19 Mar 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:20 – 06:40 // 07:40 – 09:20
The Flash:  06:45 – 07:30

6.0°C > 10.0°C:  Mainly cloudy, clearer to E early. Light SW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:16 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  05:20 – 06:40 // 07:40 – 09:20

(73rd visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- an ‘extra’ Great Crested Grebe: related to their absence from The Flash today?
- low count of Moorhens because a fisherman was on the SW grass where they usually congregate to feed early
- of the Wood Pigeons flying over 35 were noted as ‘high and likely migrants’. Some these were flying S; some W and others N so I hope they know where they are supposed to be going
- c.110 Jackdaws passed at 05:26 just as I got in to position. More earlier? Then at 05:36, after I had assumed they had mostly gone, at least 100 more went over while I blocked by trees and unable to see them properly
- the Blue Tits were singularly more alert to the Sparrowhawk than I was and even worked out it what it was when it was doing its slow-flap display flight and looking distinctly non-Sparrowhawk like. Their alarm calls alerted me
- a third Chiffchaffs singing

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 8 Greylag Geese (pair outbound; three pairs inbound)
- 6 Canada Geese (a single, a pair and a trio outbound)
- 2 Sparrowhawks (display)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 60 Wood Pigeons
- >230 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Roosts around the lake just about ceased and separate counts suspended

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans again
- 4 Greylag Geese (2 different pairs stopped off briefly)
- 1 Canada Goose (equally briefly)
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Little Grebe
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens only
- 32 Coots
- 13 Black-headed Gulls again

Other things
- three different species of fungus found
        - Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor)
        - Orange Peel Fungus (Peziza Aurantia)
        - unidentified
- an orb-web spider in free-fall from one of the lamps – likely Garden Spider

Another day when it was worth getting out of bed early.

Splendid.

With some great cloud formations being highlighted (highlit?) ...

... As here.

The Coot formation team with the caller on the lower right. In truth this was a chance photo of the usual belligerent Coots having a set-to.

The Black-headed Gulls were giving the Coots a hard-time this morning. Not entirely sure why.

Seemed to be food-related. This Coot may have grabbed some bait from the fisherman.

Today’s entry for the ‘best Long-tailed Tit photo’. A one-legged individual?

This is Turkeytail (Trametes versicolor) fungus. Present most of the year on fallen / trimmed branches. This seems to be a new fruiting body.

This fungus on a fence post intercepted by a strand of wire was not easy to access. Here from above. You would think such a dramatic-coloured fungus would be easy to identify. You would think ....

Here the rather surprising long stems.

When I saw these I thought they would be Elfcup fungus. However it seemed that the elves here were rather large so I double-checked. More likely Orange Peel Fungus (Peziza Aurantia).

Look: no means of support: an orb-web spider – likely Garden Spider.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:45 – 07:30

(66th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- the two adult Mute Swans were at the nest site on the island throughout my visit
- both Greylag and Canada Geese passed by, somewhat unusually
- some of the Mallard seen on roofs and in gardens around Derwent Drive
- more Tufted Ducks today: surprising how numbers change daily
- no Great Crested Grebes located
- one of the Moorhens had strayed away and was walking down squirrel alley
- one Chiffchaff in song at the top of squirrel alley but only when I arrived. All quiet later
- after logging at over-flying Pied Wagtail as ‘new for the year here’ yesterday there was one on the roadway around the estate this morning
also
- two Grey Squirrels

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff again

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 8 Wood Pigeon

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1  Mute Swans
- 21 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 19 (13♂) Mallard
- 37 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 3 Moorhens again
- 27 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull briefly

This Nuthatch was checking out most of the holes in this ‘topped’ Ash tree. Not surprisingly it avoided the hole that I saw the bees using last week.

Er? is this a garden escape? Reminds me of a spurge sp. but in that family there are leaves in a rosette directly behind the ‘flowers’.

A closer-view.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

(2nd visit of year)

- 1 (1♂) Mallard on the lower pool
- 2 (1♂) Mallard in a house roof near the upper pool and presumed same on the pool later
- 1 Moorhens at the lower pool
- 1 Grey Wagtail by the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

Note:
A few images from Belvide on 18 Mar - Here

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes 
7 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
18 Tufted Ducks 
127 Jackdaws
158 Black-headed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Chiffchaff singing
6 Redwings
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe 
7 Swans 
2 Pochard 
1 Greater Scaup 
81 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
1 Chiffchaff  singing
1 Little Grebe 
4 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Cormorant 
25 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
1 Great Crested Grebe 
3 Cormorant 
6 Tufted Duck 
2 Goosander 
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Sand Martins
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
2 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Meadow Pipit
25 Wren
20 Blackbird
5 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
34 Magpie
8 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)