5 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 09:05
The Flash:  09:10 – 10:00
Trench Lock Pool:  10:10 – 10:20 // 11:05 – 11:30
Trench Middle Pool:  10:25 – 11:00

5.0°C > 8.0°C:  Wet start, though bizarrely a red sunrise. Rain ceased c.09:00. Cloudy thereafter. Fresh E wind, veering SE. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 06:35 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 09:05

(90th visit of the year)

Wet weather affected the birds (and me)!

Other bird notes from today
- Little Grebes not heard or seen in NW area: two together in the NE area and heard here
- two Black-headed Gulls apparently arrived 06:03: soon after four birds were noted. These flew up and down until c.06:50 and then ....
- two single adult Lesser Black-backed did ‘touch and go’ on the water

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese (pair and single outbound)
- 4 Canada Geese (pair outbound; pair inbound)
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull
- 7 Wood Pigeons only
- 70 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook

 Hirundines noted
- >200 Sand Martins
- >2 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (5) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese (departed)
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 12 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons once more
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 8 Moorhens again
- 22 Coots yet again
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Nothing seen on the lamp poles

It was raining hard and I did not expect this.

For a while the sunrise was bright if rather diffuse through the rain ....

... Enabling another ‘burning bush’ sunrise photo.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:10 – 10:00

(83rd visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
61      Raven
One flew over, apparently carrying nesting material though I only saw it flying away and cannot be sure what it was carrying

Other notes from here:
- same number of Canada Geese as yesterday. However 10 of these flew in and three flew out so numbers at any other time would have differed
- the Gadwall gone again
also noted
- Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana) flowers

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Jackdaw
- 1 Raven

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans still
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 28 Canada Geese again
- 26 (19♂) Mallard
- 22 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 26 Coots

A Long-tailed Tit a day keeps depression away.

Aren’t they just delightful? (who said ‘NO’?).

This is a violet. Exact identification to species-level is not always easy. Here I think the slightly pointed leaves which are slightly curled indicate this is Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana).

A close-up of a single rain-spattered flower.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  10:10 – 10:20 // 11:05 – 11:30

(19th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
46      Barn Swallow
47      Willow Warbler
48      Song Thrush

Other notes from here
- two pairs of Canada Geese seem to have made peace with the Mute Swans. The ‘spare’ Canada Goose was getting hassled by everybody
- just a single drake Tufted Duck remains
- the nest that a pair of Great Crested Grebes were beside on Monday seemed now to be in the control of a Coot. These grebes were nowhere to be seen (there are areas at the S end hard to see)
- the four Lesser Black-backed Gulls dropped at the same time. Only one stayed more than a few moments and from my photo I see the bird was ringed. In the rather dull conditions the ring cannot be positively read from the photo. However it does look to be the same bird I photographed on 13 February. All the birds were adults
- Sand Martins typically hard to count. At least 1 Barn Swallow with them
- the Song Thrush was collecting food so it seems it is nesting nearby. Have not heard it singing here this year

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Hirundines noted
- >30 Sand Martin
- >1 Barn Swallow

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 1 (1) Blackcap again

 The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans still
- 5 Canada Geese
- 5 (4♂) Mallard again
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard as ever
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 2 Moorhens
- 21 Coots
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again

An ‘interesting’ Lesser Black-backed Gull – why do I find so many ...? This has all the hallmarks of an adult from the wing markings, so why would it retain at least the shadow of the winter head-streaking at this late date?

Here overhead we see no hint of black in the tail confirming it is an adult. But there is still some black markings on the bill ....

... as we see more clearly here.

Then the big surprise. In this photo of it landing we see it is ringed. I cannot clearly read the ring but it does look as if it could be ‘N03R’ – the bird I photographed wearing this Spanish ring on the same barrel on 13 February. If so it is certainly a full adult despite the black on the bill.

A Song Thrush peering intently for its breakfast / elevenses / lunch ... 

Now what is it doing here? I was always told that when Blackbirds do this they are listening for worms moving around in the soil. I don’t think that is so. With bird’s eyes mounted on the sides of their heads I think if they want to look at or for movement in the grass they would turn their head to one side like this.

You can tell it has been digging from its muddy bill.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  10:25 – 11:00

(19th visit of the year)

Bird species added to my 2019 log from here
43      Sand Martin
44      Willow Warbler

Notes from here
- as elsewhere Sand Martin numbers varied from 0 to 20 throughout. Could have been many more birds passing through. I have not recorded this species here for at least 6 years: I guess you have to be here when the Spring passage is at its peak, otherwise they occur only at larger, more open areas of water
- Willow Warbler is another species I do not record here annually: again probably the first few days of April is best to connect with Spring passage birds
- Grey Wagtail yet again

Birds noted flying over / near here
- 4 Stock Doves
- 3 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
- >20 Sand Martin

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

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 40 Canada Geese
- 12 (11♂) Mallard
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 15 Coots only

A very smart Grey Wagtail. With such extensive and bright yellow belly it has to be a male even though there is only a hint of the black throat patch as yet.

(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
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
9 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warblers
131 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash
1 Cackling Goose-type
37 Tufted Ducks
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

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

 2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
2 Gadwall 
23 Tufted Ducks 
2 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash 
3 Great Crested Grebes
48 Tufted Duck 
2 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

 Nedge Hill
4 Lapwings
1 Stock Dove
3 Sky Larks
8 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

 Horsehay Pool
Male Wheatear
(Glenn Bishton)

 2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

 Nedge Hill
1 Ring Ouzel
60 Golden Plover
20 Yellowhammer
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood, Andy Latham, John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

 2007
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Tufted Duck
68 Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Kingfisher
5 Meadow Pipit
1 Blackcap
6 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebe
5 Herons
7 Tufted Ducks
3 Lapwings
2 Ruddy Ducks
418 Jackdaws
27 Wrens
26 Blackbirds
47 Sand Martins
1 Swallow.
2 Fieldfares
1 Barn Owl
4 Meadow Pipits
2 Fieldfares
2 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
9 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)