20 Apr 20

Priorslee Lake

Clarification during last Thursday’s extension of the Covid-19 lock-down confirmed that a short drive to a location for daily exercise is permitted providing social distancing can be maintained. Once I reset my body-clock to arise before the lark I made my first visit for over three weeks. And a very productive visit it was. At 05:30 social distancing in not hard.

3.0°C > 8.0°C:  Clear with an early frost. Calm / light NNE wind, increasing moderate. Good visibility if somewhat hazy.

Sunrise: 05:59 BST

Priorslee Lake:  Early Morning

(60th visit of the year)

New species for my 2020 lake list, in the order noted
72      Garden Warbler
73      Common Whitethroat
74      Sedge Warbler
75      Willow Warbler
76      Reed Warbler
77      Lesser Whitethroat
78      Barn Swallow
79      Sand Martin
80      Common Sandpiper

Other bird notes:
- The pen Mute Swans was on the nest throughout. The cob had two different pairs of Canada Geese to chase away
- A pair of Greylag Geese arrived and circled VERY low, but presumably noted the swan chasing the Canadas and decided better of it.
- Likely more Great Crested Grebes, Moorhens and Coots hidden away on nests.
- An adult Black-headed Gull calling high over was the only gull of the day.
- Later as few hirundines turned up despite the clear skies – often they appear in inclement weather for an easy meal of insects hatching from the water,
- All the expected warblers now present. Least expected was the Lesser Whitethroat rattling away unseen (as usual) deep in the Ricoh hedge. The Sedge Warbler was heard calling only first thing and may have been a passing bird.
- A Mistle Thrush was singing alongside Teece Drive as I arrived. I did not confirm breeding here last year when song was very intermittent. Let us hope for better this year.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
In keeping with the spirit of ‘exercising’ I did more walking and less gazing at the sky which undoubtedly affected the number of birds seen overhead:
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 4 Canada Geese
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Collared Doves
- 4 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Starlings

Count of hirundines logged:
- 4 Sand Martins
- 3 Barn Swallows

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 12 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 19 (12) Blackcaps
- 3 (2) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 1 (0) Sedge Warbler
- 2 (2) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 Canada Geese (2 separate pairs, briefly)
- 7 (7♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Common Sandpiper

New flower species for 2020 (did not undertake a prolonged hunt)
- Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata)
- Ramsons (Allium ursinum)
- Yellow Archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)
- Red Campion (Silene dioica)
- Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris)

I left before insects were about. Will be hard to social distance while concentrating on these.

A calm start with frost in the sheltered areas. More wind later. No cloud to make the sunrise ‘interesting’.

I thought I would take a photo of this close Great Crested Grebe. At this time of year they have maximum head plumes. Theory OK but how was I to know it had been fishing and would be all soggy.

This pair of Tufted Ducks was a bit of a surprise. They have usually left the lake by now, though they stay in small numbers all year at The Flash (and breed some years). She looks a bit smug to me.

While loitering in vain for the Lesser Whitethroat to appear this Long-tailed Tit provided a short distraction.

 It promptly sat on a branch and rearranged its feathers. I hope its arm-pits don’t smell.

Right side needs attention as well.

Your starter for 10. Pale orangey legs and lower mandible on a small warbler ....

 ... long supercilium ...

... buffy-yellow wash across the breast. Yes a Willow Warbler.

With more even light the wash across the breast looks more yellow here. Note the eye. Looks as if it might be injured.

Surprising when it angles its head the supercilium disappears.

Yes we can hear you! A male Blackcap proclaims his territory.

Oh sorry! Have I offended you? Why so glum?

A more normal song post for male Blackcaps –hiding between leaves.

A male Common Whitethroat. How do I know it is a male? It was singing.

Not on top of bushes proclaiming his territory all the while. From this angle it can be identified as a male by the extensive and very white throat.

When displaying the white throat is puffed right out. Viewed head-on it appears a white slash under the bill.

While waiting for the Whitethroat to pop up again this Dunnock came up to sing for me.

The street light had gone out before I arrived. All I could find on the lamps were these two midges. I think they are the very common plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus). I was initially confused as they clearly do not have plumes which might suggest females, which do not need plumes to detect pheromones. But many female midges have only vestigial wings. I now read this not so with this species and female Plumed Midges they probably are.

It is ‘white flower’ time. Species #1: Ramsons (Allium ursinum)

Species #2: Cow Parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris). I noted a few straggling flowers in February but they were last year’s left-overs. These are new plants. Identify by the very open arrangement of both the umbels and the flowers on each umbel.

Species #3: Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata). Crushed leaves small of garlic and are good to eat raw / in salads. Leave the flowers to set seed for next year.

Species #4: A flowering cherry tree (Prunus sp.) more laden with blossom than I can recall from previous years. No doubt a planted cultivar and not a true wild tree.

Species #5: No idea! A planted shrub I would surmise. My ability with these is even less than with wild flowers.

Not all the flowers were white. Dandelions were everywhere as well. I noted just one of these Red Campion (Silene dioica) flowers. Each of the five petals is deeply split making it almost seem like ten petals.

The destroyers were not successful last year. Lurking in a quiet corner is this emerging Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum). Do NOT touch. The flowers are a magnet for bees and hoverflies and these insects need all the help we can give them.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake:  Late Morning

Thank you to Mark Williams for the following photos from the Lake.

Great Crested Grebe

Great Crested Grebe

Mute Swans

Drake Mallards

Canada Geese

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Long-tailed Tit

A male Reed Bunting

Goldfinch

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

Common Buzzard

Peacock

Ans a male Orange-tip

(Mark Williams)

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

2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Priorslee lake
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant
40 Swifts
2 Jays
4 Chiffchaff
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
(Tony Beckett)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Ringed Plovers
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 White Wagtail
1 Common Redstart
41 Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
1 Wheatear
11+ Tree Pipit
7 Common Redstart
6 Pied Flycatchers
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
2 Ring Ouzel
2 Pied Flycatchers
(J W Reeves)

2010
Wrekin
2 Wood Warblers
3+ Common Redstarts
4+ Pied Flycatchers
2+ Tree Pipits
Tawny Owl
4 Green Woodpecker
1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
(J Reeves)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Common Sandpipers 
20 Sand Martins
4 Swallows
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Wheatear
1 Redwing singing
8 Willow Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
Grey Wagtail
4 Sand Martin
House Martins
Chiffchaff
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
15 Swallows
House Martins
2 Stock Doves
26 Wrens
19 Robins
20 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
9 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
7 Willow Warblers
2 Sedge Warbler
10 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

Lanes to east of Priorslee Lake
1 Sky Lark
1 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
2 Greenfinch
2 Linnets
2 Reed Buntings
8 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Skylark
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Fieldfare
2 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
2 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
2 Linnet
(Martin Adlam)

Priorslee Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)