23 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane], The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:35 // 07:20 – 09:15
[Woodhouse Lane:  08:25 – 08:55]
The Flash:  06:40 – 07:15
Trench Lock Pool:  09:25 – 09:35 // 10:25 – 10:55
Trench Middle Pool:  09:40 – 10:20

11.0°C > 15.0°C:  Fine with high cloud and some hazy sun. Light E wind. Moderate / good visibility

Sunrise: 05:55 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:35 // 07:20 – 09:15

(108th visit of the year)

After yesterday’s large bat sp. today there were at least two presumed pipistrelle bats (this ‘species’ has now been split in to several species, only separable with a bat detector to record their calls). I also noted a small bat with a much more direct flight. My only thought about this was perhaps one of the pipistrelle bats off to roost as it got light

Bird notes from today
- three Oystercatchers flew over the football field, calling and descending in to the lake. I did not see them actually land and they were not visible when I returned to the lake-side a few minutes later
- a Sparrowhawk was seen leaving to the E across Castle Farm Way with prey in its talons
- a tight group of seven Stock Doves overhead was unusual
- some of the Jays were making even more of a noise than usual and I suspect they were terrorising the Tawny Owl at its roost
- a second Garden Warbler singing from the Ricoh hedge – stayed buried
- 11 Starlings (from the estate) were using the holiday silence around the academy to feed on the grass in the area

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese (pair outbound)
- 6 Black-headed Gulls (5 adults)
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls ((near) adults)
- 1 Herring Gull (adult) again
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 7 Stock Doves
- 7 Wood Pigeons again
- 8 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- 2 Sand Martins flew through

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 9 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 25 (17) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers again

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese (1 stayed; 1 departed)
- 6 (6♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 13 Coots only
- 3 Oystercatchers
- 1 Common Sandpiper

On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- several orb-web spiders

Later 
- many, many midges
- the pipistrelle sp. and other bat(s) as noted above
- new flowers of Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium)
- the first Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris) umbels are now fully open

A noisy gang of Starlings rest on the academy fence. They are rather handsome when seen well. The closest bird is a female; the two furthest away with blue bill-bases are males. We cannot see the bill on the other.

On the face of it this would seem to be easy to identify. What are presumably male (smaller on the left) and female orb-web spiders on this lamp. The body of the female is very round and reminiscent of the common Zygiella x-notata (the Missing Sector Orb Weaver). However the thorax part is much shorter and rounder than that species so I am stumped.

On a different lamp another spider that looks to be the same species.

Was not expecting this – it is Common Hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), recognised by the outer flowers in the umbels having larger petals. Already on my 2019 list for here after a few late-flowering specimens survived until the New Year. Note too at the top left and bottom right the reddish unopened umbels.

This is the common umbellifer at this time of year and will soon be flowering in profusions - Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). Much more ‘open’ in character.

(Ed Wilson)

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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (08:25 – 08:55)

(11th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Stock Doves seem much more common everywhere this year
- one of the Skylarks was making some very realistic Barn Swallow notes in its song. Very few bird books note that Skylarks can include all manner of calls and songs of other birds. I recall that those on Bodmin Moor used to do good Curlew impressions long after Curlews ceased to nest on the moor
- the Willow Warbler was apparently ‘new in’ – after most have passed through
- second singing Common Whitethroat

Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 1 Stock Dove
- 3 (3) Skylarks
- 1 party of Long-tailed Tits
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (2) Blackcap again
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Song Thrush again
- 4 (3) Chaffinches
- 8 Goldfinch
- 2 (0) Linnets
- 8 (1) Yellowhammers

Cannot get any closer to the Common Whitethroats here than at the lake. This bird seems to have less grey head than the one I photographed at the lake. This is a variable feature on males – this has to be a male as it was singing.

Always attractive this male Yellowhammer is in a super setting to show it off.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:40 – 07:15

(101st visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- broods of 11 and 9 Mallard ducklings. No idea how these relate to earlier sightings. All very confusing

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Herring Gull (3rd summer bird)
- 3 Stock Doves

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler – the usual
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 20 Canada Geese again
- 21 (16♂) + 20 (2 broods) Mallard
- 9 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 22 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen

At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Blackcap
and on lamp poles
- 1 Syrphus sp. hoverfly
- 1 apparent mosquito sp

This Syrphus sp. hoverfly was unusually resting on a lamp pole and giving a good view. Probably Syrphus ribesii.

Also on a lamp pole was this. Its angle at rest suggested mosquito to me. Perhaps Culex pipiens a species unlikely to bite – certainly this one won’t as the shape of the tip of the abdomen suggests a male and only females bite anyway.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:25 – 09:35 // 10:25 – 10:55

(22nd visit of the year)

Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
49      Common Sandpiper
Most unexpected and only my third record of this species here – the most recent was in October 2018 while the pool was partially drained and there was exposed mud. I had walked all the way around without any hint of their presence and then heard the calls just as I was getting in to my car

Other notes from here
- the Greylag Goose circled and flared to drop in, then less than a foot above the water decided otherwise and flew off
- one Canada Goose sitting on eggs
- no gulls on the water or flying over
also
- 2 Orange-tip butterflies
- first spathes of Cuckoo Pint aka Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum)
- Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) flowers
- what is perhaps Prickly Sow-thistle aka Spiny Milk-thistle (Sonchus asper)

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 Canada Geese

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (3) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans as ever
- 10 Canada Geese: 5 departed
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 feral Mallard
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 4 Moorhens
- 14 Coots only
- 2 Common Sandpipers

A spat of Cuckoo Pint aka Lords-and-Ladies (Arum maculatum). This will turn in to the familiar cluster of bright red berries.

This is the flower head of the very common Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).

This is a sow-thistle and there are several species that are not easy to separate. On the basis of the dark green colour of the unopened flowers I am inclined to go for Prickly Sow-thistle aka Spiny Milk-thistle (Sonchus asper).

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:40 – 10:20

(22nd visit of the year)

Other notes from here
- almost none of the birds were around the usual ‘feeding area’ but were scattered all around, the island making it difficult to make accurate counts
- very confused about the gosling situation. I first noted eight goslings in a group of Greylag Geese. Then I noted just four with Greylags but also four with Canada Geese. Had some of the originals gone behind the island for me? When I next looked there seemed to be only three goslings with the Canada Geese. Were they not their off-spring and had they attacked the missing one? Unresolved
- an unusual date to find Teal here and unusual to find more ducks than drakes
- Tufted Duck all gone
- the Cormorant arrived: an unusual date? While they do fish here more often they are just sitting around
- I managed to see the ‘other’ Great Crested Grebe on the nest
also
- either Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) or Early Dog-violet (V. reichenbachiana): separation  is not easy

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Jackdaw again

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 + ? Greylag Geese (see notes)
- 39 + ? Canada Geese (see notes)
- 3 (1) Teal
- 11 (9♂) + 6 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens again
- 12 Coots

Here we see a Greylag Goose with six goslings.

Here the goose is with two goslings. Note the rather grey appearance of the goslings.

A quartet of goslings with a trio of adults.

These rather yellow goslings are from Canada Geese.

Two Canada Goose goslings already having a scrap with the parents ignoring them.

More or less a record shot. Two of the three Teal, rather distant.

A Mallard duckling. Not sure I had realised how disproportionately large the bill is at this age.

This is a dog-violet. I think from the very slight notch and curl at the tip it is Common Dog-violet (Viola riviniana) but separation from Early Dog-violet (V. reichenbachiana) is not easy.

Safer ground here with a cluster of Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta). The white form is not uncommon. Not sure I have seen so many together before.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes 
3 Greylag Geese
1 Grasshopper Warbler 
2 Reed Warblers 
8 Blackcaps 
9 Chiffchaffs 
4 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Richardson's-type Canada Goose 
8 Tufted Duck 
1 Blackcap 
2 Chiffchaffs 
6 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
6 Swallows
8 Meadow Pipits
1 Fieldfare
3 Blackcaps 
3 Willow Warbler 
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Whinchat
1 Lesser Whitethroat
29 Wheatear
1 Lapwing
(John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Green Woodpecker
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Tufted Duck
12 Blackcaps
2 Willow Warblers
14 Chiffchaffs
1 Sedge Warbler
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

In the lane / fields to the E
5 Skylarks
2 Whitethroats
2 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets 
5 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
5 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Duck 
1 Common Sandpiper
5 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Lesser Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
3 Yellow Wagtail
6 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Sedge Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Common Whitethroat
3 Wheatears
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Mike)

Ercall Woods
3 Pied Flycatcher
Buzzards
2 Ravens
(Mike)

2007
Priorslee Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
Garden Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
5 Common Sandpipers
100+ Sand Martin
5 Swallow
1 House Martin
23 Wrens
19 Robins
19 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Garden Warblers
7 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
3 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)