27 Apr 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

I extended my exercise walk for an early ‘socially distance’ lap of The Flash

8.0°C > 9.0°C:  Mainly cloudy. Occasional very light sprinkles. Light NNW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:44 BST

Priorslee Lake:  early

(65th visit of the year)

New species for my 2020 lake list:
#84     House Sparrow
Two birds from the estate reached as far as the Teece Drive gate this morning and therefore well within my recording area. They do this, occasionally, most years.

Bird notes:
- The two Canada Geese flew in to the school playing field again.
- So where have all last week’s Great Crested Grebes gone? Just the two ‘regular’ pairs today.
- The pair of Pheasants was on the school playing field again.
- Very low count of Coots for no obvious reason. While some are no doubt on eggs in hidden nests that does not explain the sudden drop.
- The Sand Martins arrived as a group early. A few Barn Swallows followed. Just a single House Martin noted briefly/
- A Willow Warbler singing where the bird was singing last Monday. Where has it been?
- A more reasonable but still large count of Blackcaps. All birdong was, however, less apparent on this cool and dull morning.
- I think there were three Garden Warblers singing from the same 50 yards of W end hedge pre-dawn – to dark to see if they were moving about. Two heard concurrently. When I returned to the area later none was singing here, though one was singing reasonably close-by. Another was singing along the S side throughout.
- A Sedge Warbler singing from rather unsuitable scrub in the SE area perhaps a migrant.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 1 Greylag Goose (outbound)
- 2 Canada Geese (pair outbound)
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 8 adults; 1 1st summer
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws

Count of hirundines etc logged:
- >50 Sand Martins
- 5 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 14 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 23 (20) Blackcaps
- 4? (4?) Garden Warblers (see notes)
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese (on playing field)
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall still
- 9 (8♂) Mallard
- 1 Grey Heron briefly
- 1 Little Grebe: heard only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes only
- 4 Moorhens
- 16 Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near?) adult briefly

One more flower species new for the year:
- Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)

On / around the street lights:
- 1 Lunar Marbled Brown moth (Drymonia ruficornis)

An unusual sight. A male Blackcap right out in the open. Here on the wire fence surrounding the sailing club’s compound (keep calling them a yacht club: apologies)

Just checking behind. Makes my neck ache.

Here singing away. This raises the throat feathers.

Quite bizarre-looking here. Looks like a ‘white throat’ with the feathers puffed out, but the surprised look and the way the black cap appears to sit on top of the head is most strange.

Two photos of a Lunar Marbled Brown moth (Drymonia ruficornis). This one a ‘flash’ photo pre-dawn

... this one later by natural light. Moth species #6 here this year. A common-enough moth though my first at this site for at least six years.

Although only first noted this morning this Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris) must have been flowering for some while.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:

(57th visit of the year)

Very quiet here.

Most intriguing was what seemed to be a brief snatch of Reed Bunting song. Despite its appearance on the new ‘information’ board I have never recorded this species breeding here. I have occasionally heard birds on odd days in early Spring, presumably over-wintering birds seeking territories. I did not hear it again and saw nothing. So not included in my ‘official’ log.

New species for my 2020 Flash list:
#58     Blackcap

Bird notes:
- The pen Mute Swan asleep so no chance to count the eggs (reported to be nine). The 2018 immature still present.
- Calls suggested there were more Canada Geese hidden inside the island.
- Very low count of Mallard: no doubt the ducks on eggs in the surrounding vegetation and the drakes standing guard. Only the unpaired drakes evident.
- Not yet worked out where all the Coot nests are this year. Tentative count.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
None

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans remain
- 14 Canada Geese: 4 of these departed
- 9 (8♂) Mallard only
- 9 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhen
- 15 Coots again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly

Between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Moorhen heard at the upper pool
- 2 (1) Blackcaps near the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

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If you are on your daily exercise and keeping a safe distance from others, we would love to see any photos or sightings from Priorslee Lake and The Flash, by contacting us at priorsleelake@hotmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you.😊

(Martin Adlam and Ed Wilson)

Note:
Here are a few Garden Sightings from Ed Wilson Here on our Readers Corner from the past few days

And

A few of Martin Adlam's Sightings from the Isle of Portland Here.

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

2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2017
Local area
Today's Sightings Here

2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes 
2 Greylag Geese
3 Common Sandpipers 
1 Reed Warblers 
1 Common Whitethroat 
11 Blackcaps 
10 Chiffchaffs 
2 Willow Warblers 
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Wood Warbler
2 Great Crested Grebe 
1 Greylag Goose 
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 
16 Tufted Duck 
5 Blackcaps 
Wood Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
6 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
3 Wood Warblers
1 Redstart
5 Pied Flycatchers
2 Tree Pipits
2 Redpolls
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson, JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Tufted Duck
6 Swift
50 Swallow
25 House Martin
2 Sand Martin
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Wheatear
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
26 Wheatear
1 Greenland Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wood Sandpiper
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Swift
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Sedge Warblers
6 Reed Warblers
2 Lesser Whitethroats
2 Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
9 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
1 Little Grebe
2 Common Sandpipers 
c.10 Sand Martins
c.45 Swallows
1 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash 
4 Sand Martins
12 Swallows 
2 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

The lane to the E of Priorslee
6 Whitethroats
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs 
1 Willow Warbler 
2 Linnets 
3 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kestrel
2 Stock Doves
2 Swallows
House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
1 Jay
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Swallows
House Martin
Ring Ouzel
Fieldfare
Common Whitethroat
Blackcaps
Chiffchaff
Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
1 Swallow
6 Willow Warbler
Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Greylag Geese
2 Ruddy Ducks
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Stock Dove
7 Swallows
3 Grey Wagtails
26 Wrens
17 Robins
30 Blackbirds
9 Song Thrushes
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Reed Warblers
8 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
5 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)