Priorslee Lake: 06:15 – 09:05
The Flash: 09:10 – 09:55
14°C > 19°C: Cloudy and mild start. Cleared from SW after 08:45. Very light SSW wind. Good visibility with smoke from Stafford Park area
Sunrise: 07:03 BST
Priorslee Lake: 06:15 – 09:05
(116th visit of the year)
A frustrating one that got away this morning. I was on the N shore at 06:40 when I glimpsed a shape gliding behind me in to deep cover of Hawthorn bushes. A likely candidate at this early time would be a Sparrowhawk: on the momentary glimpse it seemed too pale. Perhaps an owl? I will never know
Other bird notes:
- another visiting adult Mute Swan. Was not allowed to stay long!
- a lone Canada Goose dropped in
- just a duck Gadwall this morning
- there are now 5 Little Grebes: a trio and a couple
- <10 Black-headed Gulls arrived. When a small group of c.50 birds came off the fields at least 13 of these flew straight over
- a lone Barn Swallow flew E at 09:00
- single Chiffchaff heard calling today
- apart from a small group of Goldfinches no other finches seen or heard: a dire time for these species
- Skylarks, Pied Wagtails, Meadow Pipits and Siskins all seen overhead
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake: (affected by my late arrival and the poor weather)
- 22 Canada Geese [5 (1 group) outbound; 17 (3 groups) inbound]
- 4 (3♂) Mallards
- 3 Common Buzzards yet again
- 13 Black-headed Gulls again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 34 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Collared Doves (trio and single)
- 74 Jackdaws
- 35 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks
- 7 Pied Wagtails
- 8 Meadow Pipits
- 2 Siskins
Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers noted:
- 1 Chiffchaff
The counts from the lake area
- 3 + 3 (1 brood) Mute Swans: a visiting adult, again briefly
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 (0♂) Gadwall only
- 4 (2♂) + 1 (1 brood) Mallards
- 8 (4?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 5 Little Grebes
- 3 + 1 (1 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens again
- 142 Coots
- 38 Black-headed Gulls only
And other notes
- my log today consisted of just
- 1 ‘small’ White butterfly – either a Small or Green-veined White
- >10 wasp sp. (5 at lamps pre-dawn)
- >5 Common Crane-flies (Tipula oleracea)
- 1 White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis) again
The lone Canada Goose arrives.
Flaring out for touchdown.
And then tries to walk on water.
Only a duck Mallard but a rather fine specimen allowing all the feather detail to be seen.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:10 – 09:55
(94th visit of the year)
The two (single) Sky Larks flying moved my 2018 Flash bird species count on to 68
Other notes
- all the Greylag Geese arrived simultaneously in multiple skeins. Try accurately counting that lot!
also
- a few wasp sp.
Birds noted flying over or near to The Flash
- 1 Wood Pigeon again
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Sky Larks
Local hirundines etc. noted
None
Warblers noted
- 1 Chiffchaff again
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- c.135 Greylag Geese
- 28 Canada Geese
- 36 (20♂) Mallard
- 20 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 10 Coots again
- 12 Black-headed Gulls only
A small part of the 100+ Greylag Geese that flew in together. Note how some have their necks kinked as they strain to land – not something you could easily notice in the field.
Of interest between the lake and The Flash
- 1 adult and 1 juvenile Moorhens on grass by upper pool
- 1 Chiffchaff calling and singing by the upper pool
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
3 Wigeon
1 Kingfisher
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Meadow Pipits
3 Redpoll
Siskin
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Common Scoter
3 Little Grebes
Drake Pintail x Mallard
(Ed Wilson/Andy Latham)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:10 – 09:55
(94th visit of the year)
The two (single) Sky Larks flying moved my 2018 Flash bird species count on to 68
Other notes
- all the Greylag Geese arrived simultaneously in multiple skeins. Try accurately counting that lot!
also
- a few wasp sp.
Birds noted flying over or near to The Flash
- 1 Wood Pigeon again
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Sky Larks
Local hirundines etc. noted
None
Warblers noted
- 1 Chiffchaff again
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- c.135 Greylag Geese
- 28 Canada Geese
- 36 (20♂) Mallard
- 20 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 10 Coots again
- 12 Black-headed Gulls only
Of interest between the lake and The Flash
- 1 adult and 1 juvenile Moorhens on grass by upper pool
- 1 Chiffchaff calling and singing by the upper pool
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2017Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
3 Wigeon
1 Kingfisher
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Meadow Pipits
3 Redpoll
Siskin
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Juvenile Common Scoter
3 Little Grebes
Drake Pintail x Mallard
(Ed Wilson/Andy Latham)