Priorslee Lake: 04:50 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 09:15
[Woodhouse Lane: 08:00 – 08:40]
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
6.0°C > 8.0°C: Low overcast started to lift and break somewhat after 08:15. Light E wind. Moderate visibility
Sunrise: 05:21 BST
Main feature today was an unprecedented arrival of Sedge Warblers. At least eight were singing around the lake and another (my second this year) at The Flash. The noise of these birds tended to drown out the singing Reed Warblers and these may be under-recorded
There were also probably two different Lesser Whitethroats moving through the lake area
Priorslee Lake: 04:50 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 09:15
(123rd visit of the year)
Other bird notes from today
- a pair of Mallard seen on the water was likely the pair seen later on the football field (actually it is no longer used for football and only has an artificial cricket strip)
- as on several other days recently a pair of Tufted Duck ‘appeared’ after 08:00. Are they lurking in the reeds or are they flying in?
- very briefly before dawn all four Great Crested Grebes put in an appearance with the long-absent second bird from the N side holding its back feathers arched as if it might be carrying juveniles. Just two birds seen later and no sign of juveniles
- no juvenile Coots noted: likely being still being brooded by the adult on the chilly morning
- for the first time I can remember no Wood Pigeons were noted flying over
- a tight group of 80 Jackdaws passing over at 05:10 was unexpected: groups do not usually reform until much later after the breeding season
- the first Lesser Whitethroat was rattling away in the vegetation by the Wesley Brook footbridge at 05:30. Nothing heard later until at 08:45 a bird was rattling away in the SE bushes, before moving quickly W along the S side and then again no longer heard. Assumed to be different birds passing through
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 10 Greylag Geese (7 outbound; 3 inbound)
- 3 Canada Geese (outbound)
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- no Wood Pigeons!
- 102 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted
- 10 Swifts
- >40 Sand Martins
- >10 Barn Swallows
- >5 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 21 (20) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) Lesser Whitethroats
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 8 (8) Sedge Warblers (gulp)
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese (departed)
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks (arrived / emerged)
- 2 Grey Herons
- Little Grebe heard only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 16 Coots
- 3 Common Sandpipers
Nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn
Later
- 1 Common Roller (Ancylis badiana) moth
- 1 Tawny Mining Bee (Andrena fulva)
- 1 wasp sp.
- several snails, including a Brown-lipped Snail (Cepaea nemoralis); a probable White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis) and a possible Glossy Glass Snail (Oxychilus navarricus)
This is (I think) a White-lipped Snail (Cepaea hortensis).
(Ed Wilson)
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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (08:00 – 08:40)
(15th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- a pair of Mallard flew towards Bayliss Pools; a different drake Mallard dropped in to the pool in the copse in the middle of the field between Castle Farm Way and Woodhouse Lane
Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds)
- 3 (1♂) Mallard
- 5 (3) Skylarks
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs once more
- 3 (3) Blackcaps again
- 4 (4) (Common) Whitethroats
- 3 (3) Song Thrushes
- 3 (3) Chaffinches again
- 5 Goldfinches
- 1 Linnet again
- 6 (3) Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
(116th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
71 Rook
For some reason Rooks are rather unusual here – certainly at the time I am normally present. Last year my first record was again not until May – 26th May 2018
Other notes from here:
- only one brood of five Mallard ducklings located
- possibly more duck Tufted Ducks. All the birds were milling about the edge of the island and the ducks hard to see in the very dull light
- a Coot was still brooding the young so no count possible
- the Sedge Warbler as highlighted. This was in a different location to the bird seen on Wednesday (and not heard yesterday)
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Stock Dove
- 2 Rooks
Hirundines noted
None
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese
- 23 (15♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- [no Moorhens]
- 22 + ? (1 brood) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash
At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 Grey Squirrel
At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen
(Ed Wilson)
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