14.0°C > 15.0°C: Low overcast and dull. Light, occasionally moderate NNE breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:43 BST
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 04:21 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 08:45
(160th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Just as I was climbing in the car to leave a loose group of c.60 Greylag Geese flew inbound – unable to accurately count them.
- I suspect the 'missing' juvenile Great Crested Grebe was just lurking in the reeds this dull morning
- Many Coots likely also hiding away
- House Martins heard over 05:40 seemingly in the low cloud. Later just two birds overhead.
- None of the Reed Warblers was seen around the reed-beds – all in well-vegetated areas in the NE part.
- Not a 'peep' out of any of the Song Thrushes for first time since early-Spring. None seen either.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- c.149 Greylag Geese (85 in twelve groups outbound; c.64 in three groups inbound – see notes)
- no Canada Geese
- 4 Black-headed Gulls
- 21 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls again
- 2 Feral Pigeons: singles
- 1 Stock Dove
- 33 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Pied Wagtail
Hirundines etc. logged:
- 2 House Martins seen: more heard?
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 13 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 4 (0) Reed Warblers yet again
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 10 (?♂) Mallard only
- 2 Cormorant: yet again arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- Little Grebe heard yet again
- 14 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 31 adult and immature Coots only
- *56 Black-headed Gulls: at least four juveniles
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: three immatures; two (near) adults
Gulls on the football field c.06:10:
- 34 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles. These all flew in from the W and seemed to be different from birds seen at the lake.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Moths:
- *1 Black Arches (Lymantria monacha): new for the year
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 13 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (1) Willow Warbler
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 4 (0) Reed Warblers yet again
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 10 (?♂) Mallard only
- 2 Cormorant: yet again arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- Little Grebe heard yet again
- 14 + 3 (2 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 6 + 1 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 31 adult and immature Coots only
- *56 Black-headed Gulls: at least four juveniles
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: three immatures; two (near) adults
Gulls on the football field c.06:10:
- 34 Black-headed Gulls: no juveniles. These all flew in from the W and seemed to be different from birds seen at the lake.
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:
Moths:
- *1 Black Arches (Lymantria monacha): new for the year
Other things:
- 1 Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia)
- 2 orb-web spiders, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- *2 other orb-web spiders, likely Nuctenea umbratica
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type (harvestman) again
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestman) again
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
Almost none the dull conditions
The full list of things noted:
Bees / wasps:
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Mammals
- 7 Pipistrelle-type bat
- 1 other different bat
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Other things of note:
- 1 Common European Earwig (Forficula auricularia)
- 2 orb-web spiders, presumed Larinioides sclopetarius
- *2 other orb-web spiders, likely Nuctenea umbratica
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type (harvestman) again
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestman) again
Insects / other things etc. noted later:
Almost none the dull conditions
The full list of things noted:
Bees / wasps:
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Mammals
- 7 Pipistrelle-type bat
- 1 other different bat
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Other things of note:
Nothing
Additional flowering plant species recorded for the year at this site:
Additional flowering plant species recorded for the year at this site:
None
A few more juvenile Black-headed Gulls are beginning to appear. The are very differently marked from adults though they do share the white blaze on the outer area of the wing.
A different view.
The victor shows all the wing marks clearly.
The social distancing is getting worse. How do they manage untangle all those legs? All are Leiobunum rotundum-type harvestmen.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30 again
(146th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All three 'white' Mute Swans 'present and correct' with the cob resuming his chase of the 2018 cygnet.
- Seem to be three Coots still sitting on nests. Another seen gathering nesting material!
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
Hirundines etc. logged:
Hirundines etc. logged:
None
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 6 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 5 Greylag Geese: of these one stayed; one departed; three arrived
- 15 Canada Geese
- 30 (?♂) Mallard
- 32 (>8♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens again
- 33 adult and juvenile Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls: four juveniles
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Kingfisher again
On various lamp poles:
Moths:
- *1 Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius): my 27th moth species here this year.
and
- 1 unidentified caddis fly
- 2 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type (harvestmen)
- *8 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestmen)
Resting on a Neighbourhood Watch sign
- *1 Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata)
On the wall of the Priorslee Academy beside a security light
- another Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata)
Otherwise
- 2 Grey Squirrels
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 6 (1) Chiffchaff
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 5 Greylag Geese: of these one stayed; one departed; three arrived
- 15 Canada Geese
- 30 (?♂) Mallard
- 32 (>8♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 3 (3 broods) Moorhens again
- 33 adult and juvenile Coots
- 28 Black-headed Gulls: four juveniles
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Kingfisher again
On various lamp poles:
Moths:
- *1 Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius): my 27th moth species here this year.
and
- 1 unidentified caddis fly
- 2 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type (harvestmen)
- *8 Leiobunum rotundum-type (harvestmen)
Resting on a Neighbourhood Watch sign
- *1 Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata)
On the wall of the Priorslee Academy beside a security light
- another Riband Wave moth (Idaea aversata)
Otherwise
- 2 Grey Squirrels
The strange places it is possible to find moths. It is a Riband Wave (Idaea aversata)
Another distinctive moth is this Iron Prominent (Notodonta dromedarius). My first Shropshire record of this common-enough species.
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash:
Of Note
- Chiffchaff calling near the upper pool.
Otherwise
- 1 Grey Squirrel again
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here
2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
Report from today Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
Green Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Lapwings
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Little Egrets
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine Falcon
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Redshank
(Ed Wilson)