Priorslee Lake: 05:20 – 06:30
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:10
15°C > 14°C: Clouded up from W with light rain later. Light ESE wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:59 BST
Priorslee Lake: 05:20 – 06:30
(83rd visit of the year)
All numbers from a single early circuit – the rain sent me away early
Bird notes from today:
- two parties of Mallard ducklings today: yesterday’s 7 small ducklings; and a trio of rather larger ducklings
- a lone Tufted Duck shot over me as I walked up Teece Drive, heading for The Flash. Quite where it had come from ...
- a Little Grebe new in
- just 8 House Martins high over the estate to the NW at 06:20
- Yellowhammer heard singing to the E – this species often sings until mid-August. Meanwhile the Sky Lark(s) over the same fields are now quiet
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 1 Tufted Duck
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 2 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. seen today
- 8 House Martins
Warblers noted: figure in brackets is singing birds
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (8) Blackcaps
- no Garden Warblers
- 2 (1) (Common) Whitethroats again
- 3 (2) Reed Warblers again
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans still
- 20 (18♂) + 10 (2 broods) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 6 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- no Moorhens
- Coots not counted
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
Almost no interesting insects – too cool and cloudy. All I noted were
- beetles and bugs
- >10 Rhagonycha fulva (Hogweed Bonking-beetle / Common Red Soldier Beetle)
New species of flowering plants
- Upright Hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica)
Cloud rapidly spreading from the west killed the sunrise.
A duck Mallard with her seven small ducklings.
Well it was rather distant in poor light! Another duck Mallard with two of her three larger ducklings.
The new-in Little Grebe.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:10
(66th visit of the year)
From trunk markings all three large Ash trees at the bottom of squirrel alley seem destined for the chop. One of these has many branches that are almost unaffected by the die-back – whether this will be totalled time will tell
Other notes from today
- the only group of juvenile Mallards seemed to be the original group of 7. These are now almost indistinguishable from adults but remain in a tight group with a duck Mallard
- number of Tuftie ducklings ‘best effort’ – they were all energetically diving for food with few on the surface at any one time
- juvenile Coots scattered around today and apparently from more broods – not sure exactly how many
Birds noted flying over or flying near The Flash
- 5 (1 juvenile) Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. seen today
None
Warblers noted: (singing birds in brackets)
None
The counts from the water
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans again
- 48 Greylag Geese
- 129 Canada Geese
- 15 (13♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 12 (4?♂) + 9? (1 brood) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes still
- 2 Moorhens
- 21 + 11 (7? broods) Coots
- 7 (1 juvenile) Black-headed Gulls
Of interest between the lake and The Flash
- Moorhens again heard calling from the lower pool only
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2015Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2011
Priorslee Lake
Ruddy Duck
Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)