11 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:25 – 06:30 // 07:40 – 09:20
The Flash:  06:40 – 07:30

0.0°C > 5.0°C:  Very few patches of cloud, otherwise clear. Frosted. Calm start with mist over lake; light E wind developing. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:21 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:25 – 06:30 // 07:40 – 09:20

(96th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- probably the same two first-year Mute Swans as yesterday flew in. They rather less quickly got the message to leave
- a Red-legged Partridge flushed again – second record this year; third in last six years. Perhaps they have been on the old Celestica site in previous years and have lost their home with the building work
- low number of Moorhens (especially) and Coots: probably in part because their feeding grass was frosted
- no Jackdaws seen: probably long-gone by the time I arrived

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 1 Greylag Goose (outbound with two Canadas)
- 9 Canada Geese (pair outbound with the Greylag; five and then a pair inbound)
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- no Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- >30 Sand Martins
- 1 Barn Swallow

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 10 (7) Chiffchaffs
- no Willow Warblers
- 17 (14) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 > 4 > 2 Mute Swans again
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 1 Greylag x Canada? Goose
- 4 Canada Geese (two pairs, one of which flew in)
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Little Grebes again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes only
- 4 Moorhens
- 19 Coots

Nothing noted on the lamp poles

Noted elsewhere
- 1 Eristalis sp. hoverfly (drone fly)

A few wisps of mist over the lake on a still and frosty morning.

The rather strange hybrid goose rather loosely paired with a Greylag Goose. It has mainly Greylag genes, the balance likely Canada Goose. There have been a number of these hybrids over the years and usually they have paired with Canada Geese. This seems a rather different bird from the ‘usuals’ seen in the area, though I do believe I have seen it somewhere before.

Another view – it would not turn to show its bill more clearly, but the bill is obviously mainly Greylag-pink.

This is one of the Eristalis sp. of hoverfly (called drone flies). Specific identification requires visibility of the anterior tarsi – yellow in E. pertinax, the Tapered Drone Fly. On shape this seems to be that species but with the wing covering the vital part I cannot be 100% sure.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:40 – 07:30

(89th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- yes: the Gadwall were back. I think I know where they hide now
- Great Crested Grebes also turned up again – three! A singleton lurking under overhanging vegetation at the top end. I did wonder whether it / they had been hiding there all the time, though the nearby nesting Coot was giving it some hassle. Then two additional birds seen together around the island as usual
- a Redwing in the trees at the bottom of the lake was noteworthy

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Sparrowhawk again
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Raven

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 6 (5) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 12 > 10 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 20 (14♂) Mallard
- 11 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 28 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

Much as yesterday
- single Moorhen on the lower pool
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff at the lower pool
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler at the lower pool
- 1 (1) another Willow Warbler beside the upper pool
- 1 (1) Blackcap beside the lower pool
- 1 (1) another Blackcap singing above the upper pool
plus
- 3 Stock Doves flying over
- 1 Grey Squirrel

(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
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
3 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
4 Tufted Duck
1 Common Sandpiper
>6 Sand Martins
1 Grasshopper Warbler
7 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
24 Tufted Ducks
3 Sand Martins
3 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Greylag Geese
22 Tufted Ducks
3 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
12 Greylag Geese
4 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
12 Swallow, House Martin & Sand Martin.
2 Little Ringed Plover 
2 Common Sandpiper
2 Willow Warbler
(Arthur Harper, Ian Grant and John Isherwood)

The Flash
Cackling Canada Goose
4 Sand Martins
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant)

Trench Middle Pool
House Martin
4 Sand Martin
2 Chiffchaffs
(Martin Grant)

Trench Lock Pool
12 Sand Martins
(Martin Grant)

2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
80+ Hirundines
1 House Martin
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
2 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaff
3 Linnet
2 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

Priorslee Village
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
(Martin Adlam)

Nedge Hill
1 Mallard
1 Buzzard
2 Red-legged Partridge
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
8 Skylark
3 Meadow Pipit
1 Fieldfare
1 Blackcap
2 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
4 Linnet
(Martin Adlam)

2006 
Priorslee Lake 
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Stock Doves
90 Wood Pigeons
2 Kestrels
1 Sky Lark
1 Meadow Pipit
4 Grey Wagtails
6 Pied Wagtails
2 House Martin 
24 Wrens
15 Robins
24 Blackbirds
1 Wheatear
4 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
13 Greenfinches
3 Siskins
2 Linnets
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)