8 Apr 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:25
The Flash:  06:45 – 07:20

8.0°C:  Overcast at low level. Light E wind. Moderate visibility

Sunrise: 06:28 BST

Priorslee Lake:  05:35 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:25

(93rd visit of the year)

Very quiet on another grey day

Bird notes from today
- just a single drake Mallard on the water. A trio of drakes chasing a duck circled from the E and went back that way. Later two single drakes flew W
- just one Little Grebe seen. It, or another, heard calling. All in NE area
- dark low cloud and very moderate visibility precluded any serious Jackdaw count
- Willow Warblers are singing from different locations each day so assumed to be passing through

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 1 Canada Goose (outbound)
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Wood Pigeons only!!
- 6 Jackdaws only (see notes)
- 1 Rook

Hirundines noted
- >150 Sand Martins again
- 1+ Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Willow Warbler
- 12 (11) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans as ever
- 3 Greylag Geese (arrived and departed)
- 2 Canada Geese (arrived and departed)
- 1 (1♂) Mallard only
- 9 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1+ Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull, briefly

On the lamp poles
- 1 Chironomus plumosus (plumed midge)
also noted
- fungus, possibly Common Inkcap (Coprinopsis atramentaria)
- two unidentified flower species

A Carrion Crow of course. In flight this bird showed white in the wings – as some do. We can just see a hint of this in the folded primaries.

Here is a plan view of the ‘clock’ of Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara) – a very different shape to the dandelion ‘clock’ from yesterday. Most of the plant is still flowering – the flowers are closed-up because it was dull. Note that there are still very few leaves on this plant.

... And here the side-elevation of the same ‘clock’. Flattened and rather scruffy is typical.

This plant with a cluster of small white flowers looks to be distinctive-enough for me to identify. Looks to be .... It may be that when the flowers open they show a different colour and I have been looking in the wrong place. Will try to remember and watch for the flowers to open and try again. Meanwhile if you know get in touch via the web site. Growing on the dam-top.

The opposite problem here: the flower is open and is well-seen , but .... Also on the dam-top. Note to self: MUST REMEMBER TO PHOTO THE LEAVES!

A rather fine view of a Chironomus plumosus (plumed midge) even if I do say so myself.

Today’s fungus. I dared not do any more ‘gardening’ to get a clearer shot as this fruiting body was very fragile-looking. It looks to me like Common Inkcap (Coprinopsis atramentaria). I’ve been wrong before ....

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:45 – 07:20

(86th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- the pen Mute Swan was off the nest briefly: 5 eggs noted
- the pair of Gadwall not located. Surprise!
- many of the Mallard seemed to have gone to hide as well
- the first brood of Mallard noted again – apparently just 10 small ducklings today
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel again

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Feral Pigeon

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans as ever
- 31 Canada Geese: 5 of these left
- 13 (10♂) + 10? (1 brood) Mallard
- 17 (12♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Moorhens
- 28 Coots

The Mute Swan here has five eggs at the moment, laying one a day until the clutch is complete: c.10 eggs likely.

This Canada Goose struck me as having rather pale primaries, contrasting more than usual with the back colour. No suggestion elsewhere in the plumage this could be a hybrid.

It seemed paired with this more typical bird.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

 - 2 (1♂) Mallard on the lower pool
- single Moorhen on the upper pool
- two Moorhens on the lower pool
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the lower pool
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler beside the upper pool
- 1 (1) Blackcap beside the lower pool
and
- Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) (Caltha palustris) by the lower pool

Dark and gloomy under the trees at the lower pool and I had to use flash to get these Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) (Caltha palustris). The detail in the flower is somewhat blown out when showing the leaves to best effect.

I played around with a close-in flash shot and managed to extract an acceptable amount of detail in the flowers.

(Ed Wilson)

Note: Here are a few photos from Belvide Reservoir Here

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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

 2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
2 Grey Herons
2 Greylag Geese
11 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
284 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

 The Wrekin
Buzzard
Stock Dove
Willow Warbler
Siskin
Redpoll
Common Redstart
Pied Flycatcher
Crossbill
(Ed Wilson)

 2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Little Grebes 
5 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Heron 
7 Tufted Ducks 
1 Great Black-backed Gull 
28 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Canada x ? hybrid goose 
1 Pochard 
59 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

 Trench Lock Pool
6 Great Crested Grebes 
14 Tufted Duck 
(Ed Wilson)

 Trench Middle Pool
Oystercatcher
2 Great Crested Grebe 
2 Cormorant 
7 Tufted Ducks 
(Ed Wilson)

 2012
Nedge Hill
7 Lapwings
2 Skylarks
5 Chiffchaffs
2 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Wheatear
2 Jays
(Martin and Ian Grant)

 2011
Nedge Hill
5 Wheatear
4 Common Redstart
Ring Ouzel
(John Isherwood)

 The Wrekin
2 Tree Pipits
1 Pied Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)

 2010
Nedge Hill
Male Common Redstart
Little Owl
(Pete Nickless)

 2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Pintail x Mallard
4 Tufted Duck
2 Meadow Pipit
5 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaff
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

 Nedge Hill
Ring Ouzel
8 Fieldfare
(Martin Grant)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Cormorants
6 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks 
5 Stock Doves
105 Wood Pigeons
4 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
9 Sand Martin.
14 Swallow
4 Meadow Pipits
20 Wrens
21 Robins
23 Blackbirds
1 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
16 Magpies
1 Jay
15 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)