4 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 – 09:05
The Flash:  09:10 – 09:50

2.0°C > 3.0°C:  Clouding from S and rain / sleet after 09:45. Moderate E wind. Moderate visibility

Sunrise: 06:38 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:40 – 09:05

(89th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
79      Willow Warbler
Two singing and one calling birds: catching up with yesterday’s sightings at The Flash

Other bird notes from today
- the two Little Grebes in the NE area seen. One (or more) heard in NW area
- the Magpie roost seems to have now dispersed as birds move to their nest sites. At most 5 birds seen in the roost area and these may have nests nearby anyway
- Jackdaws all ‘paired’ as they flew out between 05:58 and 06:26 (with two stragglers at 07:58)
- c.100 hirundines were first noted high overhead at 07:20. As previously they moved away and back several times. At 07:45 they almost descended on to the water. They made it by 08:00. Why do they do this? Do the insects not emerge earlier? Is it not light-enough for them to see the insects?
- only a single Barn Swallow and two House Martins confirmed in the group, which reached at least 150 birds by 08:45

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Goose (circled over)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair inbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 11 Wood Pigeons only
- 65 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

Hirundines noted
- >150 Sand Martins again
- 1+ Barn Swallow
- 2+ House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (2) Willow Warblers
- 9 (8) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans as usual
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 3+ Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 8 Moorhens
- 22 Coots again

Nothing seen on the lamp poles

Well they say “red sky in the morning, shepherds’ warning”. They were not wrong.

High cloud driving in from the SE.

However: just clear-enough for the sunrise to be visible.

Did someone say “sunrise”? Right place, right time.

Two Greylag Geese practice formation flying.

A while since my last ‘daily Long-tailed Tit’. This one seems to have a bent tail. This happens when birds sit in their nests too long, though I am surprised they would be sitting already.

Lurking in the reeds alongside two Reed Buntings was this Pied Wagtail. Not where I would have expected to see one, but if there were insects on offer (or nesting material?) I guess you go with it.

Well I reckon there are c.120 birds here, probably all Sand Martins. (I am not (quite) sad-enough to count the dots).

The wind direction made it somewhat easier to get slightly less naff photos of the Sand Martins. Here we see the breast-band, the almost complete absence of fork in the tail and the dark underwing.

Here the plain upper side is apparent. The wings can appear rather rounded.

Another view of the plain upper side. Note that from this angle there seems to be a slight notch in the tail.

My best-effort of the day. The flashing white underside can be surprisingly easily mistaken for the white rump of House Martin as birds twist and turn after insects.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:10 – 09:50

(82nd visit of the year)

A quick canter ahead of the forecast sleet / snow / plagues of frogs ...

Other notes from here:
- both Gadwall and Great Crested Grebe easily visible today – where do they hide?
- recently I have heard Pied Wagtail(s) but been unable to find them. Today three males were together on a handrail of one of the footbridges

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 Jackdaws
- 20 Starlings

Hirundines noted
- 4 Sand Martins at least

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 1 (1) Blackcaps

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 28 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 24 (17♂) Mallard
- 23 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 30 Coots

One of the male Pied Wagtails on the handrail.

Note on this, same, male that the back is dark grey, blotched black. The black nape confirms it is a male so it is likely a first-year bird.

Here is another male with an all-back back (at least from this angle).

He was quite vociferous. On this bird the greater coverts and secondaries are rather more extensively white than usual.

We heard you the first time.

(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

2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
3 Greylag Geese
5 Common Teal
4 Wigeon
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
c.12 Sand Martins
2 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Red-legged Partridge
4 Sky Larks
6 Meadow Pipits
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Linnet
2 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes 
5 Great Crested Grebe 
2 Gadwall 
13 Tufted Ducks 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Cackling Goose
(JW Reeves)

Leegomery
Woodcock
(JW Reeves)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Redshank
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows
20 Sand Martins
2 Meadow Pipits
(Martin Grant)

2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Shoveler
2 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Snipe
1 Willow Warbler

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
(John Isherwood)

2008
Nedge Hill
Whinchat
(Paul King)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
318 Jackdaws
105 Wood Pigeons
1 Sky Lark
5 Meadow Pipits
22 Wrens
24 Robins
25 Blackbirds
58 Fieldfares
3 Willow Warblers
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Tits
15 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
2 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)