Priorslee Lake: 05:05 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:15
The Flash: 06:45 – 07:30
16°C > 19°C: Some clear spells but also periods of low cloud, drizzle and mist. Moderate SW wind. Very good visibility except in drizzle
Sunrise: 05:51 BST
Priorslee Lake: 05:05 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:15
(96th visit of the year)
Bird notes from today:
- yet again the geese logged ‘on the lake’ were additional inbound birds that stopped off
- the Mallard seem to have found their post-moult wings and 5 of them flew off pre-dawn. Another seen flying over
- a pair of Tufted Duck new arrivals though they had left by 09:00
- 2 Little Grebes also new in
- still no sighting of additional juvenile Great Crested Grebes
- the original pair of Great Crested Grebes was seen displaying in front of the children – and before the watershed too. After they had finished one of the adults chased the juveniles away for a while
- 5 Garden Warblers seen flying off together: likely a family party
- a Great Spotted Woodpecker seen flying high W to the N until it disappeared from view even with binoculars
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 1 (?♂) Mallard
- 21 Greylag Geese [6 (4 groups) outbound; 15 (1 group) inbound]
- 49 Canada Geese [45 (5 groups) outbound; 4 (1 group) inbound]
- 1 Grey Heron
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again
- 3 Stock Doves
- 46 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 5 Jackdaws
- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Hirundines etc. seen today
- 22 House Martins
Warblers noted:
- 9 Chiffchaffs
- 4 Blackcaps
- 5 Garden Warblers
- 8 Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1) Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese again
- 16 Canada Geese
- 16 (?♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Little Grebes
- 6 + >3? (2? broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 + 10 (6? broods) Moorhens
- 87 (near) adult + 10 dependent juvenile Coots
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
And other notes
insects, at least partly identified
- butterflies seen
- 1 Green-veined White again
- 1 Small White
- 2 Speckled Woods again
- moths seen on the lamps
- 1 Agriphila tristella (Common Grass-veneer)
- 1 Agriphila inquinatella (Barred Grass-veneer)
- moths seen elsewhere
- 1 Agriphila straminella (Straw Grass-veneer)
- damselflies / dragonflies
- >2 Common Blue Damselflies
- >5 Blue-tailed Damselflies
- 1 Common Darter
- hoverflies
- 1 Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade hoverfly)
- 1 Myathropa florea (Dead-head Hoverfly)
- no other flies etc. identified apart from
- 1 Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- no beetles or bugs noted
- no spiders noted
- no different plants noted, but
- first berries of Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara):
“Breakfast anyone?”
“Thanks: I’ll have that!”. Did not stop the juvenile begging for more.
This much smaller feather – look at the size of the leaves – is likely from a Great Tit.
A more conventional view of the same Common Darter.
Whatever they seem to have an audience.
The poisonous berries of Woody Nightshade or Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:45 – 07:30
(79th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- a duck Mallard at the edge of overhanging vegetation with the sound of unseen ducklings chomping away: likely the most recent brood
- no Tufted Duck juveniles identified and number of birds reduced: perhaps joined the moulting Mallards deep inside the island?
- Great Crested Grebes back to normal
- sudden influx of >60 Black-headed Gulls to join the few present when I arrived
- calling Willow Warbler was unexpected if not exceptional
and
- just 1 Grey Squirrel today
- a Red-legged Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) on the wall of the medical practice at the S end
Birds noted flying over or near to The Flash
- 2 Feral Pigeons again
- 1 Stock Dove
- 7 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. seen
- 6 House Martins
Warblers noted
- 1 Chiffchaff yet again
- 1 Willow Warbler
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans as usual
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 6 Canada Geese
- 19 (?♂) + >2 (2 broods) Mallard (see notes)
- 16 Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 19 + 7 (5 broods) Coots
- 84 (4 juveniles) Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, briefly
Of interest between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Blackcap again calling by the upper pond
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Local area
Today's Report Here
2014
Local area
Today's Report Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Location
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Egret
Common Sandpiper
Common Gull
Hobby
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Yellow Wagtail
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)