31 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:05 – 05:45 // 06:45 – 08:20
The Flash:  05:50 – 06:40

12.0°C > 15.0°C:  Mostly cloudy. Calm start: light SSW breeze later. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:52 BST.

Priorslee Lake: 04:05 – 05:45 // 06:45 – 08:20

(142nd visit of the year)

I was correct in thinking that the bank along the side of the football field had been left un-mown by oversight. Yesterday the football field was cut and so was the bank. Its array of wildflowers is no more.

Bird notes from today
- Two (near) adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls stopped off for a few minutes and chose to sit atop the sailing club shelter. The pen Mute Swan decided, perhaps wisely, to round up the cygnets and put them on her back for the duration.
- Two Barn Swallows flew high N at 05:15 and were perhaps late arriving migrants. I guess if you are an insect-eater and breed in Iceland then there is not much point getting there before June. Several singles / pairs later were perhaps more local birds?
- Song from the Sedge Warbler has become increasingly intermittent recently so this morning’s lack of song was perhaps to be expected.
- House Sparrows in the grounds of the academy again. This species is becoming regular inside my recording area.

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 19 Canada Geese (15 outbound; 4 inbound)
- 1 Cormorant again
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Stock Doves
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 84 Jackdaws
- 27 Rooks
- 1 Starling

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >15 Swifts
- >10 Barn Swallows
- 4 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (17) Blackcaps
- 5 (4) Garden Warblers again
- 1 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- [no Sedge Warbler]
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers again

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 11 (10♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard again
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks throughout
- 1 Grey Heron at dawn only
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen
- 26 + 20 (7 broods) Coots
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls briefly

Still nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn.

Seen later:
- 2 Silver-ground Carpet moths (Xanthorhoe montanata)
- >2 noctule-type bats
and
- the first spikes of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii)

Mostly cloudy this morning though a brief clearance produced this early view at 05:15 – so some 25 minutes after sunrise.

The Mute Swans and their new cygnets have previously been ‘down the other end’ – seems a long way for the little cygnets to paddle. Today they were on the concrete ramp for all to see – parents with all seven cygnets.

Ah! Not easy to see there are seven from this angle. 

 Life is exhausting – time for a sleep. 

A Grey Heron against the sunrise wash on the lake. The heron is still in breeding plumage with the long back feathers (aigrettes) and the long black feather on the nape.

What seems to be spikes of Common Spotted Orchid (Orchis (Dactylorhiza) fuchsii) 

The basal leaves are certainly spotted! 

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  05:50 – 06:40

(135th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- The brood of five Mallard ducklings are now almost full-size and apart from having ‘short’ wings could easily pass as duck Mallard. Several are now somewhat independent and not always with their parents or siblings.
- Yesterday the only Great Crested Grebe was on the water and I could not locate a bird at the nest site. Today the only bird seen was on the putative nest.
- All the Swifts were very high up and screaming around. Did not seem to be any House Martins with them.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 5 Feral Pigeons
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Rook

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >40 Swifts

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

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans
- 22 Canada Geese
- 26 (17♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard
- 12 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 + 5 (2 broods) Coots

Signs of healthy eating by the Coots! This debris in the empty nest – the youngsters were ‘out and about’ this morning.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

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

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

(Ed Wilson)

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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

2013
Long Lane, Wellington
13 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
(JW Reeves)

30 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  04:10 – 05:55 // 06:50 – 08:40
The Flash:  06:00 – 06:45

12.0°C > 17.0°C:  Variable cloud with a few good breaks. Light / moderate SSW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 04:53 BST.

Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 05:55 // 06:50 – 08:40

(141st visit of the year)

Species added to my 2019 bird log from here
92      Common Tern
A bird dropped in at 07:50, did two circuits of the water, made a half-hearted attempt at diving for a fish and then left.

Other bird notes from today
- Need to go back to skool to do more ‘sums’. The Mute Swans have seven cygnets!
- At 04:20 there were two noisy adult Great Crested Grebes along the S side. The bird from the NW area was swimming after them. The pair with the two youngsters was nowhere to be seen – probably still in the N-side reeds. I assumed these were ‘extra’ birds. I did not see them again on the water. At 07:35 a pair of Great Crested Grebes flew W overhead – same?
- At 05:40 a distant skein of c.25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew NW. These days any skein that size is unusual, doubly so at the end of May when there have been no recent gales. Two singles over later

Bird totals:

Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 3 Canada Geese (outbound)
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- >25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 4 Wood Pigeons only again
- 60 Jackdaws
- 19 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 6 House Martins

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 18 (17) Blackcaps
- 5 (4) Garden Warblers
- 3 (1) (Common) Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 7 (7) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 11 (10♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks
- 5 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 2 Moorhens
- 22 + 17 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Tern

nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn.

Seen later
NB: From now on I will generally only report insects when they are new for the year; or there are particularly unusual number or behaviour. However ALL moth sightings will be logged.
- 2 Silver-ground Carpet (Xanthorhoe montanata).
- At least 2 Common Nettle-tap micro-moths (Anthophila fabriciana).
- Numerous freshly emerged and unidentified damselflies on the exit sluice platform.
- 1 female Red-eyed Damselfly found at rest.
- 1 probable Common Orange Legionnaire fly (Beris vallata).
- 1 male Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis).
- an unidentified fly with green shoulders and a striped body.
- I confirmed the presence of the caddis flies Mystacides longicornis. They are rather similar to several species of micro moths also with long antenna.
- Many slugs and snails including a Glossy Glass Snail (Oxychilus navarricus).
- >2 pipistrelle-type bats.
- >6 noctule-type bats. My largest number for many years. These were mixed up with the early Swift arrivals at 04:35.
- 1 Grey Squirrel again.

Some early colour to the sunrise at 04:40. 

But for the most part just an ‘interesting sky’.

A record shot of the two Great Crested Grebes flying over. 

Another record shot only of this morning’s Common Tern as it departed.

This is one of the freshly-emerged damselflies drying out on the sluice platform. I cannot identify the species from this early, uncoloured teneral.

Another damselfly and none too easy. I am fairly confident this is a female Red-eyed Damselfly. The eyes are hardly ‘red’ but they are certainly not black. The small yellow patch on top of the thorax seems the best clue.

This fly with a black thorax and orange body is likely a Common Orange Legionnaire (Beris vallata) – we cannot see the colour on the tibia of the hind leg to allow separation from other, uncommon, Beris sp. The shading in the wing tells us this is a male.

An interestingly striped fly with green shoulders. 

Another view of a different specimen. 

Moments later it closed its wings and the striped body was no longer visible. Sadly I cannot get close to identifying this.

On safer territory here. My best effort at a Scorpion Fly (Panorpa communis) this year. The ‘sting’ is in fact the male genitalia.

Here we see the, patterned wings, long antenna and red eyes of the caddis fly Mystacides longicornis. These dance in profusion above the lake-side vegetation when the sun is out. Then the only stationary individuals are those caught in spider webs. Here the sun has gone in and this one settled in view.

After yesterday’s rain the slugs and snails were out in force. With a dark band at front edge of its shell this seems to be a Glossy Glass Snail (Oxychilus navarricus).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  06:00 – 06:45

(134th visit of the year)

Notes from here:
- Tufted Duck again difficult to count with some birds on and off the island; and others flying about. The pair seen flying over did not seem to originate from here. Were they the pair seen later on the lower pool (q.v.)?
- No idea why fewer Coots logged. Only one juvenile from the original brood seen, though there are many places for them to hide near their nest site.
- The Willow Warbler has stopped singing here now, four days after the one stopped singing at the lake. Yesterday this one was much more mobile than usual. Perhaps he has a family to feed? I did not hear any calls.
and
- Several shield-bugs on lamp poles, likely all Common Green Shieldbugs (Palomena prasina).

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 3 Wood Pigeons

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Swifts

Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans as usual
- 29 Canada Geese
- 22 (14♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 5 Moorhens
- 19 + 4 (2 broods) Coots

A grotty photo of a shieldbug high up on a lamp pole and taken against the morning sun. Worth showing to illustrate the colour on what I believe to be an instar of Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina) – there were several ‘green’ individuals nearby.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

At or around the lower pool (singing birds):
The Tufted Duck were a surprise
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Moorhen heard

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

(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
Long Lane, Wellington
13 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
(JW Reeves)

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)

28 May 19

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

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.

This is almost certainly a Common Green Capsid (bug) (Lygocoris pabulinus). There are similar species that require a hand lens to separate: this is by far the most abundant.

An abundant shrub around the lake is Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) that has these distinctive flower clusters. The shrub has many alternative names – dogberry; water elder; cramp bark; snowball tree; European cranberry bush ....

Another abundant shrub in flower at the moment is this dogwood (Cornus sp.). There are a number of species and there are many cultivars sold in garden centres. I think from looking at the visible stem and the tight arrangement of the star-like flowers that this is likely Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea).

(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

A Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae) on a rather defaced lamp post. The caterpillars of this moth are the yellow and black hooped ‘rugby shirted’ insects whose favourite food is Common Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris).

(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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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

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Cuckoo
(Martin Adlam)