Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:40 // 06:30 – 08:15
The Flash: 05:45 – 06:25
9.0°C > 10.0°C: Mostly cloudy; showers arriving. Moderate WNW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 04:55 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:15 – 05:40 // 06:30 – 08:15
(139th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
91 Yellow Wagtail
A bird flew low W over the dam at 07:20 and for a moment looked as if it might return to perch on the dam. Sadly it didn’t – I have yet to photograph this species here. A late date for a migrant? None of the nearby fields look suitable as a nest site this year for it to be a local bird.
Other bird notes from today
- The pen Mute Swan remained on the nest throughout with no sign of the cygnets. Being brooded I expect – she would not remain there if the cygnets had perished.
- An early party of Canada Geese seemed unsure where they were going, arriving from the SE, circling and leaving to the NE. Later 12 birds arrived from the S and landed
- The Tufted Ducks were confusing once again. A pair ‘appeared’ (as ever) by 06:35 and were present thereafter. A second pair dropped in at 07:10, briefly
- Two new broods of Coots, both with four juveniles.
- 4 Swifts arrived at 04:40 with numbers building and usually c.20 present. For a short while c.06:45 there were >40 dashing about
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 17 Canada Geese (?bound)
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 11 Feral Pigeons
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 32 Jackdaws
- 13 Rooks
- 2 Starlings
- 1 Yellow Wagtail
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >40 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows again
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 7 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 19 (17) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat again
- 1 (1) Sedge Warblers again
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 + ? (1 brood) Mute Swans (see notes)
- 12 Canada Geese
- 10 (9♂) Mallard
- 4 (2) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Moorhen again
- 18 + 18 (7 broods) Coots
On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata) moth
- 1 Common stretch-spider (Tetragnatha extensa) again
Seen later
- 1 Common Green Capsid (bug) (Lygocoris pabulinus)
and two species of shrub that have been flowering for some days that I have now identified:
- Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus)
- a dogwood, likely Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
‘Gimme, gimme, ...”. Junior chases after his breakfast from the parent Great Crested Grebe.
Both parents look on proudly as junior attempts to deal with the morsel.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:45 – 06:25
(132nd visit of the year)
Back to a normal early visit.
Notes from here:
- Broods of eight and five Mallard ducklings seen.
- Only the one Great Crested Grebe sitting on the makeshift nest was located.
- One Chiffchaff singing from a quite different location to any others heard recently.
and
- 1 Cinnabar (Tyria jacobaeae) moth found on a lamp post.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler again
The counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans still
- 23 Canada Geese
- 28 (20♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 4 Moorhens
- 25 + 6 (2 broods) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash
At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
At or around the upper pool (singing birds)
- 1 (0♂) Mallard on a nearby roof
(Ed Wilson)
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