Red Admiral (my first of the year here)
- the following moth flushed from the vegetation
- >5 Yellow-barred Longhorn (Nemophora degeerella)
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet
- 2 Common Marble (Celypha lacunana)
- 4 species of dragon / damselflies with many 100s seen again
- possible Brown Hawker dragonfly – would like to have seen it better
- Common Blue Damselfly
- Azure Damselfly
- Blue-tailed Damselfly
- many hoverflies, only Common Drone Flies (Eristalis tenax) identified
- a Common Green Shield Bug (Palomena prasina)
- a few fruits of fungus growing on the football field.
- no ladybirds, Crane or other recently recorded flies
- no spiders noted either
A so-far unidentified new species of flowering plants see about to open on the dam
A rather worn specimen of a Large Skipper – but a fine pose.
While this one gets down to the task of using its long tongue on a Blackberry flower.
‘Just’ a Red Admiral. Did you know there was blue in the trailing edges of the wings?
This large flower is about to open, right on the shoreline of the dam. Stumped at the moment – looks Rose-like.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:15 – 07:40
(57th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- 5 of the 11 drake Mallards were roof-sitting on the houses in and around Derwent Drive. One group of 7 ducklings seen. Strangely this seemed to be a new brood as the ducklings were very small: if so it is the third brood of 7 logged in recent weeks. Another brood was with the adult duck on the island and the exact number could not be counted –at least 5
- many fewer Tufted Duck noted
- a new brood of Coots with a single very new juvenile all that was poking out from under the brooding adult. Meanwhile at least two recent broods not seen this morning
- no swirling mass of Swifts and / or House Martins today: just a few birds seen to the N
- the Chiffchaff was singing from quite a different location this morning
- a Willow Warbler singing – the first this month. Close to where the territory seemed to be so likely between broods
Birds noted flying over or flying near The Flash again
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. seen today
- 2 Swifts
- 1 House Martin
Warblers noted: figures in brackets is singing birds
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan again – the cob
- 7 Canada Geese only
- 14 (11♂) + >12? (2 broods) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 1 + 1 Moorhens
- 27 + 13 (5 broods) Coots
Nothing of interest between the lake and The Flash
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Candles Landfill Site
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
c500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)