Priorslee Lake: 04:30 – 06:10 // 07:00 – 08:05
The Flash: 06:15 – 06:55
14.0°C > 15.0°C: Clear start; soon clouded with light rain shower later. Moderate SSW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:44 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:30 – 06:10 // 07:00 – 08:05
(196th visit of the year)
The area seemed to have escaped any damage from yesterday’s wind with only a few small twigs on the ground.
Bird notes from today
- Neither of the Greylag Geese that have been frequenting the dam top for about a week was seen today.
- At least four additional outbound groups of Canada Geese were below the tree-line for me and remain unlogged.
- The same presumed begging juvenile Sparrowhawk near the Teece Drive gate. Being harassed by two noisily calling Jays.
- There were 53 Black-headed Gulls on the ‘football’ field and 29 at the lake. Mostly different birds.
- 3 Swifts at 05:40 did not stay. Singles at 05:55 and 07:30 flew straight through.
- The Barn Swallows were in a single group and an adult was seen to feed one of the juveniles ‘on the wing’.
- Just two Song Thrushes singing briefly this morning. Even though there were up to eight singing birds throughout the summer I rarely saw any non-singing individuals of this quite shy species.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 3 Greylag Geese (1 group outbound)
- >91 Canada Geese (40 (4 groups) outbound; 51 (3 groups) inbound)
- 20 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 17 Feral / Racing Pigeons (2 groups)
- 44 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 5 Swifts
- 2 Sand Martins
- 8 Barn Swallow
- c.20 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 10 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
- 3 (0) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 8 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 + 4 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 43 (near) adult Coots: also two small juveniles from the newest brood
- c.80 Black-headed Gulls: 3 juveniles
On the lamp poles pre-dawn: most things blown away last night?
- 1 unidentified spider sp.
The following logged later:
I left rather early for many insects to be around
- No butterflies
- Moths (in species order):
- 1 Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis)
- No damselflies etc:
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
And other things:
- 1 Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- 1 bat sp. – the ‘different’ bat seen over the SW area again.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:15 – 06:55
(189th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- After Friday’s dearth of Mallard back to more normal numbers. I assume the brood of 3 ducklings was the same as seen last week? They were in exactly the same place. However they looked very small.
- Where were the adult Great Crested Grebes? Fed up with the juveniles incessant begging and flown away for respite care?
- The Feral Pigeon overhead was an unusual all-white bird.
and
- 1 Straw Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila straminella) on a lamp pole
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 7 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. noted.
None
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- no Greylag Geese
- 14 Canada Geese
- 35 (>11♂) + 3 (1 brood) Mallard
- 15 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 0 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes: no adults seen
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 17 adult and well-grown juvenile Coots
- 5 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- Moorhen(s) calling from the upper pool. This species has been very reluctant to show itself this year. While both pools are now very over-grown the birds are usually on the adjacent grass much more frequently than they have been this year.
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestman on a lamp pole
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
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