Priorslee Lake: 04:50 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 09:00
[Woodhouse Lane: 07:10 – 07:50]
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
Trench Lock Pool: 09:10 – 09:20 // 09:55 – 10:25
Trench Middle Pool: 09:25 – 09:50
6.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear to far E, otherwise started cloudy. A clearance for a while from the SW by 10:00. It did not last. Light and variable wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:27 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:50 – 06:00 // 06:45 – 09:00
(120th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
89 Lesser Whitethroat
one bird rattling away in the hedge to the E of Castle Farm Way at 05:20. Probably the same bird rattling away behind the Sailing Club shelter some 15 minutes later. Presumably moving through as nothing heard later. This often very hard to view species breeds here some years. Mainly recorded on passage
Other bird notes from today
- only one of the Willow Warblers was singing today and the other, newer arrival, was not seen or heard
- still very many Blackcaps singing with birds in new locations most days. Still sorting out territories?
- a female Bullfinch noted carrying nesting material
Bird totals
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
- 2 Canada Geese (inbound)
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 46 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted
- >4 Sand Martins
- >15 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 9 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler only
- 23 (21) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1)? Lesser Whitethroat
- 2 (2) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler only
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers again
The counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose (departed)
- 11 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks (arrived)
- Little Grebe heard only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper
On the lamp poles pre-dawn
Nothing
Later
- 2 pipistrelle-type bats
Another ‘not quite perfect’ reflection.
A bit more colour in this.
With this shot we see the white in the tail when the feathers are spread.
More so here.
And from above.
But I tried again.
(Ed Wilson)
Notes from Woodhouse Lane (07:10 – 07:50)
(14th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- the Mallard flew from the E and veered off to land in the pools by the M54 services (Bayliss Pools)
Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 (2) Skylarks
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Song Thrushes
- 3 (3) Chaffinches
- 8 Goldfinches
- 1 Linnet
- 5 (2) Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
(113th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- last year’s cygnet IS still here: must have overlooked it yesterday
- the final two Canada Geese seem to have ‘given’ up sitting on the island. That said there was a bundle of downy feathers on the path in Derwent Drive some of which was typically Canada Goose gosling yellow
- two broods of Mallard ducklings, both in reduced numbers from yesterday – five and four respectively
- Great Crested Grebes gone AWOL again
- a Coot was brooding its young so no count possible
- another Coot was especially protective of its area this morning and saw off most things apart from the Mute Swan. One of the pairs of Tufted Ducks flew off
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines noted
None
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff only
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese again
- 26 (16♂) + 9 (2 broods) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 + ? (1 brood) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Trench Middle Pool: 09:25 – 09:50
(24th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
47 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Notes from here
- the Mute Swans still show no sign of nesting
- reduced number of Canada Geese and goslings
- Tufted Duck back here as well as at Trench Lock
- no sign of any Great Crested Grebes
also
- my first Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) of the year
Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Jay
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines noted
None
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 4 (4) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 16 + 14 (3? broods) Greylag Geese
- 18 + 7 (2 broods) Canada Geese
- 13 (11♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 5 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
Two pairs of Greylag Geese with eight goslings (the top of the eighth is just visible over the upper adult). Greylag goslings are not as yellow as those of Canada Geese.
Mum Mallard with her adventurous brood of five. Reasonably well grown and I would guess out of danger of predation by any of the fish.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes from Woodhouse Lane (07:10 – 07:50)
(14th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- the Mallard flew from the E and veered off to land in the pools by the M54 services (Bayliss Pools)
Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 (2) Skylarks
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs again
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 3 (3) (Common) Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Song Thrushes
- 3 (3) Chaffinches
- 8 Goldfinches
- 1 Linnet
- 5 (2) Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 06:05 – 06:40
(113th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- last year’s cygnet IS still here: must have overlooked it yesterday
- the final two Canada Geese seem to have ‘given’ up sitting on the island. That said there was a bundle of downy feathers on the path in Derwent Drive some of which was typically Canada Goose gosling yellow
- two broods of Mallard ducklings, both in reduced numbers from yesterday – five and four respectively
- Great Crested Grebes gone AWOL again
- a Coot was brooding its young so no count possible
- another Coot was especially protective of its area this morning and saw off most things apart from the Mute Swan. One of the pairs of Tufted Ducks flew off
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 3 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines noted
None
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff only
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 5 (5) Blackcaps
The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese again
- 26 (16♂) + 9 (2 broods) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- [no Great Crested Grebes]
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 + ? (1 brood) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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 Moorhen
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Middle Pool: 09:25 – 09:50
(24th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
47 Great Spotted Woodpecker
Notes from here
- the Mute Swans still show no sign of nesting
- reduced number of Canada Geese and goslings
- Tufted Duck back here as well as at Trench Lock
- no sign of any Great Crested Grebes
also
- my first Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) of the year
Birds noted flying over / near here
- 1 Jay
- 1 Jackdaw
Hirundines noted
None
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 4 (4) Blackcap
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 16 + 14 (3? broods) Greylag Geese
- 18 + 7 (2 broods) Canada Geese
- 13 (11♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 5 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool: 09:10 – 09:20 // 09:55 – 10:25
(24th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
51 Swift
at least 20 when I first arrived. As the weather cleared these moved away
Notes from here
- one of the two Mute Swans sitting at the nest site but when she(?) got up still no sign of any eggs
- the Canada Geese with goslings were keeping well away from the swans
- no Mallard ducklings located
- first Tufted Duck for a few visits
- Great Crested Grebes seen at nest site
- a pair of Grey Wagtails seen. One carrying food and the other behaving very anxiously
also
- 1 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula) moth on one of the lamp poles: my first at this location
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Starling again
Hirundines noted
- 20 Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 + 5 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 15 Coots again
This is a Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula) moth. Lesser Swallow Prominent differs in the wing-edge markings close to the body ....
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Lock Pool: 09:10 – 09:20 // 09:55 – 10:25
(24th visit of the year)
Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
51 Swift
at least 20 when I first arrived. As the weather cleared these moved away
Notes from here
- one of the two Mute Swans sitting at the nest site but when she(?) got up still no sign of any eggs
- the Canada Geese with goslings were keeping well away from the swans
- no Mallard ducklings located
- first Tufted Duck for a few visits
- Great Crested Grebes seen at nest site
- a pair of Grey Wagtails seen. One carrying food and the other behaving very anxiously
also
- 1 Swallow Prominent (Pheosia tremula) moth on one of the lamp poles: my first at this location
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Starling again
Hirundines noted
- 20 Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 3 (2) Blackcaps
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 + 5 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 15 Coots again
The Canada Geese with their five yellow goslings.
A fine and rather annoyed male Grey Wagtail. I did not realise it at the time – there is a nearby nest.
His partner comes with food for the brood.
Yummy! Don’t you wish you were a baby Grey Wagtail?
... From a slight angle we see the ‘prominent’ – the way the wings have ‘mini-sails’ at the inner edge.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
Nedge Hill
Yellow Wagtail
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2012
Wrekin
2 Wood Warblers
4 Pied Flycatchers
(Mike Stokes)
2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
18 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Pair of 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
Nedge Hill
Yellow Wagtail
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2012
Wrekin
2 Wood Warblers
4 Pied Flycatchers
(Mike Stokes)
2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
18 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Pair of Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)