29 May 19

Priorslee Lake, The Flash, Trench Lock Pool and Trench Middle Pool

Priorslee Lake:  04:05 – 05:40 // 06:35 – 09:05
The Flash:  05:45 – 06:30
Trench Lock Pool:  09:15 – 09:25 // 10:00 – 10:30
Trench Middle Pool:  09:30 – 09:55

5.0°C > 12.0°C:  Clear start with high cloud spreading from W and lowering. A few spots later. Calm start with strengthening SE breeze. Very good visibility

Sunrise: 04:54 BST

Priorslee Lake:  04:05 – 05:40 // 06:35 – 09:05

(140th visit of the year)

Bird notes from today
- The good news is that the pair of Mute Swans have six cygnets (and not three as reported to me over the weekend).
- A first-year Mute Swan flew over the lake without even thinking about landing.
- A party of 14 Canada Geese (with one Greylag Goose) arrived from the S at c.08:00.
- The two surviving Mallard ducklings seen again.
- A pair of Tufted Ducks were here, then they weren’t: repeat ....!
- Two parties of Feral Pigeons – likely Racing Pigeons – comprising 9 and 29 birds, flew NW. Later two birds flew W.
- Three Swifts arrived at 04:40 again with eventually at least 10 of these early arrivals. They all left. Later >40 ‘hirundines’ of all species were charging around.
- Generally less song now – see lower number of Blackcaps in particular.
- Against this trend Common Whitethroats (re)appeared at sites quiet for some days. One singing bird in the hedge separating the football field from Teece Drive. Another calling male at the E end of the S side.
- A Linnet seen behind the sailing club shelter again. Must be nesting in the area surely?

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 1 Mute Swan
- 5 Canada Geese (2 outbound; 3 inbound)
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 40 Feral Pigeons (3 groups)
- 2 Stock Doves
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 45 Jackdaws
- 32 Rooks
- 2 Starlings again

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >16 Swifts
- 1 Sand Martin
- >8 Barn Swallows
- >12 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 7 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 14 (13) Blackcaps
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers
- 3 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 14 Canada Geese
- 9 (8♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 16 + 15 (4 broods) Coots

on the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 midge sp

Seen later
- 1 White Ermine moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda)
- 1 Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata)
- many Common Green Capsid (bugs) (Lygocoris pabulinus)
- 1 Striped Oak Bug (Calocoris striatellus)
- 1 crane fly sp., I think Tipula lunata
- several small crane-flies, probably Rhipidia maculata
- many Common stretch-spiders (Tetragnatha extensa)
- probably flowering Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta)
- the first orchid flower this year – Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata)?
- 1 Grey Squirrel

The early-bird sunrise at 04:30 with the clear sky to the east already being replaced by high cloud. 

That high cloud give some good colour as the sun rose. Here at 05:00. 

Two Barn Swallows sitting on the sailing club jetty. Note the long streamers on the closer bird indicating it is a male. Note too how the eyes ‘bulge’ allowing the birds to see any danger behind them even while focussing on catching the insects ahead of them.

A Common Whitethroat being more approachable than many this year. 

‘Only’ a male Pied Wagtail but very handsome nevertheless. 

A White Ermine moth (Spilosoma lubricipeda). My 19th species of moth this year here. I usually find this, and the closely related Buff Ermine, on the lamp posts and was surprised to see this sitting in vegetation.

A Brimstone Moth (Opisthograptis luteolata). My 20th species of moth this year here. I find this species more frequently away from the lamps.

This is a crane fly sp., I think Tipula lunata. 

‘My life is hanging by a thread’ – a crane-fly caught in a web. 

I think this is another of the same. It seems to be of the genus Rhipidia and probably R. maculata. My references do not show detailed wing-patterns for all these species.

This rather splendid little fellow is a Striped Oak Bug (Calocoris striatellus). Perhaps new for me though I may have misidentified it previously.

This is clearly a species of vetch. I have not recorded a white form here previously. 

Lying across the picture is the leaf (ignore the mauve flower behind from the very common Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca)). I probably need to wait until the flowers are fully open but I am thinking it is Hairy Tare (Vicia hirsuta).

I get very confused with orchids as some species are very variable. I think this, with unspotted leaves, is an Early Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza incarnata).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  05:45 – 06:30

(133rd visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- 14 of the Canada Geese flew in as one party. [If these were the 14 birds that flew in to the lake later, then they had picked up a Greylag Goose friend en route]
- The broods of eight and five Mallard ducklings seen again.
- An adult Lesser Black-backed Gull dropped in to drink and then left.
- Declining number of singing warblers noted here as well.
and
- The same Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) on the same lamp post.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Jackdaw again

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans
- 31 Canada Geese
- 27 (18♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard
- 13 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 26 + 6 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

A full adult Lesser Black-backed Gull dropped in for a drink. Note no black at all on the bill and the contrast between the charcoal wings and the black tips. Very smart.

A family party of Blue Tits was moving through these dead stems of willowherb from last year. I had hoped for a juvenile to pop up but this adult will do.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

NB: both pools are now so overgrown that Moorhens can usually only be recorded when they are on the grass alongside the pools.

At or around the lower pool (singing birds):
- 1 Moorhen
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs

At or around the upper pool (singing birds):
- 1 Moorhen

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool:  09:15 – 09:25 // 10:00 – 10:30

(27th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- One of the two Mute Swans again sitting throughout.
- Very low number of adult Coots. Some of these seemed to be re-sitting on nests so perhaps more hiding away.
- Same sub-adult Herring Gull as seen at Middle Pool (q.v.)?
- several of the House Martins seemed to be heading to or from the NE. I could not locate any birds feeding over the local estates.
- Two Grey Wagtails glimpsed again: seemed to be both juveniles.

Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 8 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- [feral Mallard not located]
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Moorhen
- 12 + 7 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Herring Gull

A fine-looking second summer Herring Gull. Bill with a black tip and just a hint of a red spot on the lower mandible.

And here it is flying off, showing the pale inner primaries. Looks far more ‘immature’ in the air than it did on the buoy.

A new flower for the year –Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Not yet logged at the lake this year where most plants flower about a week later than here at Trench. Trench is slightly lower and has a warmer micro-climate.

This IS in flower at the lake. The platform at the top of the pool here enabled this elevated shot looking down on this Yellow Flag (Iris pseudacorus).

Another flower not yet showing at the lake is Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara). A poisonous plant. Although common I find it for some reason ‘missing’ from my log of plants seen around the lake.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool:  09:30 – 09:55

(27th visit of the year)

Notes from here
- Mute Swans still showing no inclination to nest
- Greylag Geese goslings of various ages. 14 of these ‘crèched’ and difficult to discern how many broods involved. These, at least, seem safe from predation whilst some very new broods are possibly vulnerable
- All the Canada Goose goslings were ‘crèched’ with five of the adults ‘off-site’ at the edge of the adjacent housing estate
- Only one juvenile Great Crested Grebe seen
- A sub-adult Herring Gull appeared, seeming ‘on the hunt’. Found some bread and that seemed to put it off attempting to snatch any of the goslings
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel – my first of the year here

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws

No hirundines etc. noted:

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 24 + 25 (6? broods) Greylag Geese
- 66 + 14 (4 broods) Canada Geese
- 14 (12♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard again
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks still
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebe
- 4 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 18 + 16 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Herring Gull

Is this the same immature Herring Gull? The ‘step’ between the secondaries and the primaries where the inner primaries have been moulted is very obvious here. Note the (same?) black on the bill tip.

This Lesser Black-backed Gull only came to have a look at then flew on. It shows the same ‘step’ in the trailing edge of the wing. This bird shows a small amount of black and almost no red on the bill so is an immature – probably also a second summer bird. It is chastening to realise that this moult is the start of transition to winter plumage for these birds. Where did summer go?

 Is a ‘huddle’ of Mallard a proper collective noun? How many? What ages?

(Ed Wilson)

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

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Sedge Warbler
5 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
2 Dunlin
1 Sanderling
(Andy Latham)

2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Tufted Ducks
Ed Wilson

2007
Priorslee Lake
Swifts
Kestrel
Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Adlam)