13 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane] and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:20 – 09:10
[Woodhouse Lane:  07:55 – 08:40]
The Flash:  09:15 – 10:15

1.0°C > 5.0°C:  Clear start with light frost. Puffy clouds building after 09:00. Calm with, eventually, a moderate and chill E wind developing. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:17 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:20 – 09:10

(98th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- the fishermen were kept awake last night by the Mute Swans relentlessly pursuing the Canada Geese
- one pair of Mallard found on adjacent roofs in Teece Drive: not sure I have seen them on roofs here before
- Tufted Ducks back again: one of the four pairs flew in from the E
- today’s four Cormorants were singles in differing directions
- just one Little Grebe: others sheltering from the Mute Swans chasing the geese?
- the Herring Gull flew in to drink while staying on the wing
- probably many more hirundines: birds would disappear for a while. Returnees or new birds later?
- an early sprint around the entire area came up with an amazing total of 11 singing Song Thrushes. Later at least 3 non-signing birds, though these may have just been songsters going off-duty
- the fly-over Redpoll was on an unusual date

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 5 Greylag Geese (pair outbound; pair and single inbound)
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 9 Jackdaws
- 1 Redpoll

Hirundines noted
- >20 Sand Martins
- >3 Barn Swallows
- >1 House Martin

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Willow Warblers
- 16 (10) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 Canada Geese (pair arrived; all left)
- 10 (7♂) Mallard again
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 Great Crested Grebes still
- 8 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 1 Herring Gull

Nothing noted on the lamp poles

Another day, another sunrise. Note the calm water. It was rather breezy later in the morning.

A band of cloud from the west threatened but then faded away. Meanwhile the contrast enhanced the colours as the early sun lit the vegetation along the S side.

Nice lighting on this passing Greylag Goose.

A reflective Grey Heron.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes from Woodhouse Lane (07:55 – 08:40)

(9th visit of the year)

Very quiet and unexceptional. The flighty pair of Linnets was the best. No sign of Whitethroats in the hedgerows as yet. The hedges have been rather severely flailed this last Winter so I hope there is enough cover left
also here was a new flower for the year
- Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea)

Some totals (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 5 (3) Sky Larks again
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
- 2 (1) Song Thrush
- 4 (3) Chaffinches
- 2 (0) Linnets
- 4 (1) Yellowhammers

I think Yellowhammers are one of my favourite. They brighten up any day, but on a blue-sky day they look great whether looking right ....

... Left ... 

... Or singing their heart out. Note the shape of the mandibles – all buntings (Yellowhammers are buntings) have this strange wobbly line where the mandibles fit together.

Even more intense than when I took almost the same photo 10 days ago. We are unlikely to get such a clear yellow and blue again!

Another angle.

Mixed colours here with two different crops.

This is Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea). Identify by the five white petals being almost completely divided.

And showing it from another angle with the rest of the cluster still to open.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash:  09:15 – 10:15

(91st visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- now there are two pairs of Gadwall to look out for. Not what I was expecting!
- a pair of Mallard with just two ducklings. On size either a third and new brood or yesterday’s new brood much reduced
- no Great Crested Grebes found
also
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis) in some abundance – must have overlooked it here yesterday
- first few flowers of Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)
- now it is in flower I realise that what I thought was Henbit Dead-nettle is actually Borage (Borago officinalis)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
None

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 28 Canada Geese
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 15 (10♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 15 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Moorhens yet again
- 28 Coots still

Interesting behaviour by this male Blackbird, launching itself in to the ivy to grasp one of the berries we can see at top right.

Got it!

This bunch of Lady's Smock is so well developed that I must have overlooked it for some days.

A plant that will shortly be flowering in profusion. In this part of the UK it is Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) that is the first umbellifer to flower. We see an open ‘umbel’ and the leaves and head of another plant behind.

A close-up of the umbel.

Assuming I haven’t lost my bearings this is the plant that I identified from its leaves as Henbit Dead-nettle [aka Common Henbit Greater Henbit] (Lamium amplexicaule). That has yellow flowers. Back to the drawing board! This is actually Borage (Borago officinalis). Oops.

And a close-up.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between the lake and The Flash

A later visit and noticeably quieter – disturbance?
- no Moorhens seen or heard
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff at the lower pool
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff at the upper pool
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler at the lower pool
plus
- 1 party of Long-tailed Tits
- 1 Grey Squirrel
and
- first signs of flowers of Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata)

Lurking between branches was this singing Willow Warbler. The supercilium on this bird is more typical and stronger and longer than on most Chiffchaffs. Pale legs obvious with the light behind them. Not at all sure about that ‘bib’ effect. I think it is likely that as the bird sings the chin feathers are extended and it is shadow causing the effect.

Another against the light view. Note that here the eye crescents look rather more pronounced than on many individuals.

About time we had another Long-tailed Tit.

Here is first sign of flowers of Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge. A cluster of buds above the distinctive leaves. These leaves are good to eat raw or cooked and indeed taste and smell like garlic. This seems a few days late as I normally munch a few fresh leaves as I am searching for the first Willow Warblers and they have been here for a week or so.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
1 Common Sandpiper
c.10 Sand Martins
>6 Barn Swallows
1 House Martin
2 Tawny Owls
2 Meadow Pipits
8 Blackcaps
8 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warbler
276 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Greylag Goose
1 Cackling-type Goose
17 Tufted Ducks
1 Swallow
5 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Ringed Plover 
>20 Willow Warbler
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Common Redstart
8 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
47 Black-tailed Godwit
6 Ringed Plover
3 Redshank
1 Dunlin
3 Swallows
(Andy Latham)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
7 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
4 Gadwall
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
12 Swallow
23 Sand Martin
1 House Martin
5 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Fieldfares
3 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers
2 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
1 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)