1 May 19

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

Priorslee Lake:  04:55 – 06:05 // 06:55 – 09:10
The Flash:  06:10 – 06:50
Trench Lock Pool:  09:20 – 09:30 // 10:05 – 10:30
Trench Middle Pool:  09:35 – 10:00

10.0°C > 12.0°C:  Cloudy and dry. Light NW wind. Good visibility

Sunrise: 05:38 BST

Seemed to be a movement of Sedge Warblers. Two birds at the lake, in different locations to the bird last heard on Monday. Another, unusually, singing at the upper pool between the lake and The Flash. This might well be my first ‘multiple’ sighting of passage birds

Priorslee Lake:  04:55 – 06:05 // 06:55 – 09:10

(116th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- the pen Mute Swan has been hunkered down on the nest for the last two days. Later this morning she left the nest. Ominous?
- the group of nine Canada Geese overhead and the eight Greylag Geese on the water suggests the goose breeding season has ended, the testosterone levels have receded and birds are now gathering together. There were fewer at The Flash, suggesting some had flown off (and there are goslings at Trench)
- unclear how many Tufted Ducks there were today. On my early walk around I heard bird(s) calling but thereafter failed to find any. By 07:15 there was a pair on the water, apparently gone by 08:00. Then at 09:00 there were two pairs on the water. Did not see an fly in / out
- the Oystercatcher was very noisy, flying about and occasionally settling briefly on the SW grass. Could not get any idea of where it might be going to and from
- all the Barn Swallows passed through: the Sand Martins arrived after 09:00
- only two Common Whitethroats located
- one of the Sedge Warblers was singing continually beside the concrete ramp first thing, relocating to the shrubbery around the Sailing Club HQ later. The other bird was singing intermittently alongside the dam, the traffic noise preventing me pinpointing exactly where

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese (singles inbound)
- 11 Canada Geese (2 groups outbound)
- 4 Cormorants
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws again
- 4 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted
- >10 Sand Martins
- 14 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers remain
- 23 (20) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Sedge Warblers
- 4 (4) Reed Warblers again

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 Greylag Geese (single and party of seven)
- 1 Canada Goose (briefly)
- 9 (9♂) Mallard
- >4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens only
- 17 Coots
- 1 Oystercatcher
- 2 Common Sandpipers

On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 probable Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata)
- 1 caterpillar sp.
- 1 spider sp.

Later
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
- 3 Red-and-Black Froghoppers (Cercopis vulnerata)
- >10 Common stretch-spiders (Tetragnatha extensa)
- a cranefly, probably Tipula fulvipennis

When I checked the forecast last evening it was supposed to be wet. It wasn’t! 

A Garden Warbler in full song. Not the most distinctive of birds it relies on its song to attract a mate.

Not quite sharp as the bird turned to move away from its song-perch but shows that apart from a grey wash above the shoulder this is pretty much an ‘LBJ’ (little brown job) even if it is the largest of our common warblers.

Well I tried ... but we can see the pale eye-brow that Sedge Warbler shows and Reed Warbler doesn’t. I waited and waited but it wasn’t going to show any better than this.

This is a pug moth – a group that can be hard to identify to species. I think this is a Common Pug (Eupithecia vulgata). It is sharing the lamp-post with a small friend – no idea.

When I saw this cranefly land I thought it had a creamy belly. From the photo I see that is the pale leaf it has settled on. At this angle the wing pattern in not at all clear. However on the basis of the unmarked body and orangey legs I think this is Tipula fulvipennis.

Today’s caterpillar on a lamp-post pre-dawn. I cannot recall seeing so many caterpillars in previous years. Should be good for the tits feeding their nestlings at the moment.

A stretch spider on its web. Note how the legs are splayed on to the web to enable it to detect movement.

A side view of a different specimen again showing the legs attached to the web.

Here we get a better view of the stretch spider ‘stretched out’ resting on a lamp pole.

These spiders do not always use webs to catch their prey. Here is one ‘lurking’ in a buttercup flower waiting for an insect to visit the nectar source.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:10 – 06:50

(109th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- two broods of Mallard ducklings. They were on open water so accurate counts were possible – six and nine ducklings
- juvenile Wood Pigeon seen

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves

Hirundines noted
None

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

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 13 Canada Geese only
- 27 (18♂) + 15 (2 broods) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 3 Moorhens
- 24 Coots

The sunrise was better over here this morning.

Brood number one with nine ducklings. These ducklings somewhat larger than .... 

... Brood number two with six ducklings.

A juvenile Wood Pigeon. Has no white in the neck. An adult Stock Dove would show an iridescent patch on the neck and at any age a Stock Dove would black marks on the wings and a shorter tail.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap

At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Blackcap
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler ****

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:20 – 09:30 // 10:05 – 10:30

(23rd visit of the year)

Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
50      House Martin
these were probably passing through rather than local birds. No sign of any hirundines on my return from Middle Pool

Notes from here
- one of the two Mute Swans attending the nest site sporadically. No sign of any eggs
- one Canada Goose sitting. She seems to have no mate
- the pair of Canada Geese that remained here throughout seem to be at peace with the Mute Swans. The pair that arrived were soon chased away
- 11 very new and hyperactive Mallard ducklings. Would not have been able to count them without using the camera
- the two Great Crested Grebes not really associating. No sign of any active nest
- seemed to be an abundance of Wood Pigeons in the wooded area alongside the Blue Pig. I do not total these. Today birds were clattering out of the trees all the while
- Grey Wagtail here again

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Starling

Hirundines noted
- 12 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Blackcap

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 Canada Geese (2 came and went)
- 7 (5♂) + 11 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 15 Coots

Mum and dad Mallard with their hyperactive and very new ducklings. Impossible to count with the naked eye: hard with the camera.

Easier here – don’t overlook the wayward one. Eleven.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:35 – 10:00

(23rd visit of the year)

Notes from here
- the Mute Swans seem to be in no hurry to find and occupy a nest site
- the seven Greylag Geese goslings were with four adults – two broods?
- no ducklings found – no duck Mallard seen here
- Moorhens presumably all lurking at nest sites
- one of the Great Crested Grebes still sitting on the nest
- high number of Blackcaps: a species I don’t record every year here

Birds noted flying over / near here
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (5) Blackcap

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 + 7 (2? broods) Greylag Geese
- 43 + 14 (4 broods) Canada Geese
- 9 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 15 Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes 
6 Cormorants
3 Reed Warblers 
2 Common Whitethroat 
8 Blackcaps 
9 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Greylag Geese 
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 
17 Tufted Duck 
2 Song Thrushes 
3 Blackcaps 
4 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
16 Wheatears
1 Lesser Whitethroat 
3 Common Whitethroats 
1 Blackcaps 
2 Chiffchaffs 
3 Fieldfare
5 Linnets 
4 Yellowhammers
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington
2 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
4 Wheatear
2 Garden Warbler
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat 
1 Lesser Whitethroat
22 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
7 Swans
3 Common Sandpipers
Sedge Warbler
Garden Warbler
9 Reed Warblers
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the E / SE of the lake 
2 Lesser Whitethroats
3 Whitethroats
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
8 Tufted Duck
2 Willow Warblers
1 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
2 Linnets
2 Yellowhammers
5 Wheatears
4 Sky Larks
2 Jays
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
5+ Tree Pipit
3 Redstart
Wood Warbler
Garden Warbler
Wheatear
7 Meadow Pipits
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
13 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Ducks
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Stock Doves
2 Grey Wagtails
2 Sedge Warblers
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Jay
119 Jackdaw
3 House Sparrows
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Dunlin
1 Whimbrel
5 Common Sandpipers
8 Swifts
1 Sky Lark
97 Sand Martins
31 Swallows
3 House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
2 Lesser Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
6 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
4 Reed Bunting

Lanes to the east of the Lake
3 Mallards
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Whitethroats
3 Jay
3 Sky Larks
2 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
4 Greenfinches
3 Linnets
4 Bullfinches
8 Yellowhammers.
(Ed Wilson)