27 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:05 – 07:35
The Flash:  07:40 – 08:30

9.0°C > 11.0°C:  Areas of mainly medium / high cloud. Moderate W wind. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 04:57 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:05 – 07:35

(137th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- Fishermen reported that the pair of Mute Swans had just three cygnets on the water yesterday. These were being subjected to much disturbance from a ‘speed-boat’ causing ‘excessive’ wash. I did not see the cygnets this morning. Hopefully they were still being brooded and had not yet been allowed on the water today.
- The Tufted Ducks were confusing again. A pair ‘appeared’ on the water after 06:00 and then ‘disappeared’. At c.07:00 two pairs flew low W. Then a few minutes later four birds – three drakes – arrived from the W. Two drakes soon left, with the pair following a few minutes later. At 07:20 there was a pair of the water again. You work it out!
- Perhaps the ‘speed-boat’ took a toll of the juvenile Coots? Fewer again today.
- The first large gulls – three Lesser Black-backed and one Herring Gull – flew over at the early time of 04:25.
- At c.06:45 a vehicle pulled in to the Castle Farm Way lay-by: a man got out and released 25 Racing Pigeons. I have not seen this before: the fishermen, who are often present all day, say it not an uncommon sight.
- Swifts overhead from 04:50 with numbers building to c.15 before they all left. After 06:30 birds started to (re)appear, eventually more than 25 overhead. Same birds?
- 10 House Martins to the NW, over the estate at 05:25. At least four, with Swifts, over the lake at 07:00 may or may not have been some of these.
- No Willow Warbler heard today. First blank day for more than eight weeks. One bird has been singing from the same two trees more or less throughout that time.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 2 Greylag Geese (outbound)
- 3 Canada Geese (inbound)
- 4 (2) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 4 Cormorants
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 42 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
- 5 Starlings

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows
- >10 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- [no Willow Warbler]
- 18 (16) Blackcaps
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Sedge Warblers
- 8 (8) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area:
- 2 [+ 3 (1 brood)] Mute Swans (see notes)
- 8 (7♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- >6 (>4) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 17 + 7 (3 broods) Coots

On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) moth
- 1 Common stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa)

Seen later
- >1 pipistrelle-type bat
- >2 noctule-type bats
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) moth
- 1 Grey Squirrel

Another one of those mornings with some dramatic colours early when there were a few gaps in the cloud. This at 04:45.

It was a very strange sunrise too with the previous view fading fast but colour ‘the wrong way’ – this looking SW(!) some five minutes later.

The only way I could count the released Racing Pigeons was to photograph them as they swirled around orientating themselves and ‘count the dots’ – 25.

On a lamp pole a Small Phoenix (Ecliptopera silaceata) moth. My 17th species of moth here this year.

Later this closely-related species of Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) moth appeared. My 18th species of moth here this year. It is frequently disturbed from vegetation during the day.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash:  07:40 – 08:30

(131st visit of the year)

Another ‘later-than-usual’ visit. Today the warblers were singing more or less as normal.

Notes from here:
- Predictably the Gadwall gone again.
- It was the turn of the brood of eight variable-size Mallard ducklings to be on duty today.
- More adult Mallards too.
- It looked as if one of the Great Crested Grebes was sitting on a (rather makeshift) nest.
- Many Swifts and good to see a few House Martins amongst them.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Jackdaw

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >20 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 4 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (4) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler

The counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans again
- 14 Canada Geese
- 26 (20♂) + 8 (1 brood) Mallard
- 14 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Moorhens
- 30 + 6 (2 broods) Coots

The duck Mallard with eight young. Becoming hard to tell which is the adult – she is top left. Made somewhat easier with a few showing their obviously ‘short’ wings. They cannot really be called ‘ducklings’ any more with some beginning to get bill markings to enable sexing of them. I reckon the second up on the left will be a drake – the unmarked slightly yellow-green tone.

A trio of juvenile Coots growing up. These youngsters, from the second brood I have seen here this year, have lost their ugly red heads but are hardly ‘cuddly’. The parent looks rather disinterested.

A spotty juvenile Robin bravely standing in the middle of the path – until the next dog-walker comes along.

I found this flower and have struggled to identify it. I think it likely a garden escape. It looks as if it is (related to) Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris).

I remembered to photograph the leaves as well. These are not right for the ‘wild’ flower which is also typically mauve rather than pink. Hence I suspect a garden escape cultivar.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Egrets
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Ringed Plover
(John Isherwood)