17 Mar 19

Priorslee Lake only

3.0°C > 5.0°C:  Just a few well-scattered clouds. Moderate W wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:20 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 08:45

(71st visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
69      Oystercatcher
70      (Common) Redshank
- I have logged Oystercatcher for each of the past five years on or around this date. One year a pair seemed to be thinking about nesting on the old Celestica site. They won’t this year with construction work in full swing
- (Common) Redshank is less regular on passage. In 2018 I logged one on 24 March

Other bird notes from today
- a trio of Cormorants flew W followed by two singles; later one flew N
- two different immature Herring Gulls stopped off briefly (all the Lesser Black-backs flew over)
- two singles and a pair of Feral Pigeons W
- 52 Wood Pigeons exploded out of the trees to the E of Castle Farm Way and scattered, heading mainly W overhead. The only other ‘group’ of pigeons were 12 birds flying N, also from trees to the E of the lake
- many more Jackdaws may have passed before I arrived at 05:35 on what was a very light morning
- two Chiffchaffs only singing. The bird in the NW area was ranging very widely along the N side. The other bird was heard from across Castle Farm Way in the area of the sluice exit
- the party of 26 Fieldfare was very distant
also
- an unidentified group of eight birds flew W to the N. These were possibly Meadow Pipits from their struggling flight action. As there were no others seen / heard to suggest a passage of this species I will have to pass

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese (pair and single inbound)
- 11 Canada Geese (three pairs outbound; two pairs and single inbound)
- 6 Cormorant
- 16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Stock Dove
- 89 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- >240 Jackdaws
- 26 Fieldfare
- 1 Greenfinch

Birds recorded leaving roosts around the lake - [Magpies not counted]
None

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard only
- 7 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- 1 Oystercatcher
- 1 Redshank
- 61 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls

Other things
- 1 Shoulder Stripe moth on a lamp pole
- new flowers of Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)

After a week of wind, rain and cloud it was great to find the day started fine and clear, if rather chilly.

The sun is already rising more toward the E (after all it will soon be the equinox when it should rise directly to the E). It means I will soon have to change position for sunrise photos.

But it will do for today.

A Grey Heron flies by – CLOSE

These Great Crested Grebes perhaps whispering sweet nothings?

“Well that was a surprise!”

Amazing.

“Don’t poke my eye out”.

First sighting of the Oystercatcher.

Stepping out.

And flies by.

The best I could do with the (Common) Redshank. With all the other birds on the SW grass I knew it would flush if I tried from the W end so was restricted to shooting across the width of the lake.

A ‘classic’ first-year Herring Gull showing the pale inner primaries (the so-called ‘window’), the dark trailing edge to the secondaries. Now we are heading out of winter in to first-summer for this bird the base of the bill is now pink – all-black through the winter.

The same bird overhead showing the pale window from below.

The daily Long-tailed Tit for you.

A Robin staking out its territory. The grey band across the tail is shadow and not plumage.

A Shoulder Stripe moth. Seems a reasonable name. Note the characteristic way the ‘tail’ is held aloft. My only previous records here were on 08 April 2018 and 02 April 2017. A bit early this year.

Found a dark background to place behind these Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) flowers for a good view of the detail.

These are flowers of Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris). Although I have already logged this flower this year they were ‘left over’ from 2018. These are my first ‘2019’ specimens.

(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

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Bramblings
2 Chiffchaffs singing
(Martin Grant)

Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
14 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck 
1 Lapwing
2 Sand Martins
26 Greenfinches
23 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash 
2 Cormorants
24 Tufted Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Tree Sparrow
2 Reed Buntings
1 Chiffchaff  singing
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe 
5 Great Crested Grebe 
12 Swan
6 Gadwall
20 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Mute Swan nest building
16 Tufted
(Mike Cooper)

The Flash
c.25 Tufted Duck
Chiffchaff singing
(Mike Cooper)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
12 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
1 Green Woodpecker
31 Wren
36 Robin
6 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff 
2 Willow Tit
44 Magpie
9 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Redpoll
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)