Priorslee Lake: 04:35 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:20
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
Trench Lock Pool: 09:30 – 09:35 // 10:20 – 10:50
Trench Middle Pool: 09:40 – 10:15
11.0°C > 15.0°C: Another clear start and then medium-high patches of cloud, clearing after 09:00. Light W wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 06:01 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:35 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:20
(202nd visit of the year)
Bird notes from today:
- Little Grebe family showed well today - 2 adults and 3 juveniles
- In contrast the Great Crested Grebes were confusing again. The earlier breeding pair of Great Crested Grebes did not show their juveniles. The second pair's juvenile was not with them and was perhaps one of the three juveniles consorting together. The third pair were together throughout. A seventh adult was added confusion.
- A Peregrine flew N at the W end carrying small prey. Whether the three loudly calling Barn Swallows in its wake were reacting to the loss of a family member or just the presence of the predator is hard to say.
- Two of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls made a much longer 'pit-stop' than has been usual recently.
- Three Swifts arrived at 06:10 but had gone by 06:20. None noted later.
- Two Kingfishers seen chasing. A long while since I saw two birds together here.
- At least 40 House Martins high over at 07:35
- 20 Pied Wagtails on the ‘football' field at 06:30.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 63 Greylag Geese (3 groups inbound)
- 15 Canada Geese (1 group outbound)
- 1 Peregrine
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 16 Feral / Racing Pigeons (3 groups)
- 62 Wood Pigeons
- 9 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 Swifts
- 3 Barn Swallows
- c.40 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 15 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler
- 3 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Reed Warbler again
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 9 (5 drakes) Mallard
- 1 (duck) Tufted Duck: departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 3 (1 brood) Little Grebes
- 7 + >3 (? broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 4 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 72 Coots: also one (of two) recent juvenile; no 'red-headed' juvenile
- 21 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Kingfishers
On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Nemastoma bimaculatum (a harvestman)
The following logged later:
The sun was only starting to peep from behind clouds:
- No butterflies.
- No moths.
- No damselflies.
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
- Dasysyrphus albostriatus** new for the year
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
And other things:
- 1 instar of a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina)
- several Mystacides longicornis (caddis flies)
- 1 delicate but unidentified fungus
- 4 Grey Squirrels
- 1 presumed Daubenton's bat hunting over the lake c.04:50 and then later over the SW grass. My first record of a bat over the water for very many years.
A tranquil start with five Mallard resting on calm waters.
An interesting sky with some colour
Just a regular Grey Heron. Not often they allow this close an approach.
This a third instar of a Common Green Shieldbug (Palomena prasina).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
(193rd visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- One pairing of adult and juvenile Great Crested Grebes was behaving as normal - the juvenile constantly begging. The other juvenile was on its own fishing and the other adult was also on its own.
and:
- 2 White-streak Grass-veneer moths (Agriphilla latistria) on lamp poles
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 7 Feral Pigeons (3 groups)
- 25 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. noted.
None
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 3 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese
- 35 (16 drakes) Mallard
- 17 (7 drakes) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 12 Coots only
- 4 Black-headed Gulls again: no juveniles
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull (briefly)
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- Moorhen(s) calling from the upper pool
- 1 Blackcap calling near the upper pool
also
- 1 Common Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila tristella)
- 1 Willow Beauty moth (Peribatodes rhomboidaria)
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 09:30 – 09:35 // 10:20 – 10:50
(38th visit of the year)
Perhaps it is the number of fishermen: this lake is very quiet these days.
Other notes from here:
- I initially thought the pair of Great Crested Grebes were feeding three small juveniles: later I could only see two juveniles. The ‘spare’ adult still here.
- The lone Lesser Black-backed Gull was a very pale juvenile that, until it flew and I could see its upper wing pattern, I had as a Herring Gull
also
- Butterflies:
- Green-veined White (Pieris nap)
- Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria)
- Gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus)
- Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta)
- Hoverflies
- many drone-flies (Eristalis sp.)
- several Syrphus hoverfly sp.
- a few Marmalade Hoverflies (Episyrphus balteatus)
- an unidentified hawker dragonfly sp.
- many Dock Bugs (Coreus marginatus)
- terrapin sp., presumed the usual Yellow-bellied Slider (Trachemys scripta scripta)
Birds noted flying over / near here [other than local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws]:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff again
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4 drakes) Mallard
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 18 Coots
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Not really a shield bug, though closely related. It is a Dock Bug (Coreus marginatus).
There must have been a 'hatch'. There were several clusters like this.
(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Middle Pool: 09:40 – 10:15
(38th visit of the year)
Work on the N-side embankment continues. Access much reduced with the feeding area closed off. No doubt some birds have gone elsewhere for hand-outs.
Other notes from here:
- House Martins overhead is unusual here at this date. Almost all my previous logs of this species here have been Spring arrivals.
and
- 1 Lesser Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia gnoma) on a lamp pole.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Raven
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4+ House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaff
Counts from the water:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 74 Canada Geese
- 15 (11 drakes) Mallard
- 13 (6 drakes) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 + 3 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- 6 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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