3.0°C > 9.0°C: Some high cloud to start, increasing throughout. Calm start with very light E wind later. Good visibility though mist over the water early.
Sunrise: 07:07 BST
Frost in September!? Must be global warming
* = a photo today.
Priorslee Lake: 05:43 – 09:37
(205th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Drake Gadwall heard calling pre-dawn. Not seen.
- Four Tufted Ducks came in fast and very low from the W, almost decapitating me, did two circuits and left high to the NW at 06:45. The five birds on the water were present throughout.
- Cormorant(s) have been in attendance for some weeks. Not for the last four mornings.
- Coot numbers higher today.
- 155 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew from the W / NW between 06:43 and 07:05 with 91 of these stopping at the lake. There were still(?) 56 present at 07:45. All had gone, mainly to the E by 08:20. Thereafter at least 36, presumed returning birds, arrived from the E.
- The two Skylarks were, unusually, flying NE. Almost all Autumn passage here is westerly.
- Three Reed Buntings left their traditional roost at the W end. Another bird still calling in the area.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 24 Canada Geese (in two groups outbound)
- 4 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 45 Black-headed Gulls
- 64 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 56 Wood Pigeons
- 20 Jackdaws
- 23 Rooks
- 2 Skylarks
- 2 Starlings (singles)
- 6 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Greenfinch
- 1 Siskin again
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 5 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap again
Counts from the lake area:
- *2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese: briefly, outbound
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 5 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes: one adult with full-grown juvenile
- 16 + 6 (5) Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens
- 156 Coots
- >100 Black-headed Gulls
- *>91 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
Birds on academy playing fields c.07:15:
[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]
- >150 Black-headed Gulls
On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise
Nothing: too cold?
Insects etc. noted later.
Insects etc. noted later.
None
Mammals
Mammals
None either
Not a spectacular sunrise on a frosty morning. A few images to capture the best. This while the street lights were still on.
A bit more colour later.
Later still. With some of the Black-headed Gulls in the foreground.
The Mute Swan family appear out of the low-level mist over the water.
(Ed Wilson)
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(189th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- All seven cygnets made several flights including landing in the restricted space between Derwent Drive and the island.
- Fewer Tufted Duck today.
- Another day with many Moorhens around. Four together walking one of the footbridges.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- 18 Canada Geese again
- 42 (26♂) Mallard
- 60 (>12♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- *16 Moorhens
- 46 Coots again
- *42 Black-headed Gulls
On different lamp poles:
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman
- 1 Leiobunum rotundum-type harvestman
Elsewhere:
Moths
- c.5 Horse-chestnut Leaf-miners (Cameraria ohridella)
Presumed these – very small insects in flight around the Horse Chestnut leaves. They did not settle to enable a positive ID.
The friendly Grey Heron was back. A study in concentration.
"Perhaps if I lean slightly forward I can see the fish better"
(Ed Wilson)
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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
2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Sky Larks
3 Meadow Pipits
26 Pied Wagtails
7 Siskins
2 Redpolls
142 Greylag Geese
320 Canada Geese
Common Sandpiper
45 Robins
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Cormorant
A pair of Wigeon
220 Coots
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
2007
RAF Cosford
Juvenile Gannet flew over RAF Cosford at about 100ft
(Martin R Adlam)
2005
Priorslee Lake
3 Redpoll
Siskin
5 Chiffchaffs
Blackcap
Kingfisher
Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Meadow Pipit
(Ed Wilson)