15 Apr 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  05:05 – 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:20
The Flash:  06:40 – 07:35
Trench Lock Pool:  09:30 – 09:40 // 10:15 – 10:50
Trench Middle Pool:  09:45 – 10:10

4.0°C > 10.0°C:  Cloudy start, thinning and lifting to hazy thin overcast. Keen E wind from the get-go. Moderate visibility

Sunrise: 06:12 BST

A strange feature of the weather this morning was a complete but faint semi-circular rainbow just after sunrise. It was very hazy much of the morning and I guess there was enough moisture in the air to create the effect. No rain felt where I was or any evidence of any nearby

Priorslee Lake:  05:05 – 06:35 // 07:40 – 09:20

(100th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- a single Common Sandpiper noted on the SW grass at 05:20. Two flew off from here at 07:50 when I returned from The Flash and were presumably the two birds that flushed off the dam at 08:05. At c.09:00 there were three on the SW grass and I was able to approach, and then skirt, these without flushing them. I assume only three birds involved ....
- five singing Goldcrests located today
- the first five hirundines were seen arriving from the E at the early time of 06:10 – it looked like they were coming from the Bayliss Pools area near the M54 services. Numbers quickly built up until c.50 present, all apparently Sand Martins. Thereafter numbers very variable. The only Barn Swallow was noted in the SW area – the local breeding birds often hunt insects here. The only House Martins were two birds feeding in the lee of the trees along Teece Drive and were perhaps birds from the estate

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Stock Doves
- 5 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Jackdaw again

Hirundines noted
- >50 Sand Martins
- >1 Barn Swallow
- >2 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 10 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (6) Willow Warblers
- 14 (10) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese (departed)
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 3 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 6 Moorhens
- 18 Coots again
- 3 Common Sandpipers
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

No insects noted on the lamp poles or seen later

Rather caught out and not in the best position for this morning’s sunrise. It had seemed cloudy and likely there would be no colour. Then suddenly .... and by the time I had scampered (a relative term these days) to the water’s edge the colour had largely gone.

Here are the two Common Sandpipers near the SW grass when I got back from The Flash.

A rather annoying piece of vegetation in the way but the Common Sandpiper is clear-enough. The white extending up the shoulder is diagnostic.

I’ve zoomed in and cropped this as much as I dare to show the intricate pattern to the back feathers on breeding condition birds.

Here is one looking ‘tyred’ after its long flight from Africa (groan).

And two of the three birds.

Here a Chiffchaff takes the morning sun. The supercilium is restricted and only in front of the eye; the eye crescents are very obvious and the bill and legs are largely dark.

“Is this my better side?” 

“How about my ‘angry bird’ pose?” 

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:40 – 07:35

(93rd visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
62      Peregrine
this flew S fast overhead. Not often I see this species here – 15 October 2014 was my last sighting
63      Common Sandpiper
I record a single bird on Spring migration here most years, the previous two years in May. I saw what I assume was the same bird twice in flight around the island but could not locate where it had settled – if anywhere

Other notes from here:
- another brood of Mallard ducklings or an earlier brood relocated? How can I tell?
- the Tufted Duck are now sparring and jumping on and off the island. Hopefully they will breed here again this year
- the Great Crested Grebe was calling by the overhanging tree. Despite peering hard in to the tangle at the piles of sticks from several directions all I could see were Coots on nests and no sign of a nesting grebe
- a near-adult Herring Gull did the same as one did at the lake a few days ago. It dived down to drink while ‘on the wing’, circled around for another in-to-the-wind-sip and then carried on
- the excellent Willow Warbler passage continues with birds singing everywhere

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Peregrine
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws again

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 10 (9) Willow Warbler
- 7 (5) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese again
- 24 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 15 (12♂) + 9 (1 brood) Mallard
- 20 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Herring Gull

The duck Mallard with her brood. Seven of the nine visible in this shot, amongst all the debris.

This is the Herring Gull that came to have a fly-by drink. The tail looks all-white and the bill yellow apart from the red spot on the lower mandible so must be an adult. Wrong ....

The camera caught the upper wing pattern. From this we see a brown wash across the inner wing and dark feathers in both the primary and greater coverts. This suggests a third year bird but I am puzzled by the lack of black in the tail. I am wondering about a bird moulting from third-winter to fourth summer rather than a third summer bird.

Another Willow Warbler to try and photograph between the leaves and branches. Will be a hopeless task in a few weeks when the leaves are out. Compare with the Chiffchaff at the lake. Note the longer more distinct supercilium; the less obvious eye-crescents, the pale bill and the pale legs. All readily apparent to the naked eye as the bird works through the vegetation: not.

Here we note the supercilium extends well behind the eye.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

All at or around the lower pool
- pair of Mallard
- single Moorhen
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 2 (0) Blackcaps

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:30 – 09:40 // 10:15 – 10:50

(21st visit of the year)

Notes from here
- the erstwhile lone Great Crested Grebe seems to have found a companion
- even lower number of Coots. I tried to peer for all the nesting birds
- 2 Sand Martins, only briefly

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

Hirundines noted
- 2 Sand Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 4 (3) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans again
- 9 Canada Geese again
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- [feral Mallard not located]
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots only

This is another Willow Warbler in quite a different pose looking long and sleek. The yellow wash to the sides of the breast is evident on this bird. The supercilium is enhanced by the darker line through the eye which is also particularly evident on this bird.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:45 – 10:10

(21st visit of the year)

Notes from here
- I still think the ‘other’ Great Crested Grebe is likely to be on a nest
- the hirundines appeared overhead, had a brief squabble and then all disappeared again

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Jackdaw

Hirundines noted
- 2 Sand Martin
- 3 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- (no Chiffchaffs)
- 4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 4 (4) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 Greylag Geese
- 32 Canada Geese
- 12 (10♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only again
- 6 Moorhens
- 14 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese over
9 Tufted Duck
1 Little Ringed Plover
2 Common Sandpipers
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warbler
117 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling-type Goose
29 Tufted Ducks
3 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Tufted Ducks
4 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
7 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
8 Greylag Geese
13 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
(Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
1 Buzzard
3 Chiffchaff
(Tony Beckett)

Long Lane, Wellington
10 Ringed Plover
5 Dunlin
(J W Reeves)

2012
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
1 Wheatear
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Grey Wagtail
1 Common Sandpiper
5 Tufted Duck
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
Common Redstart
11 Wheatear
(John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

Telford Railway Station
11 Waxwings
(Colin Wright)

2007
Nedge Hill
1 Buzzard
4 Skylark
1 Fieldfare
3 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
3 Greenfinch
4 Linnet
(Martin Adlam)

Priorslee Village
Black-tailed Godwit
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Greylag Geese
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
3 Common Sandpiper
1 Ringed Plover
12 Chiffchaff
7 Willow Warbler
6 Blackcaps
1 Sky Lark
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Willow Tit
4 Greenfinch
3 Linnet
5 Reed Bunting.
(Martin Adlam, John Isherwood)