29 Mar 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane] and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 09:20
[Woodhouse Lane:  05:45 – 06:30]
The Flash:  09:25 – 10:20

3.0°C > 9.0°C:  Clear start with mist over water soon gave way to foggy conditions. Frost again. Almost calm. Good visibility, soon poor and very poor; good after 08:00

Sunrise: 05:52 GMT

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 09:20

(83rd visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
75      Brambling
I was looking for summer visitors not winter visitors! A male was a very welcome addition. I had already concluded that I would have to wait until Autumn passage to log this species here this year. No longer
76      House Sparrow
most years a small gang of birds from around the estate encroach on my recording area. Today it was a single female on top of a tree by the Sailing Club hut – most unusual and not so much ‘encroaching’ as right in my recording area

Other bird notes from today
- Little Grebes heard calling in NW and NE areas with two birds together in NE area, these now in full breeding plumage
- all four Great Crested Grebes present (as was the pair at The Flash)
- two first-summer Black-headed Gulls present as the fog thinned enough to see that far. They soon left
- two big parties of Jackdaws went out at 05:11 before the mist and fog rolled in
- four male Blackcaps for certain. One bird along the S side was seen to fly off high W and may have been the ‘fifth’ bird seen singing at the W end later

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
**fog and mist affected
- 3 Greylag Geese (one outbound; two singles inbound)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair outbound)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons only
- c.300 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- 2 Sand Martins at 08:10, briefly

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps (see also notes)

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese (pair throughout)
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens yet again
- 27 Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls

Also: on the lamp poles early
- 1 March Tubic moth (Diurnea fagella)
- 1 Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperia carnea)

In the circumstances – the mist, the camera lens fogging up and the insistence of this male Brambling to hide I was well pleased with this view even if it really only qualifies as a record shot. We see the white belly, the orange shoulders and wing-bars and the dark head with obvious yellow bill – the latter leaving no doubt that it is a male.

This caused me some confusion: I thought I was still chasing the Brambling and then this appeared. What is a female Reed Bunting doing on top of a tree? It a Reed Bunting not a tree bunting.

Another rather uncooperative bird on top of a tree. A female House Sparrow, most unusually alone.

This, believe it or not, is a March Tubic moth (Diurnea fagella). It looks like this because it is covered in dew – perhaps even frost!

This is frost thawing in to small water droplets on the Blackthorn blossom. I know it looks like the photo has pixellated but, trust me, it hasn’t. It really did look like this.

Did I miss Summer and we are in to Autumn already?

(Ed Wilson)

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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (05:45 – 06:30)

(7th visit of the year)

In fog much of the time
notable were two fly-over Linnets – though it could have been the same bird flying to & fro. My first this year at a usually reliable site
also
- first Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) of the year for me

Some totals (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Pheasants
- 2 (1) Skylarks
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 2 (2) Chiffchaff
- 2 (2) Song Thrushes
- 2 (1) Chaffinch
- 4 (4) Yellowhammers

A ‘punk’ male Yellowhammer. Note the rusty rump.

I was fighting both mist and condensation forming on the camera lens for this singing Yellowhammer. Perhaps I’ll patent heated camera lenses – I guess the heater-wires might be a problem though.

Lone flowers this early are probably more prone to attack by insects – not much else to eat. This Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) definitely the worse for wear.

Some atmospheric shots as the mist began to clear.

Another.

And sunrise behind the copse between Castle Farm Way and Woodhouse Lane.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:25 – 10:20

(76th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
very quiet with nothing flying over:
- just possible there were 29 (17♂) Tufted Ducks, but I think 6 (3♂) had scooted around the back of the island
- Coots very quarrelsome. It is clear that there are too many for all of them to hold territory. Some sorting out is surely needed. There are more here than at the lake
also noted
- 1 Peacock butterfly
- 1 Bee-fly (Bombilius major)
- 1 probable Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
None

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans still
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 36 Canada Geese
- 14 (10♂) Mallard
- 23 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 38 Coots

Here are the two resident adult Mute Swans. You don’t doubt me do you ....?

The pen coming up for air.

Well it is Spring.

Didn’t we do well? Note the cob’s bill is a brighter red than the pen’s more orange-toned bill.

“Right now you go off and chase those nasty geese and I’ll get my feathers sorted out”.

I am fairly sure this small bee is an Early Mining Bee (Andrena haemorrhoa). They like dandelions.

.. As is evident here as it get stuck in. Probably after nectar though it is making a good job of pollen collecting.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
31 Tufted Duck
3 Redwings
5 Sand Martins
7 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
2 Common Teal
49 Tufted Ducks
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
17 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
Iceland Gull
(John Isherwood and et al)

The Flash
1 Shoveler
2 Pochard
(John Isherwood)

Horsehay Pool
2 Mandarin Ducks
(Paul Spear)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
16 Tufted Duck 
2 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes 
47 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridges
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
Sand Martins
7 Gadwall
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
6 Sky Larks
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
Lapwing
Green Woodpecker
14 Linnets.
(Ed Wilson) 

2006
Priorslee Lake
 Barn Owl
25 Sand Martins
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
47 Redwings
4 Meadow Pipits
12 Tufted Duck
4 Jays
433 Wood Pigeons
(Ed Wilson)