Priorslee Lake: 04:20 – 06:00 // 06:55 – 08:50
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:50
8.0°C > 11.0°C: Mostly cloudy at medium/high level. Calm with light SE wind later. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:03 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:20 – 06:00 // 06:55 – 08:50
(133rd visit of the year)
Bird notes from today
- Four Canada Geese were visible on the water when I arrived: at least another heard calling. They all left before I could get a clear view of the whole water and see exactly how many were present.
- The pair of Tufted Duck flew off W at 04:35. Thereafter a drake flew over W at 05:25; a pair flew over W at 07:50; and another pair flew W at 08:35. I do not see this species flying over that often so this was unusual.
- Perhaps the cloudy weather was keeping juvenile Coots hiding: many fewer than yesterday and one brood of five totally missing.
- A rather late Common Sandpiper. Strangely this year most of the birds seem to have arrived well after I have. In previous years I have expected to find them on the SW grass pre-dawn. Difficult to know whether individuals have stayed more than one day: 26 bird-days since the first on 09 April is a good number anyway.
- A Racing / Feral Pigeon was on the N side grass at 08:30. Typically allowed close approach though of course it could simply have been exhausted and lost. I photographed the rings without coming to any conclusion.
- A trio of Jackdaws settled in the N side trees briefly. Unusual. Perhaps juveniles being taught to fly and needing a rest?
- In addition to the regular six locations of singing Reed Warblers more(?) bird(s) sing some days from other locations. This morning I saw four birds fly out of main N side reed bed with two of these apparently start singing elsewhere – though of course they could have just been interlopers that triggered the resident birds to start singing.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 4 Greylag Geese (inbound)
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Stock Dove
- 10 Wood Pigeon
- 57 Jackdaws
- 27 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 3 House Martins again
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (1) Willow Warblers
- 18 (17) Blackcaps
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 11 (8)? Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5+ Canada Geese: departed 04:50
- 12 (10♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks: departed 04:35
- 4 + 3 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 3 Moorhens
- 22 + 11 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- the wing of a moth, probably a Common Marbled Carpet, in a spider’s web
Not much seen later in cloudy weather:
- 3 Red-and-Black Froghoppers (Cercopis vulnerata)
- 1 crane-fly, probably Rhipidia maculata
Another sunrise for the early risers at 05:10.
And if you stayed in bed until after 05:40 this is what you missed.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:05 – 06:50
(127th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- The Greylag Geese were perhaps the four seen flying W over the lake some 10 minutes earlier. They soon left.
- It was the turn of the brood of five Mallard ducklings to be on duty this morning.
- None of the Mallards was seen on the house roofs today – the first time for many weeks. Why do they do this?
- Eventually, after several inconclusive snatches of song, the Garden Warbler started singing again. While I was investigating I also heard the same calls as yesterday. Checking the xeno-canto web site I am fairly sure these calls do come from this species. However the calls were coming from some distance from where the singing bird was – and has been throughout. So?
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 4 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Wood Pigeons again
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Starling
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
- 2 (1)? Garden Warblers (see notes)
The counts from the water:
- 3 + 5 Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese – flew off
- 20 Canada Geese
- 21 (13♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Moorhen only again
- 27 + 3 (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 only
- 2 (1) Chiffchaff
- 2 (1) Blackcaps – both males
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel
At or around the upper pool (singing birds):
- 2 (1) Mallard in the Wesley Brook above the pool
- 1 adult Moorhen seen
(Ed Wilson)
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