26 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane] and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:15 // 07:05 – 09:15
[Woodhouse Lane:  08:15 – 08:50]
The Flash:  06:20 – 07:00

6.0°C > 10.0°C:  Clear early with mist; then thin low cloud – lifted mist; later more general cloud. Light SE wind increasing. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 05:48 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:15 // 07:05 – 09:15

(111th visit of the year)

Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
85      Whimbrel
three birds seen flying SW over at 07:05. My only previous sighting here was many years ago before my accessible computer began

Other bird notes from today
- a pair of Mallard seen flying over were presumable the pair seen walking along Teece Drive and jumping in to the Wesley Brook later. Thus included in the lake totals
- although I have logged four Stock Doves as over-flying I saw several more flying around the trees in the area and I suspect all these are in fact local birds. I previous years I have noted only one nest site around the lake and another in the farm area of Woodhouse Lane
- I am still recording improbable numbers of Blackcaps with birds noted most days singing from ‘new’ locations. What is going on?
- now three singing Garden Warblers
- a third singing Common Whitethroat confirmed
- a fourth singing Reed Warbler confirmed
- at least two House Sparrows strayed from the estate on to ‘my’ area in the hedge alongside the academy

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 1 Greylag Goose (from E and circled back))
- 4 Canada Geese (outbound)
- 3 Whimbrel
- 4 Stock Doves
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- >20 Sand Martins
- >3 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 29 (20) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese (tow pairs and a single came and went)
- 8 (7♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck again
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 14 Coots only

Nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn

Later 
- first Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) in my ‘lake’ recording area
- first Bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) I have ever noted inside my ‘lake’ recording area
- Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) has taken a bashing from yesterday’s thunderstorms
- Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) visible but no flower as yet
- first rosettes of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii): no spike or flower as yet
- Wood Avens (Geum urbanum) buds about to open

Probably about half-moon then ... 

A clear and slightly misty start. Great luminosity though.

More mist and colour a bit later ... 

... Then the dreaded low cloud rolled in... 

... And later gave this effect.

One day soon after they are busy nesting Common Whitethroats will allow me closer. Not today for this male.

Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) at the lake – my first at this site.

I think this is either Bird Cherry (Prunus padus) or, perhaps more likely, one of the many commercial culivars. Attractive though.

A rosette of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii): you can see where the spike will emerge.

(Ed Wilson)

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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (08:15 – 08:50)

(12th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Stock Doves probably nesting in copse alongside M-way junction
- now a third singing Common Whitethroat
- single Linnet: good news? its mate on a nest perhaps
and
- first flowers of Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)

Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds)
- 1 Sparrowhawk carrying prey
- 2 Stock Doves
- 3 (3) Skylarks
- 1 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 4 (3) Chaffinches again
- 2 Goldfinch
- 1 (0) Linnet
- 5 (0) Yellowhammers

I know I have done this before but the sunlit sea of yellow contrasting the blue sky cried out to be shown again. Now with more ‘green’ on the trees.

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) flowers (and a hitherto unnoticed ant sp.).

I have shown this before. However this example almost ‘jumped out of the hedgerow’ at me. What a stunning flower – and there are dozens on each plant of Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:20 – 07:00

(104th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- I am sure there are unrecorded Canada Geese inside the island
- pair of Gadwall re-appeared
- single brood of 7 Mallard ducklings
- rather misty across the water. Any attempt at a Coot count would have been inaccurate

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
None

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs remain
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler remains
- 5 (3) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 16 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 16 (13♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 7 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- -- Coots [not counted]

It is many weeks since I photographed a pair of Great Crested Grebes displaying here. This display suggests that the current two birds are recent arrivals and still pair-bonding. Wonder what happened to the previous pair? And the odd single seen in the last few weeks.

I remember when these hair-styles were last in fashion.

Not the best of photos but worth noting two things. How can a Wren sit and sing from such a thick wire. And just what is it front of the bird’s eye? Is it another ‘pollen horn’?

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

No warblers seen or heard in this area

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

At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Song Thrush
- 1 (1) Nuthatch

(Ed Wilson)

Note: A few photos from Belvide on Tuesday. Click Here

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cranes
(Observer Unknown)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warbler
(Damon H, Jim A, Yvonne C)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Cormorant
1 Dunlin
1 Common Sandpipers
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 Wheatear
3 Reed Warblers 
12 Blackcaps 
7 Chiffchaffs 
2 Willow Warblers 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Greylag Goose 
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 
3 Pochard 
7 Tufted Duck 
4 Blackcaps 
2 Chiffchaffs 
4 Willow Warblers
2 Swallows
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes 
28 Greylag Geese 
1 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap 
3 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes 
6 Tufted Duck 
2 Swifts 
c.5 Sand Martins 
c.30 Swallows 
c.40 House Martins 
1 Blackcap 
1 Chiffchaff 
1 Willow Warbler
Sparrowhawk
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
19 Wheatear
Swallows
(Richard Camp)

Long Lane, Wellington
c10 Ringed Plover
c10 Dunlin
Spotted Redshank
(JV Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
12 House Martin
7 Swallow
(Martin Grant)

2011
The Wrekin
3 Pied Flycatcher
1 Common Redstart
2 Marsh Tit
1 Wood Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Swift
3 Common Sandpipers 
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Reed Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

East of Priorslee Lake
6 Whitethroats
2 Sky Larks
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Greylag Geese
1 Tufted Duck
3 Swallows
3 Blackcaps
1 Chiffchaff
2 Jays
28 Magpies
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
(Peter Nickless)

Priorslee Flash
1 Cormorant
Swallows
34 Blackbirds
6 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Flash
5 Mallard
1 Buzzard
1 Heron
Sky Larks
Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
6 Stock Doves
1 Swift
2 Sand Martins
2 Swallows
1 Yellow Wagtail
2 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
1 Lesser Whitethroat
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
1 Raven
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)