14 Mar 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  09:15 – 09:55
The Flash:  08:30 – 09:10

7.0°C:  Broken cloud with light showers. Light SSE wind. Good visibility.

[Sunrise: 06:25 GMT]

An early return from my US jaunt saw a jet-lagged late start, viewing the lake later and from the E end lay-by.

My 10-day lay-off saw the first Spring arrivals with Chiffchaffs singing at both the lake and The Flash

Priorslee Lake:  09:15 – 09:55

(50th visit of the year)

Bird notes from here:
- The remaining two cygnets seem to have left / been chased away.
- Probably more individual Black-headed Gulls than shown in the count. Some were flying around and probably coming and going.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adults
- [Wood Pigeons not counted]

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese: this pair departed
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Little Grebes
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 6 Black-headed Gulls

Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#69     Chiffchaff

This pair of Great Crested Grebes were doing some displaying. I am unsure what the left-hand bird was doing here – perhaps looking for weed to use as part of the ‘dancing’ display?

They seemed to lose interest at this point.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  08:30 – 09:10

(49th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The 2018 cygnet was keeping well away from the adults. These were reported to have been looking at a different nest site over the last few days.
- Both Mallard and Tufted Ducks all very mobile and counts of these species ‘best efforts’
- No Pochard located.
- One Cormorant seemed to be departing, though may have just been leaving the water prior to perching on the island. Later two on the island.
- An open group of 13 Wood Pigeons flew high NE.
- No Kingfishers seen or heard.
Also
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- new clump of fungus

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 13 Wood Pigeon
- 5 Jackdaws

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as ever
- 3 Greylag Geese: two departed
- 12 Canada Geese
- 33 (20♂) Mallard
- [no Pochard]
- 56 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (3?) Cormorants
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 5 Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull only

Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#55     Chiffchaff

This fungus was growing on a stem of a recently snapped off small tree. I suspect the tree was dead when it was decapitated, probably by one of the recent storms. Difficult to access and this is the best photo I could achieve and I have been unable to identify the fungus

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day..........

2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
1 Common Gull.
(Tom Lowe, J Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Chiffchaff singing
4 Siskin
1 Willow Tit
(Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
3 Lapwing
2 Green Woodpecker
4+ Skylark singing
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
34 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
4 Redwing
3 Chiffchaffs singing
57 Magpies
1 Brambling
10 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes 
1 Cormorant 
7 Swans 
6 Gadwall
2 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
77 Coots 
1 Common Gull 
253 Jackdaws
Linnet
9 Reed Buntings
Willow Tit
Siskin
( Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill 
1 Chiffchaff
25 Linnet
4 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)

Trench Pool 
1 Water Rail
(John Isherwood)

2007
Priorslee Lake
19 Tufted Duck
4 Stock Dove
25 Wren
28 Robin
25 Blackbird
7 Song Thrush
2 Redwing
7 Chiffchaff singing
41 Magpie
142 Jackdaw
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
7 Pochard
43 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
86 Coots
1 Water Rail
176 Jackdaws
26 Blackbirds
41 Redwings
20 Greenfinches
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)