Priorslee Lake: 04:55 – 06:15 // 07:10 – 09:20
The Flash: 06:20 – 07:05
15.0°C > 16.0°C: Initially clear: soon clouded / misted. Light W wind but E later. Moderate visibility, poor at times.
Sunrise: 06:09 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:55 – 06:15 // 07:10 – 09:20
(207th visit of the year)
Best today were the two Common Sandpipers heard and then seen c.07:30 in flight low over the water. Not noted otherwise. Autumn passage of this species has been larger than usual this year. It is a rather late date for any to appear here, though some birds do over-winter, mainly along the S coast
Other bird notes from today:
- Many of the geese both outbound an inbound were ‘lost in the mist’ Approximate counts made of those partially visible. Many more, especially Canada Geese, heard only.
- All 18 Great Crested Grebes were located today. Yesterday’s flying contest amongst the juveniles was not an immediate precursor to their departure.
- Most of the over-flying Wood Pigeons were in a large group of 92 birds flushed from the fields to the E.
- A large number of House Martins calling overhead as usual c.06:15. These could not be located in the mist.
- At least six Pied Wagtails back on the ‘football’ field.
- A scolding Common Whitethroat was presumably a migrant as I have neither seen nor heard any of the birds that bred here for some days.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- >210 Greylag Geese (>100 outbound in 2 groups; >110 inbound in 3 groups)
- >10 Canada Geese (>10 outbound in 2 groups; others heard)
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 4 of these juveniles (1st winters?)
- 108 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Jackdaw
- no Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Barn Swallows
- ? House Martins (see notes)
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 12 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 9 (4♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron again
- Little Grebes heard only
- 6 + 12 (>2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 (ages?) Moorhens
- Coots not counted due to the poor visibility: one now rapidly growing late-brood juvenile seen.
- 2 Common Sandpipers: briefly(?)
- 12 Black-headed Gulls: one juveniles / first-winters
On the lamp poles pre-dawn:
Low count after clear night with much dew.
- 1 tiny, even by micro-moth standards, presumed moth sp. As yet unidentified.
- 3 unidentified spider sps.
- 1 wasp sp.
- 1 Great Black Slug (Arion ater agg.)
The following logged later:
Stayed overcast so little seen
- No butterflies.
- No moths.
- No damselflies etc.
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
And other things:
- 1 Scorpion Fly, almost certainly Panorpa germanica
- another fungus, just possibly Flowery Blewit (Lepista irina)
- 4 Grey Squirrel
A plan view of a Scorpion Fly, almost certainly Panorpa germanica
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:05
(198th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- My first Barn Swallow here since birds were noted on Spring passage.
also
- 1 Common Grass-veneer moth (Agriphila tristella) on a street sign.
- 1 Square-spot Rustic moth (Xestia xanthographa) on a lamp pole. Looked like the same specimen as seen yesterday. If so it had moved two lamps along.
- 2 Grey Squirrels.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 5 Wood Pigeons
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Barn Swallow
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 5 (2) Chiffchaffs again
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler
- 1 (0) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 7 Canada Geese
- 33 (17♂) Mallard
- 17 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes again
- 3 Moorhens again
- 20 Coots
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: arrived
- 1 Kingfisher again
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- An adult and second-brood juvenile Moorhen on the grass at the lower pool.
(Ed Wilson)
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