8 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash (not in that order)

Priorslee Lake:  10:30 – 12:00
The Flash:  09:45 – 10:20 // 12:10 – 12:15

7.0°C > 8.0°C:  Low overcast with light rain / drizzle more or less throughout. Moderate E wind. Mainly moderate visibility

[Sunrise: 05:25 BST]

With heavy rain and gusty winds an early visit did not seem likely to be worthwhile. Later as the rain eased I went to look if any migrants had been brought down. They hadn’t – or at least I didn’t find any

Priorslee Lake:  10:30 – 12:00

(121st visit of the year)

I did not make my customary counts as many things were not singing.

Noted from today
- Grey Heron present: been absent for the last few days
- Little Grebe(s) were calling continually along the N side. Later two birds seen fighting
- no Sedge Warbler seen or heard here. Could it be the bird noted earlier at The Flash?
- otherwise all the usual warbler species were present, though I did not determine numbers
- the only Swift was over the Ricoh copse briefly
- very many hirundines with birds over the water, flying low over the dam-face and the recently cut grass between the dam and Castle Farm Way. Almost all of these birds were Sand Martins
and
- Grey Squirrel seen
- Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) was new here

Bird totals

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake
None

Hirundines etc. noted
- 1 Swift
- >120 Sand Martins
- >10 Barn Swallows
- >5 House Martins

Warblers species noted (singing birds)
- Chiffchaff
- Willow Warbler
- Blackcap
- Garden Warbler
- (Common) Whitethroat
- Reed Warbler

The counts from the lake area:
No doubt many birds hiding from the rain
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes at least
- 1 Great Crested Grebe only
- 1 Moorhen
- 11 Coots

Somewhere inside this (very) distant splashing were two Little Grebes.

One hurries away to the left, typically ‘pattering’ across the surface while the other watches. The Coot is unimpressed.

Another day of low cloud, drizzle and wind had brought the hirundines low over the water. So I had to have another go at getting some pictures. This was my only successful House Martin photo showing the broad white rump and rather tubby appearance.

This Sand Martin seems to be catching flies – but then it does! Much browner and without the white rump.

The plan view.

Not quite a plan view. This closer bird shows more feather detail.

Even Sand Martins can look quite tubby.

Then I found where birds were resting between sorties and re-arranging their wet feathers. These conditions only happen every few years so I took full advantage of the photo opportunity offered. Here we see four Sand Martins and a Barn Swallow. Note the dark blue back of the swallow compared with the brown of the martins.

A line-up of a Barn Swallow and three Sand Martins. The long tail streamers on the swallow are evident – longer in the male, though without any comparison I would be loath to guess which sex this is.

One of each in similar pose.

And two Barn Swallows and a Sand Martin. The tail streamers of the two swallows are not quite fully visible to have a realistic chance of sexing them.

A quartet of Sand Martins get down to the business of preening.

‘Form a circle’. A whole bunch of Sand Martins.

Two watch the departing bird. I have never really appreciated the short ‘zip’ down the chest of this species previously. The dark eye-sockets are clearly seen on the middle bird.

“Left-hand bird signal left. Right-hand bird signal right. I’ll sit here and watch”.

“Give us a kiss”.

 “Is that ‘dance of the seven veils’ supposed to impress me?” 

“What do you think of it so far?”

“Is this my best side?”

“We’ve come all the way from sunny Africa and just look at the weather”.

These do not look much happier.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:45 – 10:20 // 12:10 – 12:15

(114th visit of the year)

Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
68      Swift
four birds overhead as I arrived. As soon as the rain gave way to drizzle these departed
69      Sedge Warbler
a bird photographed singing along the W side. Only my second-ever at this site. Previously a bird was here for a few days from 22 April 2018

Other notes from here:
- not sure about the Mallard ducklings. I saw a duck with five ducklings. Later, and twice in almost the same place that the five had been seen, there were just three ducklings. Was this the same brood now diminished? Or a second brood using the same stretch of water?
- the nest of the Coots that had young was empty. The adults were apparently collecting and preparing food though no juveniles were seen on the water

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Hirundines noted
- 4 Swifts
- c.10 Sand Martins
- c.4 Barn Swallows
- c.6 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 10 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler

The counts from the water:
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese yet again
- 21 (14♂) + 5 (8?) (? broods) Mallard (see notes)
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 3 Moorhens
- 22 + ? (1 brood) Coots

Necessarily through the vegetation we can nevertheless see this is a Sedge Warbler by the big creamy eyebrow and the streaked crown.

Another not entirely satisfactory view. Note the long middle claw visible on the left foot – ideal for gripping slippery sedges.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

At or around the lower pool (singing birds)
- 1 (1) Goldcrest
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

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

(Ed Wilson)

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

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
6 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Spotted Flycatcher
5 Black Terns
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatears
3 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)