30 Sep 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

9.0°C > 10.0°C: Clear very far to E; otherwise cloudy with mostly light rain. Moderate SE wind. Mostly good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:10 BST

* = a photo today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:47 – 09:12

(207th visit of the year)

Highlight of the day / month / perhaps of the year was the Cetti's Warbler singing in the NW area. Seeing this skulking species is usually very difficult and today was no different. The song however is very distinctive and very LOUD. This is probably the third record of this species here. The first was a calling bird I first noted on 03 December 2014 which stayed in to Spring 2015. It later sang for several months before presumably moving on. Records of a calling bird in late 2015 and early 2016 are assumed to relate to another over-wintering bird. Cetti's Warbler is unusual in that it does not migrate. It has spread north from the Continent and was first recorded in the 1960s from various south coast locations. It favours reed beds and adjacent low scrub. "The Birds of Shropshire" published in 2019 notes there are as yet no breeding records from our county. Bird species #103 for me here in 2020.

Other bird notes:

- Ten Mallard were noted flying off W before 06:30 in pairs / small groups. One pair was noted retuning. The others were consequently not sexed.

- Two Little Grebes were together along the middle of the N side. They then flew towards the middle of the water where they, typically, vanished. Against the (poor) light it was impossible to age them.

- I logged 322 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arriving from the NW / N between 06:36 and 07:05. Some of them were well past to the NE when they turned back to wash and drink in the lake. These were mixing with birds leaving to the E. It was impossible to be sure but I suspect other gulls were passing to the N without stopping. By 07:45 only six were on the water. Again birds started to arrive with numbers building to 86 Lesser Black-backed Gulls by 08:45. With them were seven Herring Gulls, three of which were the first grey (sub) adults I have seen for several days. As usual it is impossible to say whether these were new or returning birds. A small number of birds flying in the area could have been these leaving or over flying birds.

- Another sign of Autumn was the large, by recent standards, roost dispersal flight of Jackdaws and Rooks. There were likely more Jackdaws than I recorded as when they are flying in to a SE wind they tend to keep very low and can be hidden from my view behind the trees alongside Castle Farm Way.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

All numbers affected by rain!

- 1 Greylag Goose (outbound)
- 20 Canada Geese (four groups outbound)
- 1 Common Buzzard
- ? Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 38 Wood Pigeons
- >150 Jackdaws
- 134 Rooks

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 3 (1) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 13 (?♂) Mallard
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes: not aged
- 19 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 132 Coots
- c.175 Black-headed Gulls
- >325 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- >7 Herring Gulls

Birds on the fields:

Not counted

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:

Moths:

- 1 Common Plume (Emmelina monodactyla)

Other things:

- 2 presumed Larinioides sclopetarius orb-web spiders,

Noted later:

Nothing

It was raining at the lake when I took this photo of the clearer skies to the far E.

There was sufficient clear sky to give a respectable sunrise.

A typical view of two Little Grebes as they patter across the surface wing a-whirr. Seems an inefficient form of locomotion for a species that can fly very well when it wants to.

This is the Common Plume moth (Emmelina monodactyla) I found today. This species over-winters as an adult and will have hatched relatively recently. My previous record this year on 19th July is an unusual date and thought to relate to an uncommon second brood. The adults feed on Ivy blossom now and then Sallow catkins in the Spring. Like most plume moths they rest with their wings tightly rolled up.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:15 – 10:04

(191st visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- No sign of yesterday's duck Teal.

- The Tufted Duck were mostly in a large, loose group continually diving making counting a challenge. I did not attempt to sex them.

- A Grey Wagtail was on the island again briefly.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull yet again: adult

Warblers recorded

None

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 37 Greylag Geese
- 17 Canada Geese
- 37 (24♂) Mallard
- 83 (?♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 40 Coots
- 11 Black-headed Gulls

On any of the lamp poles:

Nothing

Noted elsewhere:

Nothing

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2018
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Flash

This morning an adult Wryneck, popped up on a wall while I was walking along the footpath along the West side of The Flash at c.09:45. I managed a quick record shot and when I looked up from the camera the bird had gone - probably dropped in to the garden the other side. The gardens are higher than the path so looking over the wall is not possible. Hung around for some 10 minutes but nothing appeared. (Ed Wilson)

Wryneck - 2011 (Ed Wilson)

29 Sep 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

10.0°C > 13.0°C: A clear start very soon gave way to low scudding cloud and areas of mist. This gradually lifted but it was after 10:00 before any serious breaks in the cloud. Moderate NW wind. Moderate visibility.

Sunrise: 07:09 BST

* = a photo today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:42 – 09:40

(206th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- Low cloud and restricted visibility restricted the over-flights seen, especially gulls and corvids.

- For the first time this Autumn >100 Black-headed Gulls arrived in a large 'whoosh' low from the W. At least 175 arrived before they headed off back, probably many going to the academy and football fields for a while. Later no more than 50 at the lake.

- The first Lesser Black-backed Gulls were two hitherto unseen birds leaving at 06:40. Only 52 arrived by 07:00 and it was unclear whether any of these departed. At least 63 (with four immature Herring Gulls) were present at 07:45 with another 19 seen arriving from the E. Thereafter birds were flying in and out from all directions and how many of these were new arrivals was impossible to say. Only one group of four Lesser Black-backed Gull plodded over and had nothing to do with the lake.

- A Grey Heron present before 06:30 that I lost track of. It, or another, flew in from the W at 07:00. None seen later.

- A male Blackcap seen along the S side. A female and an unsexed bird scolding from the SW copse. Another Blackcap calling alongside the W end footpath. A good count for this date.

- Three Pied Wagtails together along the dam, strangely all males.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

All numbers affected by low cloud / mist

- 12 Canada Geese (one group outbound)
- >4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 43 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Jackdaws
- 1 Skylark
- 7 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 2 Siskins (singles)

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 6 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (0) Blackcaps

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 5 (1♂) Tufted Duck: of these two (1♂) flew off 06:55
- 1 Cormorant: stayed less than five minutes
- 1 (2?) Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes: heard only
- 15 + 6 (5) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 Moorhens
- 134 Coots
- >175 Black-headed Gulls
- *>82 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher

Birds on the fields c.07:15:

[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]

- >150 Black-headed Gulls on the academy playing fields.
- 93 Black-headed Gulls on the football field.

I strongly suspect that most of the birds on the football field has flown across from the academy fields but I was unable to double-check as that would have risked flushing the gulls from the football field.

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:

Moths:

- *1 Rhomboid Tortrix (Acleris rhombana): moth species #102 here this year.

Other things:

- *1 Larinioides cornutus spider.
- *1 Opilio canestrinii harvestman.

Insects etc. noted later:

- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Mammals:

- 2 Grey Squirrels

There were a number of 'interesting' first-winter gulls around this morning and several of them were reasonably close. This caught my eye with its very white-looking head. That and the distinct pale line between the median and greater coverts formed by the tips of the median coverts are features that might suggest a Caspian Gull. The large bill is parallel-sized with little if any kink (gonydeal angle) on the lower mandible. As always with immature gulls it is best to see them in flight and look and the pattern across the whole wings and the tail. So it will have to be pended as 'interesting'.

This is apparently more straightforward and looks like a regular first-winter Herring Gull.

As does this.

 Another pale-headed bird which I suspect is a first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.

This most certainly is a first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull showing very dark secondaries and only the merest hint of pale webs to the inner primaries. Note this all-black bill shows a pronounced gonydeal angle on the lower mandible.

Compare with a first-winter Herring Gull with obvious paler inner primaries. We can rule out Yellow-legged Gull as the upper-tail of that species is less well-marked.

A direct compare and contrast first-winter Herring Gull on the left and first winter Lesser Black-backed Gull on the right (with weed in its bill).

One of the 'crazy-paving' Tortrix moths. This is a Rhomboid Tortrix(Acleris rhombana). I recorded this species previously on 9th October 2017 and 10th October 2019. Another species where the adult feeds at Ivy blossom.

Two for the price of one. The spider on the right seems to be Larinioides cornutus. The harvestman on the left seems to be Opilio canestrinii: an unusually small specimen.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:43 – 10:59

(190th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- All seven cygnets flying again.

- Two duck Teal 'appeared' from the island, had a quick paddle around and then went back to the island.

- Drake Tufted Ducks quickly coming in to plumage and many much easier to separate.

- Coot numbers seem to be fading away.

- A party of five Skylarks seen over. Later calls heard but bird(s) not located.

- As well as two fly-over Pied Wagtails a Grey Wagtail was on the island briefly.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again: adult
- 1 Jackdaw
- 6+ Skylarks
- 2 Pied Wagtails

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs again

Counts from the water:

- *3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose seen: others heard inside island
- 21 Canada Geese
- *2 (0♂) Teal
- *29 (15♂) Mallard
- *71 (>21♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 Grey Heron again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 14 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both immatures, departed separately

On one of the lamp poles:

- *1 weevil sp.

Elsewhere:

Moths

- 2 Horse-chestnut Leaf-miners (Cameraria ohridella)

Bees / wasps

- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

Hoverflies

- Common Drone-fly (Eristalis tenax)

Flies

- Nowickia ferox (a Tachinid fly): same place as two days ago.

Mammals:

- 1 Grey Squirrel

Scattering Tufted Duck a Mute Swan cygnet goes for a practice flight.

Some of the others joining in here.

Six of them here: all seven flew strongly. The parents on the island are paying no attention.

Turns are not a problem any more.

Three of them on their way back.

Two duck Teal. Very small ducks with all-black bills except in breeding condition. Note the white flash on the side of the tail – often visible at long range. A darker mark through the eye.

They paddled a long way off before either of them showed another distinctive feature – a green speculum.

A drake Mallard of course now in full breeding finery. It is not really 'sleepy'. The white across the eye is an extra translucent eyelid that birds have to clear their eyes while maintaining limited vision. It is called a nictitating membrane and sweeps horizontally across the eye. Humans have one as a vestigial mark on the inside corner of our eyes.

You have probably guessed. I do like Tufted Duck. This one may look asleep but one eye is open and watching me. At first glance it appears to be a duck but I do wonder whether it is a first-winter drake. Are those white feathers just beginning to show in the flanks?

A different bird with perhaps more white developing along its flanks. Most years after completion of the moult drakes outnumber ducks so I expect many that I am not currently identifying as drakes will turn out to be so.

The Grey Heron looks as if it got out of bed the wrong side this morning. Definitely Mr. Angry.

The Mute Swans were big and easy to photograph. This Long-tailed Tit was harder work.

Work for later. There are over 50 weevils in the eakringbirds.com beetle photo gallery. A photo of one 15 feet up a lamp pole may take some matching.

(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

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2010

Priorslee Lake

3 Pochard

2 Sparrowhawks

24 Swallows

Peregrine Falcon

(Ed Wilson)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Redwing

(Ed Wilson)

2005

Priorslee Lake

Siskin

105 Greenfinches

Swallow

House Martin

3 Chiffchaffs

Kingfisher

(Ed Wilson)

28 Sep 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

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.

None

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.

The light catching the underwing of this first-winter Lesser Black-backed Gull illustrates the extensive patterning. They are much more heavily marked than any equivalent-aged Herring Gull.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:39 – 10:51

(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"

A 'grab shot' ahead of oncoming dog-walkers who would have flushed these four Moorhens off the footbridge. Note the Black-headed Gulls on the hand rail.

And here are those Black-headed Gulls. Not enough depth of field to get them all sharp. For some reason they are all first-winter birds.

(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)

27 Sep 20

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 10.0°C: Fine and clear apart from cloud to very far E. Moderate NNW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:05 BST

* = a photo today.

Priorslee Lake: 05:41 – 09:35

(204th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- The Mute Swan family were having more flying practice. The cygnets just about lifting off.

- A trio of drake Tufted Ducks flushed from the NW area seemed to be circling to land at the E end. Not noted for sure thereafter though just two small unidentified ducks seen flying off W much later.

- The six Goosander flew very low W over the W end while still quite dark at 06:30 so unable to sex them. Just possible these had departed the lake.

- One adult Little Grebe seen. Perhaps another heard calling. The first calls I have noted from several weeks.

- Both adult and juvenile Great Crested Grebes doing a lot of flying about. Birds not specifically aged when I did the count.

- Another decrease in Coot numbers.

- The first Lesser Black-backed Gull arrivals were three from the SE. Soon after a tight group of 51 flew in very low from the W suggesting that they had been roosting together somewhere close-by. These all stopped off at the lake. Over 250 more flew E, mainly to the N with a few of these peeling off to join those on the water. Very few seen later.

- A passage of Skylarks W. These pass over just higher than my visual range and I rely on sound to then find them in binoculars. I am sure there were under-recorded.

- A Song Thrush was heard quietly sub-singing.

Birds noted flying over / near here:

- 3 Greylag Geese (duo and single outbound)
- 20 Canada Geese (19 in three groups outbound; single inbound)
- other geese heard only
- 6 (?♂) Goosander
- 262 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 24 Wood Pigeons
- 63 Jackdaws
- 37 Rooks
- 13+ Skylarks
- 12 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Siskin
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 7 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcap

Counts from the lake area:

- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 3+ (3♂) Tufted Ducks (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Little Grebe: adult
- 21 Great Crested Grebes (see notes)
- 7 Moorhens again
- 127 Coots
- >120 Black-headed Gulls
- 84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Birds on academy playing fields c.07:05:

[Wood Pigeons and Magpies excluded]

- 146 Black-headed Gulls

On / around the street lights etc. pre-sunrise:

- 1 Opilio canestrinii harvestman

Insects etc. noted later in very cool conditions

- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)
- *Syrphus sp. hoverfly

Mammals:

- 2 Grey Squirrels

This photo tends to suggest that the Mute Swan cygnets did just about achieve lift-off.

What's known as tail-dragging.

A lot of this going on this morning. A juvenile Great Crested Grebe doing a test-flight. Still very stripey on the head.

All the year I struggled to find juvenile Bullfinches to photo... Not so exposed as my first effort and some out of focus greenery in the way. Junior is munching away. Just a hint of adult black feathers on the crown.

There were two birds. I rather lost track of who was who and I am not sure whether this is the other one – a sibling perhaps?

As this a male Syrphus hoverfly the two species S. ribesii and S. vitripennis are more or less inseparable. The former has tiny hairs on the basal cells of its wings but a better camera is needed to show that. So Syrphus sp.

(Ed Wilson)

I met Phil Nock at the lake this morning and he sent me a few pictures he had taken. 

Here is the cob Mute Swan showing his cygnets how it is done.

As I have noted recently some of the Great Crested Grebes are still a bit frisky.

Post-breeding Grey Wagtails are around in force with one or more frequently to be found, as here, on the dam-face.

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The Flash: 09:37 – 10:45

(188th visit of the year)

Bird notes:

- The cygnets were behaving rather oddly. Six seen together with the seventh some way away – the bird returned from care? Later just five seen when food was provided. Several of them were attacked by the 2018 immature bird. The parents were of course elsewhere.

- Not sure why the Mallard numbers fluctuate. I suspect that birds are flying about and some days I count some twice and other days I miss some. I do try and keep track of them.

- More Tufted Duck today and difficult counting them as many were continually diving. I did not even attempt to sex them.

- Highest number of Black-headed Gulls of the season so far.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 1 Common Buzzard

Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):

- 1 (0) Chiffchaff

Counts from the water:

- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans

- 2 Greylag Geese

- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose

- 18 Canada Geese

- 37 (16♂) Mallard

- 73 (?♂) Tufted Duck

- 3 Great Crested Grebes

- 9 Moorhens

- 46 Coots

- 73 Black-headed Gulls

- 1 Kingfisher

On one lamp pole:

- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman

Elsewhere:

- Small White (Pieris rapae)

- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) (including a nest site in an old Ash tree)

- Common Wasp (Vespula vulgaris)

- Nowickia ferox (a Tachinid fly)

- Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

The 2018 cygnet attacking one of the Mute Swan cygnets. It typically grabbed the cygnets by the neck but here is biting the tail. The cygnets did not seem too bothered – there was food on offer. The parents of course were nowhere to be seen.

The good thing about The Flash is that many birds get habituated to humans and provide close photo opportunities. Here a drake Tufted Duck that is now almost in full breeding plumage with white flanks and a long crest ('tuft'). Note the hint of mauve on the side of the head – the light needs to be at the correct angle to see this. From another angle it can look greenish.

And here an immature Tufted Duck with some white around the base of the bill and just a hint of a 'tuft'.

With practice and many bird-less images photos of flying Black-headed Gulls are possible. Here a first-winter shows its upper-wing pattern.

One of the few distinctive flies. Nowickia ferox has a brown abdomen with a zig-zag black band down the middle. One of Tachinid flies that are typically 'bristly'.

Another view. Here on the as yet unopened Ivy flowers. Over the nest few weeks this area will be full of bees, flies and butterflies.

Er? Was this helicopter lost? Looks like someone is about to jump out of the rescue hatch.

Tilted like this he might even fall out. The helicopter is a Sikorsky S-92A G-MCGK owned by Bristow Helicopters. They are based in Aberdeen but they operate a fleet of these helicopters based around the coast of the UK. Shropshire is NOT the coast!

If there is food on offer... a Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) tucks in.

Did not seem particularly fazed by my presence.

(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

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Teal

3 Wigeon

1 Kingfisher

(John Isherwood)

2011

Priorslee Lake

13 Meadow Pipits

3 Redpoll

Siskin

Common Sandpiper

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

Juvenile Common Scoter

3 Little Grebes

Drake Pintail x Mallard

(Ed Wilson/Andy Latham)