11 Mar 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 06:50 // 07:45 – 09:25
The Flash:  07:00 – 07:35

2.0°C > 6.0°C:  Some cloud to start then mainly clear. Moderate W wind. Excellent visibility

Sunrise: 06:34 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 06:50 // 07:45 – 09:25

(65th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- only two Great Crested Grebes – the pair from the N side
- Sparrowhawk displaying over the Ricoh copse
- a Buzzard flew out of the Ricoh copse and landed on one of the road-signs in Teece Drive
- two Chiffchaffs singing, though one was singing very quietly and sporadically
- five Song Thrushes noted early, 4 in song. Later two non-singing birds seen: assumed to be two of the earlier five
- three Redwings low over W end trees early. Could not decide whether they were leaving a roost, flying over or were feeding in the area
- at least three Mistle Thrushes. One singing from several locations around the Ricoh copse. Later it, or another, heard singing from across the other  (N) side of the football field

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 10 Canada Geese (outbound in 2 groups)
- 1 Sparrowhawk - display
- 6 Wood Pigeons only
- >560 Jackdaws

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake
(see also  Redwing notes)
- [Magpies not counted]
- 1 Reed Bunting

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese (arrived)
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Grey Herons still
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Moorhens
- 25 Coots only
- 43 Black-headed Gulls

Other things
- > 50 of those same small flies on one of the lamps after the sun came up
- first flower of Dandelion sp. (probably Taraxacum officinale) [recent first dates: 17/03/2017; 24/03/2018]

Remnant cloud clearing away on a crisp and breezy morning.

What a splendid bird a Jay is.

One day I will get a ‘perfect’ picture of a Long-tailed Tit and I won’t have to keep trying

... cannot stop yet ...

One of the three Mistle Thrushes seen. This bird was seen singing, and its bill is just open here. Bolder spots than on a Song Thrush and a bigger bird.

I attempted, without great success, to see more detail in one of the many small flies that leap on to the lamp poles when the sun comes out. Perhaps the thorax is bluish? The wings certainly iridescent. There are not too many flies that hold their wings directly over their back and most of these have red eyes, at least the males do. Are all those here female? I am no nearer an ID. [there is only one pair of wings – the larger pair is shadow!]

Dandelion sp. (probably Taraxacum officinale). The general consensus is that dandelion taxonomy is a mess and you either lump them as Dandelion sp. or by careful analysis they are all hybrids and / or separate species. Whatever: they are a splash of Spring colour.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  07:00 – 07:35

(59th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- the Gadwall seen again – assuming they ever went anywhere. Seen in flight with a drake Mallard in hot pursuit
- three duck Goosander came and looked at the water, circled twice and left again
- probably the same Sparrowhawk displaying here as seen near the lake earlier
and
- 1 spider sp. on one of the lamp poles

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Sparrowhawk - display
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
- 1 Siskin

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1  Mute Swans
- 14 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 24 (16♂) Mallard again
- 44 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 2 Moorhens again
- 32 Coots again

Two of the three Goosanders that circled the water and then left again. I am unsure as to why there is a different amount of white on the chin of these birds. The lower bird looks like a ‘normal’ duck Goosander. The upper bird with restricted white is also either in wing-moult or has otherwise lost some primaries. Could it be a late-moulting first-year bird? The bill is rather dull.

The spider sp. found on a lamp pole. The mark on the body looks similar to Garden Spider though the blue-grey on the thorax is a bit odd. I wonder what evolutionary development requires spider’s legs to be striped?

Between the lake and The Flash
(1st visit of year)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard at the upper pool
- 1 Cormorant flew over
- 4 Moorhens: 2 at each pool

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day..........

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Leighton
1 Common Sandpiper
Green Sandpiper
(BirdGuides)

2013
Wellington
Woodcock
(J Reeves)

2011
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Village
Blackcap
2 Redwing
Frog spawn
(Martin Adlam)

The Flash
5 Great Crested Grebe 5
2 Pochard
31 Tufted Duck
10 Goosander
1 Sparrowhawk
2 Buzzard
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Lapwing
Sparrowhawk
8 Linnets
15 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
6 Cormorant
17 Tufted Duck
29 Wren
35 Robin
25 Blackbird
14 Redwing
2 Chiffchaff singing
47 Magpie
9 Greenfinch
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shelduck
6 Pochard
40 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
1 Goosander
1 Ruddy Duck
114 Coots
1 Water Rail
221 Lesser-black Backed Gulls
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
5 Herring Gull
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Common Gull
159 Jackdaws
c.80 Fieldfares
12 Redwings
10 Greenfinches
3 Siskins
3 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)