Priorslee Lake: 04:35 – 06:00 // 06:50 – 09:05
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:45
Trench Lock Pool: 09:15 – 09:25 // 10:05 – 10:40
Trench Middle Pool: 09:30 – 10:00
6.0°C > 15.0°C: Sunny, hazy through thin high cloud at times. Light S wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:16 BST
Two highlights for me this morning
- a Tawny Owl flew past me to its roost at Priorslee Lake at 04:45
- a site-first of Lesser Whitethroat at Trench Lock Pool
Priorslee Lake: 04:35 – 06:00 // 06:50 – 09:05
(126th visit of the year)
Other bird notes from today
- a pair of Gadwall was a surprise: unusual date here
- no Little Grebes seen or heard
- three broods of juvenile Coots noted but only one of these was out in the open to allow counting
- why no departing Jackdaws this morning?
- at least four noisy parties of Long-tailed Tits, at least two of which included juveniles
- two singing Common Whitethroats confirmed today
- two House Sparrow sightings inside my recording area: a female was seen in the new hedge between the academy and Teece Drive, close to the gate; then a male was seen in the SW copse
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 4 Greylag Geese (2 inbound; 2 outbound)
- 1 Cormorant again
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 5 Stock Doves
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Jackdaws
- 16 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted
- 9 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 24 (21) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers still
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 9 (7) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 6 (5♂) Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck early only
- 3 + 2? (1) brood Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens again
- 18 + >6 (3 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 looper caterpillar
Later
- >5 Melanostoma scalare (Chequered Hoverfly)
- >2 Syrphus sp. hoverflies
- >40 Red-and-Black Froghoppers (Cercopis vulnerata)
- 1 Alder Fly (Sialis lutaria)
- 1 Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus)
Who is this standing on tip-toe. A clue – the white shoulder.
Aren’t Long-tailed Tits sweet? Even sweeter today as ....
Some juveniles with them. Quite a different head-pattern.
In close-up and looking rather pensive.
And from the rear. Look at the red eye-ring and the size of the eye-lids. Why do they have these?
They eye-lids look even more startling here.
A Common Whitethroat carrying food. Grey head and brown in the wing.
And facing the other way. It was managing to sing with its mouth full.
Here is Mister House Sparrow eating leaves in the SW copse. Not a house in sight.
A Red-and-Black Froghopper in close-up.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:05 – 06:45
(119th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- all three broods of Mallard ducklings located: one with three ducklings; one with five well-grown ducklings; and another with eight ducklings of assorted sizes
- both juvenile Coots noted. None of the other pairs seem to have juveniles as yet
- no Sedge Warbler seen or heard
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Swift
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 30 (20♂) + 16 (3 broods) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 + 2 (1 brood) Coots
Mum & Dad and three offspring.
Mum with five ducklings.
Mum & Dad with seven (of eight) variable-size offspring.
(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 party of Long-tailed Tits
At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 (different) party of Long-tailed Tits
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 09:15 – 09:25 // 10:05 – 10:40
(25th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
52 Lesser Whitethroat
Rattling away in dense Hawthorns alongside the dam-top, moving rapidly W
Other notes from here
- one of the two Mute Swans sitting throughout
- only one Great Crested Grebe seen: the leaves prevented me seeing in to the nest site
- another Common Sandpiper record. 2019 is my first year when I have logged migrants on multiple visits (there was a semi-resident bird in Autumn 2018 when the water-level was lowered and mud was available)
- just as I arrived a small party of large gulls approached with a few dropping in to drink, briefly
- still no sign of any local resident House Martins
- a single Grey Wagtail only glimpsed: apparently without any dark on the throat suggesting juvenile
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Feral Pigeon
Hirundines etc. noted
- 2 Swifts
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 + 5 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- [feral Mallard not located]
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 15 + 9 (3 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Herring Gulls
My second Common Sandpiper of the day.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 09:30 – 10:00
(25th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
48 Swift
Two birds overhead briefly
Other notes from here
- once more the Mute Swans show no sign of nesting
- not sure whether the Canada Geese goslings have formed a crèche: last visit the same number of goslings was split between four adults: now just two adults seemed to be looking after them all
- just one Great Crested Grebe apparently back: could not see in to the nest site now the leaves are on the trees
- good to see juvenile Moorhens – they are often kept well-hidden
- two Grey Wagtails here: not able to sex these birds. Are these two from Trench Lock or others?
Birds noted flying over / near here
None
Hirundines etc. noted
- 2 Swifts
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff again
- 4 (4) Blackcap again
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 + 14 (3 broods) Greylag Geese
- 48 + 7 (1? brood) Canada Geese
- 19 (14♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 12 + 8 (2 broods) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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