1 May 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash
To The Flash for my extended exercise walk today.

6.0°C > 9.0°C:  Areas of medium cloud, increasing. Light W wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:36 BST

Priorslee Lake:  early

(69th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Two Greylag and one Greylag x Canada Goose flew in from the E to the school playing field. The hybrid was much closer to a ‘pure’ Canada Goose (if there is such a thing) than most of those seen over the last few years.
- The two Canada Geese flew in from the W straight to the school playing field. Later they moved on to the lake.
- As in most years Great Crested Grebes confuse. Four seen by the dam early with none seen at W end. Later one at W end but only two others visible.
-  A female Kestrel shot over at 05:55 scattering the Sand Martins.
- Coot count taken earlier – higher because some off nests feeding early?
- The first 17 Sand Martins were noted high over the lake at 05:45. Numbers built up rapidly to at least 150. Rather fewer (c.50) low over the water later.
- Only three Garden Warblers noted in song. Another two non-singing birds seen.
- The Lesser Whitethroat was heard singing just once, briefly.
- A second singing Common Whitethroat only because of the light traffic – it was singing from the area of the concrete road leading to Woodhouse Lane!
- I may have solved the mystery of the mobile singing Mistle Thrush. I saw three different birds today so there may well be a pair nesting (two were on the ‘football’ field collecting food) with the third still looking for a mate.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 female Kestrel
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults again
- 1 Feral Pigeon again
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Collared Doves
- 3 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks

Birds noted on the academy playing field:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 female(?) Pheasant
- 18 Starlings

Count of hirundines etc logged:
- >150 Sand Martins
- 4 Barn Swallows

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 27 (22) Blackcaps
- 5 (3) Garden Warblers
- 1 (1) Lesser Whitethroats
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 5 (5) Reed Warblers again

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese for a while
- 2 Canada Geese flew in from playing field
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall remain
- 6 (5♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- Little Grebe heard again
- 4? Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen only
- 21 Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly again on usual buoy.

On / around the street lights:
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider

Also noted:
- 1 Grey Squirrel

New flower species recorded for the year:
- possible Leafless-stemmed Speedwell (Veronica aphylla)
- probable Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus)

Not a very inspiring start and as about as good as it got weather-wise.

Not midges this is just part of the group of >150 Sand Martins high overhead at c.06:00. Rather few (c.50) were feeding low over the water later on, as they have for the last few days.

Say “aaah”.

Well might you look sheepish after that performance! A Dunnock of course.

I photographed one of these Horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) flowers rather badly earlier this week. The rain has made the branches hang low over Teece Drive and this flower had been broken off by a passing vehicle. Looks better in close-up.

A plant I did not recognise growing in the concrete edging in place to stop Teece Drive collapsing in to the Wesley Brook. Almost looks like a succulent.

Here are the very small four-petal blue flowers. I am struggling. The closest match I can find in my illustrated flora is Leafless-stemmed Speedwell (Veronica aphylla). However it is described as inhabiting “mountain rocks and stony alpine pastures” above 3500 feet, flowering from July. It is not far from the houses so perhaps it is a garden escape ....?

In a similar location was this buttercup. Its thick stems radiating from the base struck me as unusual, though possibly caused by pushing through the cracks in the wall. It seems to be a Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus).

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:

(59th visit of the year)

New species for my 2020 Flash list (in sighting order):
#59     Reed Bunting
This ‘backdated’ to 27 April when I was unsure. Today I heard calls and then, from I think the same bird, stuttering song before a male seen flying away. This is my first-ever breeding season record of this species here. My previous two logs have been on 29 February 2016 and 6 March 2017. It means some renumbering!
Also
#63     Willow Warbler
A rather late bird heard singing just once near the Priorslee Academy

Other bird notes:
- Four Greylag Geese came from the W and circled several times before landing. They stayed less than five minutes. Thereafter groups of four flew over twice, presumably the same birds with at least two of them eventually landing. Later I noted a singleton. Any others that landed may have climbed inside the island.
- Ten of the Mallards were sitting on roofs of houses around the lake.
- Only one Great Crested Grebes noted again. The other on a nest?
- I was told that one of the Coots has two juveniles. The bird I saw was perhaps on a different nest and was still brooding the youngsters. I only noted one juvenile.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- [4 Greylag Geese – see notes]
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Hirundines etc logged:
None

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (6) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler again

Counts from the water:
- 3 Mute Swans as usual
- 4 Greylag Geese (see notes)
- 10 Canada Geese
- 26 (20♂) Mallard
- 17 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 3 Moorhen
- 16 + 1? (1 brood) Coots (see notes)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Herring Gull: adult

Also noted
-.1 Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia tremula) on a lamp pole

New flowers for here in 2020 (ignoring garden escapes):
- Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta)

Just about visible ahead of the bill on this brooding Coot is the disgusting red head of a very new juvenile.

Compare and contrast time again. On the left a summer plumaged Lesser Black-backed Gull with yellow legs and, especially, feet. On the right a summer plumaged Herring Gull with paler mantle and pink-toned legs. Neither bird shows any hint of black in the bill so they are full adults. Unusual to see adults these two species quite so close together, though winter flocks often comprise mixed species groups.

A Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia tremula). The ‘prominent’ is the point where the wing-tips meet. The apparent crest is actually a feathered antenna sticking up. This species is very similar to Lesser Swallow Prominent: it is the shape and number of the pale streaks along the wing-edge that separate them.

Here it is in plan view with the left feathered antenna showing well. I used to record this species almost every year here, always on one of two lamp posts at the top W side. The last one I saw was as long ago as 26 July 2017 which was obviously a second-brood individual. The caterpillars feed on poplars and willows so they have plenty of choice here.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash:

- 1 (1♂) Mallard on lower pool
- 2 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens on the lower pools

(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
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

 2016
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here

 2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

 2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

 2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes 
6 Cormorants
3 Reed Warblers 
2 Common Whitethroat 
8 Blackcaps 
9 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers 
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash
2 Greylag Geese 
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 
17 Tufted Duck 
2 Song Thrushes 
3 Blackcaps 
4 Chiffchaffs 
3 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)

 Nedge Hill
16 Wheatears
1 Lesser Whitethroat 
3 Common Whitethroats 
1 Blackcaps 
2 Chiffchaffs 
3 Fieldfare
5 Linnets 
4 Yellowhammers
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson)

 Long Lane, Wellington
2 Whimbrel
(JW Reeves)

 2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
1 Sedge Warbler
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

 Priorslee Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

 Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
4 Wheatear
2 Garden Warbler
(John Isherwood)

 2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Reed Warbler
(John Isherwood)

 Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat 
1 Lesser Whitethroat
22 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

 2009
Priorslee Lake
7 Swans
3 Common Sandpipers
Sedge Warbler
Garden Warbler
9 Reed Warblers
Common Whitethroat
Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)

 Lanes to the E / SE of the lake 
2 Lesser Whitethroats
3 Whitethroats
(Ed Wilson)

 The Flash
8 Tufted Duck
2 Willow Warblers
1 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcaps
(Ed Wilson)

 Nedge Hill
Lesser Whitethroat
Common Whitethroat
Garden Warbler
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
2 Linnets
2 Yellowhammers
5 Wheatears
4 Sky Larks
2 Jays
(Ed Wilson)

 The Wrekin
5+ Tree Pipit
3 Redstart
Wood Warbler
Garden Warbler
Wheatear
7 Meadow Pipits
(Ed Wilson)

 2008
Priorslee Lake
13 Mute Swans
(Martin Adlam)

 2007
Priorslee Lake
Whimbrel
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Ducks
Sparrowhawk
Kestrel
1 Common Sandpiper
2 Stock Doves
2 Grey Wagtails
2 Sedge Warblers
4 Reed Warblers
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Lesser Whitethroat
Jay
119 Jackdaw
3 House Sparrows
(Ed Wilson)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
1 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Dunlin
1 Whimbrel
5 Common Sandpipers
8 Swifts
1 Sky Lark
97 Sand Martins
31 Swallows
3 House Martins
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Reed Warbler
2 Lesser Whitethroats
1 Garden Warbler
10 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
6 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
4 Reed Bunting

 Lanes to the east of the Lake
3 Mallards
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Whitethroats
3 Jay
3 Sky Larks
2 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
4 Greenfinches
3 Linnets
4 Bullfinches
8 Yellowhammers.
(Ed Wilson)