Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 05:45 // 06:40 – 08:00
The Flash: 05:50 – 06:35
15.0°C > 14.0°C: Cloudy with spells of rain / drizzle. Rain seems to have been very local. Clearing as I gave up! Light NW wind. Moderate visibility, poor in drizzle.
Sunrise: 05:07 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 05:45 // 06:40 – 08:00
(178th visit of the year)
Bird notes from today
- An adult Common Buzzard seen on a house roof in Teece Drive before flying in to Ricoh copse where a juvenile was heard calling.
- A Tawny Owl gave a single hoot again, but I was not to blame today.
- Six Swifts arrived at 05:30 but did not stay: none seen later.
- No corvid roost-dispersal seen – perhaps a victim of the poor visibility in drizzle. Later Jackdaw(s) heard calling but not seen – sounded as if it were in trees around the new housing area. A lone Rook flew over later.
- 55 Pied Wagtails on the ‘football’ field at 06:50 was an excellent count. Mostly rather too far away to determine whether there were any White Wagtails among them – perhaps a bit early for migrants?
- In the drizzle I did not make my customary early circuit when song – such as remains – is at its peak. Very low numbers of singing warblers. Did hear the Sedge Warbler calling for the first time in a week.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 15 Greylag Geese (2 groups outbound)
- 8 Canada Geese (outbound with Greylags)
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Stock Dove
- 27 Wood Pigeons
- no Jackdaws
- 1 Rook only
- 1 Starling
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 6 Swifts
- 1 Barn Swallow
- 6 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 8 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 9 (1) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 20 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron
- 6 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens (1 juvenile, 2 un-aged)
- 46 adult and juvenile Coots
- 23 Black-headed Gulls
On the lamp poles pre-dawn, the following moths:
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
- 1 possible Reed Veneer (Chilo phragmitella)
- 1 Common Grey (Scoparia ambigualis)
- 2 White Plumes (Pterophorus pentadactyla)
- 1 Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)
and
- 1 Great Black Slug (Arion Ater agg.)
Seen later:
- 1 pipistrelle-type bat
No other insects logged in cool, overcast and sometimes wet, conditions
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:50 – 06:35
(171st visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- We certainly are one cygnet missing. The three cygnets were with Greylag Geese, close to – but not that close – to both parents who were taking no interest in the them, or each other.
- Rather too dull to attempt to sex all the Tufted Ducks.
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- 1 Little Grey moth (Eudonia lacustrata) on a lamp pole.
- 1 Fairy-ring Longhorn Beetle (Pseudovadonia livida) on a lamp pole.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 12+ House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 3 Mute Swans
- 54 Greylag Geese
- 124 Canada Geese
- 31 (>15♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 36 (>30♂?) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron still
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 14 + 6 (2 broods) Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- no Moorhens seen or heard from either pool.
- 1 Blackcap calling at the lower pool.
- 1 Blackcap calling at the upper pool as well.
and on lamp poles:
- 1 Little Grey moth (Eudonia lacustrata)
- 1 possible Narrow-winged Grey moth (Eudonia angustea)
- 1 harvestman sp. (Leiobunum blackwalli)
with
- 1 Woodlouse sp. on the roof of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
