6 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake [with Woodhouse Lane] and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 09:15
[Woodhouse Lane: 08:30 – 09:05]
The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10

3.0°C > 6.0°C:  Alternated between clear and 100% thin low cloud. Moderate E wind. Good visibility though rather hazy

Sunrise: 06:33 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 09:15

(91st visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- Little Grebes heard in NW area: two together in the NE area again
- 36 Sand Martins high over at 05:55. Not seen again until c.06:45
- better weather equals more warblers: high number of Blackcaps with three pairs noted

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Greylag Geese (trio outbound)
- 8 Canada Geese (pair outbound; six together inbound)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Stock Doves
- 7 Wood Pigeons only again
- 76 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook again

Hirundines noted
- >170 Sand Martins
- >2 Barn Swallows again

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Willow Warbler
- 15 (12) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese (arrived and departed)
- 2 Canada Geese (arrived and departed)
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2+ Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls briefly

Nothing seen on the lamp poles

I noted some ‘first song’ times today
<05:35  Robin
<05:35  Blackbird
<05:35  Song Thrush
05:37   Skylark
05:37   Wren
05:44   Dunnock
05:45   Great Tit
05:50   Reed Bunting
05:51   Blackcap
06:00   Chiffchaff
06:09   Goldcrest
Likely that others species had started by this time with me being in the wrong place to hear them

Low, grey, scudding clouds spoiling the start of the day.

The sun battling to get through.

One of the two Grey Herons that seem to be regular here at the moment. They seem content to be together. Seems rather strange to me as this is clearly an adult and it should be nesting. While it is some way from the nearest Heronry and not in that sense territorial I would expect it to try and protect its food source. Apparently not.

This perky little Robin was less than three feet in front of me and quite happy to hop about looking for its breakfast. In the gloom under the N side trees the photo is not quite sharp, but a sighting worth recording.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse Lane (08:30 – 09:05)

(8th visit of the year)

- a Green Woodpecker calling from Ward’s Rough. Almost certainly a different bird to that seen in the Teece Drive area earlier. Good to know two in the area
- both here and, later, at the lake I thought I heard flight call of Meadow Pipit(s) but could not see anything
also here were new flowers
- Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) flowers
- Primula garden escapes?

Some totals (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 1 (1) Green Woodpecker
- 5 (3) Skylarks
- 3 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 1 (1) Blackcap
- 1 (1) Song Thrush
- 3 (2) Chaffinches
- 4 (2) Yellowhammers

It is that time of the year to photograph William Blake’s “England’s green and pleasant land” 

And some more.

Fields and fields of it. Oil-seed rape must be getting the best farm subsidy this year – or am I being cynical?

These are obviously primulas though clearly not Primroses (Primula vulgaris). Over the years there has been much fly-tipping in the area and I suspect these are the result of garden material being dumped. A nice splash of colour though.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:20 – 10:10

(84th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- now the Great Crested Grebe gone again – or hiding where I cannot find them
also noted
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)
- Field or Common Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis)

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon again

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 34 Canada Geese
- 27 (20♂) Mallard
- 19 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 5 Moorhens
- 28 Coots

Here a Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). ID features of this early-flying species are the orange collar, orange band across the abdomen and the buff tail. Worker bees tend to have a whiter tail, fringed ginger whereas the queens have a proper buff tail. From this angle it is hard to judge the extent of the colour. On size I doubt this is a queen.

Here we see Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon). If you look at the leaves you can see this plant is related to dead-nettles.

A close-up of the flowers.

No doubt the pattern attracts the bees and hoverflies to pollinate the plant.

Here is Field or Common Forget-me-not (Myosotis arvensis). The leaf-shape is often important in separating species.

A close-up of the flowers.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
12 Tufted Duck
7 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Cormorant
1 Cackling Goose
39 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
23 Tufted Ducks
1 Sand Martin
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe 
4 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Cormorant 
2 Gadwall
21 Tufted Ducks 
6 Redwings
1 Fieldfare 
372 Jackdaws
Kestrel
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Cormorant 
1 Pochard 
58 Tufted Duck 
1 Brambling
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Great Crested Grebes 
2 Cormorants
2 Greylag Geese
4 Shoveler 
19 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
50 Meadow Pipit
100 Redwing
Green Woodpecker
3 Red legged Partridge
Fieldfare
7 Lapwing
Linnet
(John Isherwood)

2012
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Nedge Hill 
2 Common Redstart
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
Garden Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
20 Tufted Duck
2 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
1 Skylark
36 Meadow Pipit
9 Chiffchaff
1 Redpoll
8 Bullfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006 
Priorslee Lake 
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
7 Stock Doves
235 Wood Pigeons
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
7 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares again
2 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
15 Greenfinches
3 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)