10.0°C > 12.0°C: Overcast and rather dull, especially early. Occasional light drizzle. Fresh NE wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:46 BST yet again
Priorslee Lake: 04:10 – 05:45 // 06:40 – 08:10
(107th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The 13 Cormorants were in a single skein headed SW at 04:40 (or is it only geese that can be in a skein?).
- Given the weather conditions rather few Swifts and hirundines. Three single Swifts between 04:35 and 04:45. Then rather strangely 23 flew E at medium height at 05:05. Up to six House Martins were over the estate c.06:30 – could have been more as they were in the base of the very low cloud. Nothing else until 07:45 when three Swifts, three Barn Swallows and two House Martins were low over the water.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 8 Greylag Geese: one group inbound
- 2 Tufted Duck: pair from E, circled, left to E
- 13 Cormorants
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all in wing-moult
- 3 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Birds noted on the ‘football’ field [Wood Pigeons and Magpies not included]:
None
The long-term ‘Homing Pigeon’ was again on the roof of the academy early but had gone by 08:00.
Birds noted on the academy playing field [Wood Pigeons and Magpies not included here either]:
None
Count of hirundines etc. logged:
- c.30 Swifts: first at 04:35
- 3 Barn Swallows
- 8 House Martins
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
Not the weather for bird song
- 12 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 15 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warblers
- 3 (3) Common Whitethroats
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 10 (10♂) Mallard
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 26 + 9 (5 broods) Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly
On / around the street lights pre-sunrise:
- 1 Garden Grass-veneer moth (Chrysoteuchia culmella)
Insects etc. noted later on a very dull and breezy morning:
None
Additional plant species recorded in flower for the year at this site:
- Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
The rather fresh wind encouraged one of the local Common Buzzards to ape a Kestrel and hover in to the wind.
A short video of the rather distant Common Buzzard getting harassed by one of the local Magpies.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 05:55 – 06:35
(93rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Canada Goose goslings not seen. They do seem to wander deep in to the estate so perhaps still around.
- Only the one adult Great Crested Grebe noted. The two juveniles were briefly in the water.
- Reed Bunting singing again.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. logged:
None
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 5 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcap
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler: needed goading to sing
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 4 Greylag x Canada Geese
- 101 Canada Geese
- 20 (16♂) Mallard
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes only
- 6 Moorhens
- 16 + 16 (6 broods) Coots
Otherwise of note
- 1 non-plumed midge on a lamp pole
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
Noteworthy
- Stock Dove calling from bushes around the upper pool.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2018Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Candles Landfill Site
4 Yellow-legged Gulls
c500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Common Tern
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Duck
(Ed Wilson)