Priorslee Lake: 05:35 – 08:20
The Flash: 08:25 – 09:25
3.0°C > 5.0°C: Broken cloud. Chill moderate / fresh E wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:08 GMT
Priorslee Lake: 05:35 – 08:20
(55th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The geese were more or less left alone by the Mute Swans. The Greylags left of their own volition. The Canada Geese saw the swans coming and went to the opposite end of the water.
- Four additional Mallard (three drakes) flew in to land on the remnant muddy area of the old Celestica site not yet being built upon. These do not qualify as ‘on the lake’ or as ‘fly-overs’ so ...!
- The drake Shoveler, while not new for the year here, was very welcome. Dabbling ducks, Mallard apart, have been scarce this winter. No doubt this was the birds seen flying W overhead. It had gone from the lake by this time, though I never saw it go.
- Only one gull showed any interest in the water. A second-year Herring Gull was flying with an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull and peeled off to circle around for a while and then touch down. Just as it did so more Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed over and it flew off to join them.
- Several of the Rooks seemed to be carrying food. All birds were seen singly.
- Less Chiffchaff song in the chilly conditions. Two birds singing differently from ‘standard’, though both variations seem to be not uncommon on newly arrived birds. One of them was stuttering on the ‘chiff’ part – ‘chiff-chiff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chiff’. The other was given a ‘broken’ song, getting as far as halfway through the ‘chaff’ and starting again – ‘chiff-ch..-chiff-chaff’.
- The party of four finches was just too far away to hear any calls. Linnets would be my best guess.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 5 Greylag Geese (single outbound; trio and single inbound)
- 18 Canada Geese (eight outbound in four groups; 10 inbound together)
- 1 (1♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler: the bird from the lake?
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: eight adults
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adult
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 35 Wood Pigeons
- 7 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
- 3 Fieldfares (1 group)
- 4 Redwings (single and trio)
- 4 finches (Linnets?)
Birds logged leaving roosts around the lake:
- 1 Redwing
I was possibly rather late arriving to see anything else.
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 8 (6) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 Greylag Geese: one pair arrived; later all four departed together
- 2 Canada Geese: throughout
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Shoveler: departed
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- [no Grey Herons]
- 1 Little Grebe
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 Moorhens again
- 38 Coots
- 1 Herring Gull: 2nd year, briefly
- 1 Kingfisher again
Also noted:
- first signs of Cowslip flowers (Primula veris).
Chilly wind and scudding clouds this morning
Eventually a hint of colour.
This drake Shoveler departed before it was properly light so a rather fuzzy record shot.
...as we see on the right here.
Nesting time! Deep in the under-storey this female Blackbird takes nesting material to its intended site.
Treecreepers are quite well-camouflaged creeping up trees. Tail used as prop.
Less camouflaged when viewed on the side of trunk. The powerful feet can be seen here.
The flower is about to fully open on this Cowslip (Primula veris).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 08:25 – 09:25
(54th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Mute Swans seen mating.
- No Cormorant today.
- Certainly a third Great Crested Grebe: possibly two pairs.
- Two Feral Pigeons looked very similar to Stock Doves in tone and markings. Just small white rump patches said otherwise. Two real Stock Doves seen later – different head shape on this species.
- The same VERY distantly singing Song Thrush.
- A Pied Wagtail overhead was new for me here this year. Interestingly late March / early April has been my ‘first date’ for four out of the last five years. Had I been asked I would have assumed it was sporadically present around the Derwent Drive roadways all winter – not so it seems.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 2 Stock Dove
- 3 Jackdaws
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets)
- 4 (3) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans
- 26 Canada Geese
- 31 (19♂) Mallard again
- 64 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- [no Cormorant]
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhen
- 20 Coots
Additional bird species for my 2020 bird list at this site:
#57 Pied Wagtail
The Mute Swans were amorous today. This head-dipping seemed to be a precursor ....
She is somewhere under there ....
... and not quite drowned. “Do you like being bitten on the back of the neck missus?”
I am sure you can make up a suitable caption!
This pair of Great Crested Grebes were at the top end of the water.
This Great Crested Grebe was just off the Derwent Drive lay-by and a different bird to the pair.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Brambling
1 Mediterranean Gull
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
29 Tufted Ducks
1 Little Ringed Plover
c.750 gulls
1 Mediterranean Gull
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
Stock Dove
6 Redwings
7+ Fieldfares
279 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Swans
1 Pochard
1 Greater Scaup
66 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Raven
Stock Dove
3+ Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Chiffchaff singing
(Martin Grant)
2011
The Flash
48 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
3 Jays
2 Reed Buntings
Nuthatch
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Fieldfare
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
6 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
149 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Willow Tit
4 Chiffchaff
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
Wheatear
1 Blackcap
5 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
8 Cormorant
28 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
1 Sparrowhawk
3 Stock Dove
141 Wood Pigeon
8 Pied Wagtail
27 Wren
21 Robin
21 Blackbird
48 Fieldfare
2 Redwing
8 Chiffchaff
67 Magpie
410 Jackdaw
1 Willow Tit
7 Greenfinch
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
Barn Owl
c.750 Black-headed Gulls
4 Little Grebes
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
7 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail.
289 Wood Pigeon
29 Pied Wagtails
25 Blackbirds
7 Redwings
16 Greenfinches
11 Siskins
1 Linnet
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)