30 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:05 // 06:50 – 09:35
The Flash:  06:10 – 06:45

5.0°C > 11.0°C:  Mainly clear. Mist early and thin high cloud later. Light E wind. Good visibility

Sunrise: 05:40 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:50 – 06:05 // 06:50 – 09:35

(115th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- Little Grebe chased by Coot from middle of the N side to the NW reeds. Later two Little Grebes, with some Coot ‘assistance’, swam back
- I give up with the Great Crested Grebes. The four on the water were behaving as a pair and two singles. No real sign of nesting activity
- three Barn Swallows at the W end likely local breeding birds. Another single flew through
- trio of Jays suggests successful breeding here. Several other single birds noted
- non-singing Garden Warbler accidentally flushed from alongside footpath
- non-singing (Common) Whitethroat seen diving in to probable nest area
- Sedge Warbler not located
- fourth singing Reed Warbler confirmed
- at least two juvenile Greenfinches seen with female indicating successful breeding here

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 1 Sparrowhawk again
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Feral Pigeons
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Sand Martin
- 4 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs remain
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers again
- 26 (22) Blackcaps
- 3 (2) Garden Warblers
- 4 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese (singles came and went)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair left)
- 13 (13♂) Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 16 Coots again

On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 Common stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa)

Later
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- 1 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- 1 Harlequin Ladybird (Harmonia axyridis)
- 1 Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- >1 Eristalis tenax (Common Drone-fly)
- >25 Syrphus sp. hoverflies
but no butterflies by the time I left – perhaps still a bit too cold?

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:10 – 06:45

(108th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- two broods of Mallard ducklings again: made the numbers four and seven today; still largely hidden though
- single Great Crested Grebe seen at both end of the water: apparently the same (and only) bird here today

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff only
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 7 (7) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 23 Canada Geese
- 18 (12♂) + 11 (2 broods) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 Moorhens
- 27 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)
- 1 Moorhen
- 2 (1) Blackcaps

(Ed Wilson)

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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
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Raven
2 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
1 Yellow Wagtail
1 White Wagtail
2 Common Redstart
40 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
3 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Common Redstart
15 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
2 Pied Flycatchers
Common Redstart
(Observer Unknown)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Hobby
2 Red-legged Partridge
Lesser Whitethroat
Cormorant
5 Lapwings
6 Reed Warblers
3 Whitethroats
8 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
17 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Swift
c.20 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
6 House Sparrows
2 Sparrowhawk
Buzzard
Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
126 Jackdaw
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Buzzards
Swallow
Ring Ouzel
2 Common Whitethroat
1 Chiffchaff
2 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Greylag Geese
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Cuckoo
1 Sky Lark
c.10 Sand Martins
c.8 Swallows
c.20 House Martins
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Grey Wagtails
32 Wren
26 Blackbirds
2 Sedge Warblers
3 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Jay
11 Chaffinches
8 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)