24 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:00
The Flash:  06:45 – 07:30

7.0°C > 9.0°C:  Mostly a low overcast below scattered high level cloud. Light SE wind. Moderate visibility and hazy again

Sunrise: 05:52 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:40 // 07:35 – 09:00

(109th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- the Tufted Duck seemed not to be present early or late. I saw them take off at c.07:50 and fly around and land at least once more. Thereafter I could not find them
- numbers of Coot are well down. I am sure half of them are sitting on nests hidden in reeds but even so ...
- another Linnet over-flight on an unusual date

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Canada Geese (pair inbound)
- 1 Herring Gull yet again
- 2 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Collared Doves
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Linnet

Hirundines noted
- >20 Sand Martins
- >4 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 26 (18) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers again
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers still

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes heard only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 10 Coots only

On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- a wasp caught in a spider web
- a caddis fly, seemingly Ophion obscuratus

Later 
- at least two large (Noctule?) bats flying over the S side until they flew off E at 05:35
- at least two Pipistrelle-type bats along the N side at 05:05
- the first Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) bush in flower. Rather strange in that it is tucked away in the shade along the Wesley Brook. Perhaps it was sheltered from the cold weather and that has enabled it to flower earlier. Perhaps its just a different early-flowering (sub-) species

This seems to be the caddis fly Ophion obscuratus. the Naturespot website says it “is identified the pale stripes on the thorax and by pale corners of the 'stigma' (the dark mark on the leading edge of the forewing)”. That seems to sum it up even though the thorax is not that clear from the only angle available.

A wasp sp. with no visible means of support. I wonder if spiders actually tackle wasps directly and hill them or whether they leave them to die in the web and then eat them?

From this side we see how hairy wasps are (and also note a plumed midge in the same web).

I cannot identify this tiny (less than one inch) caterpillar – I have no reference material to give me a clue where to start looking, I do know that it is likely from a geometer moth and one of the so-called looper caterpillars from its locomotion with just claspers and two sets of legs at the rear.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:45 – 07:30

(102nd visit of the year)

Best was the three Common Sandpipers flushed from the top NE corner at c.06:50. Did not see where they flew to and only heard them in flight later. The first year I have had sightings on more than one day (this is the third, counting the sighting from one of the fishermen). Also my first multi-bird log from here. Perhaps here because fishermen at the lake were occupying the birds' usual area?

Other notes from here:
- did I see two broods of 8 Mallard ducklings or the same brood twice?
- the Grey Heron flew in: my first here since 17 February (I noted one flying over on 31 March)
- an ‘extra’ Willow Warbler singing from the island today
- still many, many Blackcaps here as well as at the lake

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs again
- 2 (2) Willow Warbler
- 9 (5) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 1 Grey Heron
- 20 (16♂) + 8 (1 brood) Mallard (see notes)
- 9 (5♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 22 Coots again
- 3 Common Sandpipers

Eight Mallard ducklings all in a group. Easier to see in the reflection, the right-most duckling needs a handkerchief.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

There were two Chiffchaffs chasing and singing between the upper pool the limit of my recording area for The Flash – the footpath down squirrel alley and out to Priorslee Avenue. I suspect these were birds I normally hear at the W end of squirrel, neither of which was singing at this time. Otherwise ....

At or around the lower pool (singing birds)

- 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
- 1 Coal Tit

At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 2 Moorhens (adults)
- 1 (1) Blackcap

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Wheatear
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
5 Common Sandpipers
2 Reed Warblers
6 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
20 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
Lesser Whitethroat
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
11 Greylag
1 Tufted Duck
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
14 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
11 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
17 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
6 Skylarks
4 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
8 Wheatear
28 Fieldfare
2 Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Reed Warblers
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Tufted Duck
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Trench
8 Tufted Duck
8 Swallows
3 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Common Sandpiper
3 Swift
32 House Martin
3 Swallow
3 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
1 Garden Warbler
6 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
7 Sand Martins
14 Swallows
1 House Martin
3 Stock Doves
3 Grey Wagtails
30 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
1 Reed Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
9 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
8 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings.(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the East of Priorslee lake
6 Stock Doves
2 Sky Larks
2 Whitethroats
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnets
1 Reed Bunting
7 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)