Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 05:55 // 06:50 – 08:25
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:45
10.0°C > 11.0°C: Cloudy at medium level with some drizzle / light rain for a while. Light NW wind. Moderate visibility
Sunrise: 05:07 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 05:55 // 06:50 – 08:25
(131st visit of the year)
Bird notes from today
- Mallard ducklings relocated, though rather fewer (five) than when first seen (seven)
- a pair of Tufted Duck flew in. They stayed less than 10 minutes
- two of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes were in the water for a while: they soon climbed back on-board’ with their less adventurous sibling
- some adult and juveniles Coots I am sure were still sheltering in the reeds
- a juvenile Tawny Owl heard begging at 04:30
- a Great Spotted Woodpecker heard drumming: rather late in the season? Re-establishing its territory ahead of a second brood?
- no trace of yesterday’s ‘extra’ Common Whitethroat
- a lone adult Starling seen, unusually, on one of the lamps along Castle Farm Way (birds, including juveniles, seen feeding on verges in the estate)
- 10 different Song Thrushes singing today – more than for several weeks and a healthy number
- a Mistle Thrush heard singing and then a pair seen on the football field. After a battle between at least four birds in mid-March I have had only very occasional sightings of single birds leaving the wooded W end and heard almost no song. I more or less assumed that nesting had failed. Perhaps they are having a try at another brood?
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 3 Canada Geese (outbound)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 20 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted
- 6 Swifts
- 1 Sand Martin
- 2 Barn Swallows
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler as usual
- 23 (20) Blackcaps
- 2 (1) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 17 + 4 (2 broods) Coots
- 2 Common Sandpipers
On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 Earwig sp. (likely Forficula auricularia)
Seen later
- 1 Grey Squirrel again
The duck Mallard with her five ducklings.
It is difficult to look elegant when your feathers are awry trying to keep the children on board.
Here comes Dad (I assume) with breakfast.
“Me, me, me ... give it to me”. Mum must have a good sense of balance not to capsize.
“Go on son – get that down you”.
It does look rather a big meal for a small Great Crested Grebe.
“Oh dear! where did that go?”
Try again.
But even this youngster seems instinctively to be able to reposition the fish for head-first down the hatch.
It still looks too big and the last I saw was Mum (I assume) eating what looked like the same fish.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:45
(124th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- the Mute Swans had moved to the island where four cygnets were swimming about. It is possible the other two cygnets were being brooded by the pen – she was lying rather sprawled out
- the other two current broods of Mallard ducklings located with five and eight ducklings respectively
- there were three Great Crested Grebes today. None of them seemed to be interested in either of the others, let alone thinking about nesting
- I was amazed to find that there are in fact three well-grown juvenile Coots – I have only ever logged two previously. No sign that any of the other nests have juveniles as yet
- no sight or sound of yesterday’s Garden Warbler
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Cormorants
- 6 Feral Pigeons
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Swallow
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler as usual
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
The counts from the water:
- 3 + 4? Mute Swans (see notes)
- 20 Canada Geese
- 21 (15♂) + 11 (2 broods) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 22 + 3 (1 brood) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash
At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen again
- 1 (1) Goldcrest again
At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 party of Long-tailed Tits
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
Note.
A few days ago I visited Anglesey. Here are a few images from my trip Click Here
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:00 – 06:45
(124th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- the Mute Swans had moved to the island where four cygnets were swimming about. It is possible the other two cygnets were being brooded by the pen – she was lying rather sprawled out
- the other two current broods of Mallard ducklings located with five and eight ducklings respectively
- there were three Great Crested Grebes today. None of them seemed to be interested in either of the others, let alone thinking about nesting
- I was amazed to find that there are in fact three well-grown juvenile Coots – I have only ever logged two previously. No sign that any of the other nests have juveniles as yet
- no sight or sound of yesterday’s Garden Warbler
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 2 Cormorants
- 6 Feral Pigeons
- 3 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Swallow
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler as usual
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
The counts from the water:
- 3 + 4? Mute Swans (see notes)
- 20 Canada Geese
- 21 (15♂) + 11 (2 broods) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 22 + 3 (1 brood) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Between the lake and The Flash
At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen again
- 1 (1) Goldcrest again
At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 party of Long-tailed Tits
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
Note.
A few days ago I visited Anglesey. Here are a few images from my trip Click Here
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day..........
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Curlew
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Wrekin
5 Tree Pipits
2 Common Redstart
2 Spotted Flycatchers
5 Pied Flycatcher
5 Wood Warblers
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Wrekin
21 Crossbill
4 Wood Warbler
Pied Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Tree Pipit
(Glenn Bishton)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Curlew
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Wrekin
5 Tree Pipits
2 Common Redstart
2 Spotted Flycatchers
5 Pied Flycatcher
5 Wood Warblers
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Wrekin
21 Crossbill
4 Wood Warbler
Pied Flycatcher
Common Redstart
Tree Pipit
(Glenn Bishton)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)