Priorslee Lake: 05:30 – 07:00 // 07:40 – 09:25
The Flash: 07:05 – 07:35
13°C > 15°C: Cloudy with spells of mainly light drizzle. Moderate WSW wind, even fresh at first. Very good visibility, moderate in drizzle.
Sunrise: 06:11 BST
Highlight was another Hobby seen, this time over The Flash – my first record from The Flash itself and my 67th bird species of the year there
As a post-script to yesterday’s highlights
- I should have noted the Black Tern as an adult bird. One turned up at the West Midlands Bird Club reserve at Belvide Reservoir, just 10 miles to the E, at 09:15 yesterday. The same bird?
- one of the fishermen told me that the 5 Shelduck I noted in flight yesterday had briefly stopped off on the water. Obviously while I was amongst the trees on the N shore
Priorslee Lake: 05:30 – 07:00 // 07:40 – 09:25
(105th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- where were all the geese: the very few I saw were about an hour later than usual
- the juvenile from the second brood of Great Crested Grebe was perhaps sheltering on its parent’s back. The third pair of Great Crested Grebes not located
- probable Sand Martin over the dam at 06:30
- 2 Barn Swallows flew S 06:40; then 5 to the lee of the dam / over N side trees c.08:25
- 39 House Martins counted high over 06:35. Then at least 50 high over 07:45 with several smaller groups seen later. How many birds involved?
- 1 Reed Warbler seen by the Wesley Brook footbridge; another singing quietly nearby. A late date for this species. I cannot recall ever having heard this species in song after breeding is complete
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 14 Greylag Geese [9 (2 groups) outbound; 5 (1 group) inbound]
- 6 Canada Geese [6 (1 group) outbound only]
- 3 (?♂) Mallards
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Common Buzzards
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 8 Feral Pigeons (4 groups)
- 2 Stock Doves (singles)
- 58 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws
- 2 Carrion Crows
Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Sand Martin
- 7 Barn Swallows
- >>50 House Martins (see notes)
Warblers noted:
- 9 Chiffchaffs
- 4 Blackcaps
- 2 (1) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 14 (9♂) Mallards
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 + 4? (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 7 + 8 (? broods) Moorhens
- 92 (near) adult + 8 dependent juvenile Coots
- 32 (9 juveniles) Black-headed Gulls
And other notes
- no butterflies
- moths on the lamps
- 1 Agriphila tristella (Common Grass-veneer)
- no moths identified elsewhere
- no damselflies / dragonflies
- hoverflies
- 1 Episyrphus balteatus (Marmalade Hoverfly)
- 1 Melanostoma scalare (Chequered Hoverfly)
- 1 Syrphus ribesii
- flies etc. identified
- 2 wasps sp. in the spider larder(?) on a lamp
- no beetles or bugs noted
- no spiders identified
- no different plants noted
- mammals seen
- 1 Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus): first of year here
- 2 Grey Squirrels
Another in my feather portfolio: this seems to be a under-feather of a Mute Swan.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 07:05 – 07:35
(86th visit of the year)
Notes
- where were all the geese? ...
- ... for that matter where were most of the adult Mallard?...
- ... and where were the adult Great Crested Grebes?
- 7 of the Tufted Duck were together – perhaps the juveniles? None was an obvious drake
Birds noted flying over or near to The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Hobby
- 7 Feral Pigeons again
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted
None
Warblers noted
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 Blackcap: male seen
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese: 4 left and 1 arrived
- no Canada Geese
- 10 (5♂) + 11 (2 broods) Mallard
- 10 Tufted Ducks
- 0 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 14 + 2 dependent juvenile Coots
- 22 (4 juveniles) Black-headed Gulls
Of interest between the lake and The Flash
- Moorhen(s) heard at the lower pool
- 11 Starlings on lamps: this species is usually absent / scarce around the estate outside the breeding season.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2016Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
3 eclipse Teal
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Greenshank
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Black Swan flew over
233 Canada Geese over
11 Greylag Geese over
123 Jackdaws
234 Rooks
143 Greenfinches
1 Willow Warbler
2 Blackcaps
Cormorant flew over
(Ed Wilson)