11 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:35 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 08:45
The Flash:  06:05 – 06:40

6.0°C > 7.0°C:  A very mixed morning: mainly clear start with some medium cloud to NE only: then very misty for a while: cleared again only for bank of low cloud to roll in from the W. Initially calm: a chilly light NW breeze later. Moderate visibility

Sunrise: 05:19 BST

Most of yesterday’s Sedge Warblers and Lesser Whitethroats had moved on

Yesterday’s hail and rain showers seem to have damaged much of the Hawthorn blossom – plenty remains but it may be a limited berry crop this Autumn

Priorslee Lake:  04:35 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 08:45

(124th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- all four adult Great Crested Grebes on the water more or less throughout. The pair along the N side certainly have young on one parent’s back, number not determined. One adult from the other pair was also holding its wings arched over its back: nothing seen
- two broods of juvenile Coots noted
- unsure how many Common Sandpipers present. I kept seeing single birds and pairs. Never saw two singles at the same time – nor three birds together
- the two Black-headed Gulls dropped in for a few minutes fly-about and left
- the two Lesser Black-backed Gulls settled on the Holy Trinity Academy sports field until the housing construction work started-up
- the only Sedge Warbler noted was a non-singing bird by the concrete ramp where one had been singing for over a week (but not in the last few days)
- good to see a decent number (>40) House Martins even if most only stayed a few minutes. One tailless bird gave me a ‘moment’: in silhouette it looked just like a species of Spine-tailed Swift found in Africa!
- a male Blackbird noted running along the Teece Drive path with very obvious pale, almost white legs and, especially, feet. Was still too dark and the bird running too quickly to get even a record shot. Blackbirds are prone to albinism: but in the bare parts?

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 4 Canada Geese (outbound)
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 3 Stock Doves
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 17 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted
- 6 Swifts
- >30 Sand Martins
- >6 Barn Swallows
- >40 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler as ever
- 18 (17) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers again

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks (arrived / emerged again)
- 1 Grey Heron
- 4 + ? (1?) brood Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 18 + 4 (2 broods) Coots
- 2 or 3 Common Sandpipers
- 2 Black-headed Gulls briefly
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 different from usual (?) plumed midge sp.
- 1 unidentified caterpillar

Later
- 1 small crane-fly sp., perhaps Phylidorea ferruginea
- 1 another plumed midge sp
- 1 Red-and-Black Froghopper (Cercopis vulnerata)
- 1 unidentified glass snail (same as yesterday?)
- 1 unidentified slug
and
- Beaked Hawksbeard (Crepis vesicaria) flowering on the dam

The mist over the lake.

VERY distant I am sure this Great Crested Grebe has juvenile(s) on its back, hidden by the raised wings.

Managed a Common Sandpiper photo that shows the legs and feet – too often this year they have been hidden in the vegetation. We can just make out the diagnostic white streak extending up the shoulder.

This is one of the hawksbeard species but which ....? 

Luckily I remembered to take a photo that included the leaves and this identifies it as Beaked Hawksbeard (Crepis vesicaria). I have not logged this species here before but have probably overlooked or misidentified it.

Not at all sure about this plumed midge. The species I usually record – Chironomus plumosus – does not have a banded abdomen. My reference suggests that it is the only midge where the wings are shorter than the body .... so?

Another small plumed midge unusually seen somewhere other than on a lamp pole. A very thin body and the plumes are just a ‘fuzz’ in front of the head.

This seems to be a small crane-fly sp. I think the wings are at right-angles to the camera It seems to fit Phylidorea ferruginea (no vernacular name).

I inadvertently gave this spider sp. its breakfast. Not sure what the small flying-thing I disturbed is either. Not a good morning for IDs!

A rather strange-looking slug sp. with an apparently spotted and angled keel. Did not help me identify it!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:05 – 06:40

(117th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- again just the one brood of five Mallard ducklings located
- a Coot was again still brooding its young so no check on the number was possible
- a Sedge Warbler was back singing where I first saw a bird on Wednesday. Wednesday’s bird? Yesterday’s bird? All the same bird? All different birds? As there is really insufficient suitable habitat around the water’s edge my vote would be for three birds, each moving through

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Jackdaws

Hirundines noted
None

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler as ever
- 2 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 14 Canada Geese only
- 17 (12♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 12 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 5 Moorhens
- 22 + ? (1 brood) Coots again

Some while after sun up with the mist rolling around. Almost qualifies as a sunrise photo.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

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

At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 Moorhen

The Moorhen here usually ignores me or sometimes scampers out of the way. Today it took to the air and crashed in to the small amount of open water on the very overgrown pool and landed on top of a pair of Mallard. They rather took exception to this and flew off

(Ed Wilson)

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

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Local area
Today's Sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
Common Scoter
(Andy Latham)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)