3 Jun 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

12.0°C > 18.0°C: Overcast with mainly light rain. Light NE wind. Good visibility.

[Sunrise: 04:49 BST]

With forecast heavy rain throughout the morning I decided to forgo an early visit. The heavy rain failed to materialise. Typically light rain started almost as soon as I left home.

Priorslee Lake: 11:15 – 12:27

(100th visit of the year)

All observations taken from the E-end dam area.

Bird notes:
- All the Swifts and hirundines would periodically rise high in the air when the highest counts were made. This behaviour is common and does not always seem to be related to the presence of a predator – Sparrowhawk or the like.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 3 Greylag Goose: inbound together

Count of hirundines etc logged:
- >50 Swifts
- >6 Barn Swallows
- >50 House Martins

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 12 (11♂) Mallard
- 11 Great Crested Grebes still
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 + 8 (4 broods) Coots
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, briefly

Insects / other things etc noted:
None

The cygnets may look white and fluffy on the water but when sitting on Dad’s back this one looks positively grey. Bit old to be taking a ride?

Seems eleven Great Crested Grebes is too many. A dispute. They can move across the water at considerable speed. even though it looks ungainly.

This Lesser Black-backed Gull repays some scrutiny. Not sure whether it is a full adult – there is some black on the bill: no hint of dark marks in the tail tip though. The wings show that the post-breeding moult has begun – compare the darker outer five primaries showing white shafts with the next four greyer feathers. There is then a ‘step’ ahead of the secondaries where these primary feathers have been dropped and are / will be regrowing. The secondary coverts are also looking rather worn and brown-toned.

I spent some while trying to photograph the hirundines. It is a Catch-22 situation: the birds only come low to feed when the weather is poor; then the light-level is too low for my camera to freeze the action and show any colour. But I keep trying. A Barn Swallow with its tail spread showing the white spots at the base.

And a few House Martin shots. They seemed easier.

Another

Again

This spike of a Common Spotted-orchid (Dactylorhiza fuchsii) is now open-enough to show the flower detail.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:13 – 11:10

(86th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Three mixed species geese were with one of the Greylag Geese. A fourth, perhaps not from the same brood, was the other side of the lake.
- Significantly higher goose count likely time-of-day related.
- Some Coot juveniles seemed to me ‘missing’. Possibly the cooler damp weather meant they were hiding though exactly where was unclear.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: near adults
- 1 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc logged:
- 12 Swifts
- 2 Barn Swallows
- >10 House Martins

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler again

Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 6 Greylag Goose
- 4 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 82 Canada Geese
- 31 (22♂) + 5 (1 brood) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 2? (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 16 + 10 (5 broods) Coots

Otherwise of note
- Figure of Eighty moth (Tethea ocularis) on one of the lamps.

Part of the mixed species family of geese. The Greylag Goose is one parent. When all five offspring were together last Autumn they looked quite similar. These two, assuming they are from the same brood, now look significantly different, the left one looking more Canada-like while the right one looks more Greylag-like.

Not sure whether this one is part of the same family: it was on the opposite side of the water. Seems to have rather a flat head! It looks as if it is starting its annual moult and several of the primaries look as if they are about to fall out.

The party of five Mallard ducklings. These look small-enough to be yet another new brood.

A slightly better shot of one of the juvenile Moorhens. The white undertail and streak along the flanks develop quite early and enable easy separation from juvenile Coots.

Not hard to see how this Figure of Eighty moth (Tethea ocularis) got its name. Only my third record. The previous specimens were on the same lamp pole on 18 June 2017 and 01 June 2018. It is the same lamp pole I usually record the Swallow Prominent moth (Pheosia tremula) most years. A tiny fly gets its picture taken as well.

(Ed Wilson)

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

2019
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

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2009
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Possible Marsh Harrier
11 Reed Warblers
(Ed Wilson)