11.0°C > 13.0°C: A reasonably promising start with broken medium-high cloud gave way to areas of low cloud after 07:15. Light and variable breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:13 BST
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 04:48 – 06:45 // 07:55 – 09:45
(175th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- It seemed all the 'spare' Great Crested Grebes were present again, though with one parents from each of the recent broods often far from base to fish it is increasingly hard to be sure.
- Very low numbers of Black-headed Gulls using the lake at the moment
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 72 Greylag Geese (all outbound in six groups)
- 52 Canada Geese (44 outbound in four groups; eight inbound as two quartets)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Stock Doves: two duos and a single
- 11 Wood Pigeons only. Why?
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 1 Barn Swallow again
- >25 House Martins
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
Surprisingly the first calling warblers were the Reed Warbler and then one of the Blackcaps. Once song ceases I usually hear Chiffchaffs calling first.
- 13 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 1 (0) Reed Warblers
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 15 (?♂) Mallard
- 2 Cormorants: arrived
- *2 Grey Heron: the second arrived and was chased off
- *17 + 7 (5 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 3 adult and juvenile Moorhens again
- 68 adult and juvenile Coots
- 5 Black-headed Gulls only
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both adults, separately and briefly
Gulls on the football and academy playing fields c.06:30:
- 89 Black-headed Gulls
Initially 17 on the football field and 72 on the academy playing field. They all moved to the latter spot when the dog-walkers arrived.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Somewhat affected by very heavy dew.
Moths:
- *5 Pale-streak Grass-veneers (Agriphila selasella)
Other things:
- 5 Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia) again
- *1 unidentified caddis fly sp.
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestman again
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
Another poor showing in continuing dull weather. That said there are not too many flowers around and those that are will not be producing much nectar without sun.
The full list of things noted:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats only
- 1 Grey Squirrel
- 5 Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris)
- 1 Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia) again
- *1 unidentified caddis fly sp.
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus harvestman again
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
Another poor showing in continuing dull weather. That said there are not too many flowers around and those that are will not be producing much nectar without sun.
The full list of things noted:
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- 2 Pipistrelle-type bats only
- 1 Grey Squirrel
A silhouetted Cormorant. I wish my neck would do that easily.
I hope that Great Crested Grebe adults have a Plimsoll line to avoid overload from growing juveniles!
On the look-out for breakfast.
And wading deep if necessary.
In reflective mood.
A real close-up of the business-end. Not something to mess with.
"What's that I see"?
A dog-walker. The dog was on a lead (thank you) but the heron was not taking any chances.
"Good. Its gone I can go back to my favourite spot".
(Ed Wilson)
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(160th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Two of the Great Crested Grebes were together by the island with the third tucked up under overhanging willows at the top end.
- 12 House Martins were heading off SW as I arrived. These included calling juveniles. Later four to the E were perhaps different birds.
- After yesterday's fly-over Lesser Redpoll at the lake one over here. A sign of Autumn (as perhaps was the first Pied Wagtail over for many weeks).
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 12 House Martins at least
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 10 Greylag Geese: four of these arrived
- 23 Canada Geese: 12 of these departed and four arrived
- 38 (22?♂) Mallard
- 35 (13?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 66 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
On various lamp poles:
Moths
- 3 Pale-streak Grass-veneers (Agriphila selasella)
- *1 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago): my first here for at least six years
- *1 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)
Bird notes:
- Two of the Great Crested Grebes were together by the island with the third tucked up under overhanging willows at the top end.
- 12 House Martins were heading off SW as I arrived. These included calling juveniles. Later four to the E were perhaps different birds.
- After yesterday's fly-over Lesser Redpoll at the lake one over here. A sign of Autumn (as perhaps was the first Pied Wagtail over for many weeks).
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 12 House Martins at least
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 4 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 10 Greylag Geese: four of these arrived
- 23 Canada Geese: 12 of these departed and four arrived
- 38 (22?♂) Mallard
- 35 (13?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 10 adult and juvenile Moorhens
- 66 adult and juvenile Coots
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
On various lamp poles:
Moths
- 3 Pale-streak Grass-veneers (Agriphila selasella)
- *1 Centre-barred Sallow (Atethmia centrago): my first here for at least six years
- *1 Dun-bar (Cosmia trapezina)
Other things
- 7 Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris): what do they all do? six of them on the same post.
- *1 Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum)
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel again
- 7 Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris): what do they all do? six of them on the same post.
- *1 Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum)
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel again
The bar is perhaps more apparent here?
A rather different-looking woodlouse. It is a Common Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum).
(Ed Wilson)
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Of note
- *1 Large Yellow Underwing moth (Noctua pronuba) at a ceiling light in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here
2016
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2013
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
3 eclipse Teal
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Greenshank
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
Black Swan flew over
233 Canada Geese over
11 Greylag Geese over
123 Jackdaws
234 Rooks
143 Greenfinches
1 Willow Warbler
2 Blackcaps
Cormorant flew over
(Ed Wilson)