Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 06:05 // 07:00 – 09:15
The Flash: 06:10 – 06:55
14.0°C > 17.0°C: Persistent area of medium / high cloud overhead whilst clearer to E, N and W. Calm / light SW wind. Very good visibility
Sunrise: 05:39 BST
Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 06:05 // 07:00 – 09:15
(194th visit of the year)
Bird notes from today
- At least two additional sizeable groups of Canada Geese were too low for me to see and are not included in the counts.
- The Grey Heron flew off W at 04:45. Probably the same bird seen at The Flash later: and perhaps the bird that flew over E at 09:10
- One Little Grebe: at the W end so perhaps a different bird?
- What sounded like a begging juvenile Sparrowhawk near the Teece Drive gate. Juveniles seen and heard in this area most years, though I rarely see adults around to confirm they are nesting here.
- Only 8 Black-headed Gulls turned up on the ‘football’ field. These probably some of the c.30 birds on the Ricoh factory roof and seen flying down to feed on their grass. No more than 12 at the lake and these likely the same birds.
- Three of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls over were very dark recently-fledged juveniles.
- 1 Swift arrived 05:50: 4 by 06:05. Not seen later.
Bird totals:
Birds noted flying over or flying near the lake:
- 18 Greylag Geese (3 groups inbound)
- >122 Canada Geese (>116 (>11 groups) outbound; 6 (2 groups) inbound)
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Feral / Racing Pigeons (3 groups)
- 2 Stock Doves again
- 178 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
- no Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Swifts
- 5 Barn Swallow
- >30 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 9 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Willow Warblers again
- 4 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Common Whitethroat again
- no Sedge Warblers
- 8 (0) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 6 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese (throughout)
- 4 Canada Goose (arrived)
- 12 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant once again
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 3 + 4 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 56 adult and juvenile Coots: also both small juveniles from the newest brood
- c.30 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
On the lamp poles pre-dawn
- 1 Common Yellow Conch moth (Agapeta hamana)
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum harvestman
The following logged later:
The persistent cloud kept most insects in cover
- No butterflies
- Moths (in species order):
- many unidentified grass moths
- 1 Pale Straw Pearl (Udea lutealis)
- on Ragwort I noted wings only of what could have been a Mother of Pearl (Pleuroptya ruralis)!
- Damselflies etc:
- Blue-tailed Damselfly
- Common Blue Damselfly
- Hoverflies (in alphabetic order of scientific name):
- Marmalade Hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
And other things:
- several Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)
- 4 Grey Squirrels. There can be no Hazel nuts left...
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:10 – 06:55
(187th visit of the year)
Notes from here:
- Four of the Canada Geese left and another four arrived.
- A dog-walker with bread tempted 39 Mallard to appear. Not all could be sexed from my position though adult drakes are definitely in the minority.
- A Buzzard was, unusually, calling from the copse by the doctor’s practice.
- A large group of House Martins over to the SW at 06:15, probably the same group seen over the lake earlier. A single bird over the water later.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 9 Feral Pigeons (3 groups)
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- >25 House Martins
Warblers noted (singing birds):
- 3 (0) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as usual
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 18 Canada Geese
- 39 (11+♂) Mallard
- 12 (6♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes as usual
- 2 Moorhens
- 22 adult and well-grown juvenile Coots
- 11 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
- nothing of import.
(Ed Wilson)
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