21 Mar 19

Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake:  04:55 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:10
The Flash:  06:45 – 07:25
Trench Lock Pool:  09:20 – 09:30 // 10:10 – 10:45
Trench Middle Pool:  09:35 – 10:05

8.0°C > 12.0°C:  Mostly cloudy after clear night. Light SW wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:11 GMT

Apart from the briefly singing Blackcap at The Flash a very quiet morning. A distinct lack of gulls – just a singleton Black-headed Gull at the lake and three at Middle Pool; and two Lesser Black-backed Gulls over Trench Lock

Priorslee Lake:  04:55 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:10

(75th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- 4 Common Buzzards seen circling together low over the Ricoh area – will need sorting!
- single Black-headed Gull arrived at 05:42, flew around for a while and then left. No others seen
- ten of the Wood Pigeons flying over  were noted as ‘high and likely migrants’. 6 were going N; a party of 4 thought they ought to be going S!
- the first seven Jackdaws were seen at 05:11. No more until 56 at 05:31. Thereafter several parties on a different line to usual, appearing from the NW. Usual scattering later included a few Rooks today

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese (pair and single inbound)
- 12 Canada Geese (4 pairs, a trio and a single outbound)
- 44 Wood Pigeons
- c.250 Jackdaws
- 10 Rooks
- 2 Starlings

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

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans: rings not read
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Little Grebe still
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens
- 28 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull only

The last of three consecutive super moons – the so-called Spring Equinox Worm Moon. Worm moon apparently because around the equinox the soil becomes sufficiently warm for worm activity to start. After a clear night there was a sudden arrival of cloud from the W that lasted most of the day. This prevented me getting the full ‘super moon’ effect of the moon just above the horizon.

Here we see the cloud encroaching, but not before another sunrise worth getting out of bed for.

Great.

Just before actual sun-up.

There were six of these Song Thrushes around the lake this morning. This was the most cooperative.

Something you don’t see too often – a Pied Wagtail in the bushes. Here a female. We can just see that the uppertail is black whereas the back is grey. On White Wagtail the uppertail would be the same tone as the back and usually somewhat paler.

Let’s hear it for the Council who, I am told, planted these daffodils. And to the Severn-Trent contractors who avoid mowing the area until the heads die back and the energy is stored back in the bulbs.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:45 – 07:25

(68th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
58      Blackcap

Other notes from here:
- the Greylag Goose came; made a lot of noise; and left
- Gadwall not located
- 1 Great Crested Grebe seen in the middle of the water: later I could not re-find it
also
- 1 unidentified moth or larvae on a lamp pole
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Wood Pigeon again

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1  Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Geese (arrived and left)
- 29 Canada Geese
- [Gadwall not located]
- 17 (12♂) Mallard
- 45 (30♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 2 Moorhens
- 32 Coots

Well I have never seen so many Mallard on one of the roofs before.

I hope this Carrion Crow is going to be able to see where it is going! Those stick nests could be uncomfortable, so some moss to act as a cushion would be most welcome.

I am none too sure what this. There seem to be no antenna on this specimen – the marks on the lamp pole are rather confusing. There are three pairs of legs. And there is a slightly upturned tail extending beyond what look like wings. But are they wings or is it a larval case? There are a number of ‘slender’ micro moths that look similar: however none of these has the body extending beyond the wings.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

- 1 (1♂) Mallard on the lower pool
- 1 Moorhen on the upper pool
- 2 Moorhens on the lower pool
- 1 drumming Great Spotted Woodpecker by the lower pool
- 1 Goldcrest by the lower pool
- Starling unusually sitting in a tree displaying
- 2 Grey Squirrels

There are Moorhens at both pools between the lake and The Flash. Here the pair on the lower pool take a walk along the footpath. Moorhens can and do walk long distances even though they are good, if infrequent, flyers.

Not often you can get close to a Starling – or you see one in a tree. This is male – the base of the bill is blue for a male and pinkish for a female.

This bird was doing his display, weakly flapping his wings ....

... And making various squeaks and pops that passes for a song.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:20 – 09:30 // 10:10 – 10:45

(16th visit of the year)

Today’s notes from here
- a second pair of Mute Swans when I returned from Middle Pool. Chased off and departed towards Middle Pool. One of them Blue 7IXI. The residents are unringed
- the Tufted Ducks were very skittish: perhaps too many drakes chasing too few ducks?
- two of the Great Crested Grebes behaving like a pair: no display though
also
- unidentified Vanessid butterfly seen in flight: likely a Peacock but could not be sure
- honey bees on the willow flowers
- a different species of fungus found

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

The counts from the water
- 2 > 4 > 2 Mute Swans
- 16 Canada Geese
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard
- 22 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 32 Coots

The resident cob Mute Swan was VERY upset at the visitors!

Did not take them long to get the message and leave.

One of them did a close fly-by on its way, allowing me to (with the camera) read the ring ID.

So 7IXI it is then. This bird was born on the Newport Canal in 2016 [thanks to Martin Grant for the information]

A distinctive-looking fungus. Somewhat similar to Wood Blewit (Lepista nuda). However that is an Autumn / early-Winter fungus and this seems rather small, so?

And from below.

Using the camera flash makes the colour look quite different. From memory, in reality the tone was somewhere between the two!

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:35 – 10:05

(16th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Coot numbers low again
- one, probably two, Grey Wagtails
and
- an orb-web spider with what seemed to be wrapped-up lacewing sp.

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 2 Common Buzzards
- 1 Stock Dove

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans: with blue Darvic rings 7JLE and 7JLL
- 9 Greylag Geese
- 55 Canada Geese
- 12 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens
- 21 Coots only
- 3 Black-headed Gulls

Here is today’s Long-tailed Tit photo. Not sure what it has been eating to give it such a messy bill. Perhaps gathering nest material?

Would you believe an orb-web spider? But what has it wrapped up?

My guess would be a lacewing. The wrapping seems excessive. Looks like a Garden Spider from the rather indistinct markings.

Enlarged as much as I dare – lacewing does seem most likely.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Brambling
1 Mediterranean Gull
7 Wigeon 
2 Gadwall 
29 Tufted Ducks
1 Little Ringed Plover
c.750 gulls
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
Stock Dove
6 Redwings
7+  Fieldfares
279 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

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

Nedge Hill
1 Raven
Stock Dove
3+ Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Chiffchaff singing
(Martin Grant)

2011
The Flash 
48 Tufted Duck 
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Jays
2 Reed Buntings
Nuthatch
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Fieldfare
1 Little Grebe 
4 Great Crested Grebe 
6 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
149 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Willow Tit
4 Chiffchaff
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
Wheatear
1 Blackcap
5 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
8 Cormorant
28 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Stock Dove
141 Wood Pigeon
8 Pied Wagtail
27 Wren
21 Robin
21 Blackbird
48 Fieldfare
2 Redwing
8 Chiffchaff
67 Magpie
410 Jackdaw
1 Willow Tit
7 Greenfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Barn Owl
c.750 Black-headed Gulls
4 Little Grebes
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
7 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail.
289 Wood Pigeon
29 Pied Wagtails
25 Blackbirds
7 Redwings
16 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
1 Linnet
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)