Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 08:20
[Woodhouse Lane: 06:00 – 06:50]
The Flash: 08:25 – 09:10
12.0°C > 15.0°C: Cloudy start, clearing for a while after 06:30; then cloudy again after 07:45. Very light S / SE breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:52 BST again.
Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 08:20
(143rd visit of the year)
Since yesterday contractors have now mown some – but not all - of the verges. More wildflowers lost
Bird notes from today
- One of the cygnets spent most of the time on its mother’s back. I hope it is OK. Yesterday’s photos show one of the cygnets slightly away from its siblings.
- Two of the Coot families not seen today – either still in the reeds or lost?
- A Common Tern was more adventurous today arriving c.05:45. Climbed high in to the sky at 06:35 and left to the S.
- One of the Barn Swallows seemed to emerge from the reeds around the lake at 04:45 and flew off S calling loudly.
- Rooks flying to and fro at the moment, often carrying food. Oddly they seem to be going both ways with food!
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 31 Canada Geese (all inbound)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 69 Jackdaws
- 66 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- >25 Swifts
- 4 Barn Swallows
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 17 (17) Blackcaps again
- 4 (4) Garden Warblers
- 1 (0) (Common) Whitethroat
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 10 Canada Geese (departed)
- 11 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1) Tufted Ducks throughout again
- 1 Grey Heron at dawn only again
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- [no Moorhens]
- 28 + 17 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Common Tern
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (briefly)
- 1 Herring Gull (briefly)
Again nothing on the lamp poles pre-dawn.
Seen later:
- >10 Timothy Tortrix moths (Zelotherses paleana (was Aphelia paleana))
- 1 Common Marble moth (Celypha lacunana)
- >2 Red-headed Cardinal Beetles (Pyrochroa serraticornis)
- 1 unidentified ichneumon
- >4 pipistrelle-type bats
- >3 noctule-type bats
(Ed Wilson)
Notes from Woodhouse Lane (06:00 – 06:50)
(18th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- One of the Common Whitethroats seen carrying food.
Also:
- Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) found in flower.
And a rather strange sighting of an apparent Demoiselle-type damselfly. This was glimpsed around tree-tops alongside the Wesley Brook. From my brief view before it disappeared in to leaves not to emerge was that it was a Beautiful Demoiselle. If so it would be a new species in Shropshire for me. But why would a stream-side insect be at the top of trees?
Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 5 (4) Skylarks
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 3 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 4 (4) Song Thrushes
- 5 (5) Chaffinches
- 2 Goldfinches
- 3 Linnets
- 7 (2) Yellowhammers
Although mainly cloudy there was a sunny spell while I was in Woodhouse Lane and it looked great with still fresh green colours everywhere. Woodhouse Lane itself is rarely used by traffic other than cyclists avoiding the main roads and is characteristically 3-ply.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 08:25 – 09:10
(136th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- Last year’s cygnet was being chased hard yesterday and was not noted today.
- Of the goose totals 10 Greylag and 18 Canada Geese arrived in several small groups.
- Many fewer Mallards than usual. Initially there was a ‘pile of Mallard’ on the island. Later these took to the water and revealed themselves as mostly the well-grown ducklings.
- One pair of Tufted Duck was getting real hassle from one of the Coots.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 9 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 2 (2) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 33 Canada Geese
- 12 (8♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard only
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 9 Moorhens
- 21 + 8 (3 broods) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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Notes from Woodhouse Lane (06:00 – 06:50)
(18th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- One of the Common Whitethroats seen carrying food.
Also:
- Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) found in flower.
And a rather strange sighting of an apparent Demoiselle-type damselfly. This was glimpsed around tree-tops alongside the Wesley Brook. From my brief view before it disappeared in to leaves not to emerge was that it was a Beautiful Demoiselle. If so it would be a new species in Shropshire for me. But why would a stream-side insect be at the top of trees?
Totals of ‘interesting’ species (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Pheasant
- 5 (4) Skylarks
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps
- 3 (1) (Common) Whitethroat
- 4 (4) Song Thrushes
- 5 (5) Chaffinches
- 2 Goldfinches
- 3 Linnets
- 7 (2) Yellowhammers
Now would you prefer your smart Yellowhammer against green foliage? Or ...
... blue sky?
Another view looking toward the distant Clee Hills.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 08:25 – 09:10
(136th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- Last year’s cygnet was being chased hard yesterday and was not noted today.
- Of the goose totals 10 Greylag and 18 Canada Geese arrived in several small groups.
- Many fewer Mallards than usual. Initially there was a ‘pile of Mallard’ on the island. Later these took to the water and revealed themselves as mostly the well-grown ducklings.
- One pair of Tufted Duck was getting real hassle from one of the Coots.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 9 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff
- 2 (2) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 14 Greylag Geese
- 33 Canada Geese
- 12 (8♂) + 13 (2 broods) Mallard only
- 5 (3♂) Tufted Ducks only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 9 Moorhens
- 21 + 8 (3 broods) Coots
(Ed Wilson)
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