10.0°C > 11.0°C: Cloudy. Early rain eased somewhat. Stayed very dull. Light NNW wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:15 BST
No photos today.
Priorslee Lake: 05:54 – 09:27
(210th visit of the year)
The early rather heavy rain confined me a restricted view from the car in the E-end lay-by. When the rain eased I visited the sheltered N side only. With that proviso this is what I logged.
Other bird notes:
- A pair and a single duck Tufted Duck. The latter may have flown off.
- A further decline in Coot numbers. I suspect that not all had emerged from the reeds at the time I did my count.
- Four Lesser Black-backed Gulls came and went at 06:33. c.50 arrived between 06:40 and 06:50. They had all gone by 07:00. 24 had flown in / back by 08:15 and then at 08:20 at least 150 flew in, together with four Herring Gulls. A few more birds arrived later, these mostly Herring Gulls.
- The Cetti's Warbler still singing in the NE area
- The Pied Wagtail fly-overs all came from the S and were flying over the dam area. I suspect their roost might be at the M54 Services.
- A single Pied Wagtail was on the dam top by 06:05 when it was still very dark. I assume feeding by street-lights.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 2 Greylag Geese (single outbound; single inbound 30 minutes later – same?)
- 8 Canada Geese (one group inbound)
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws only
- 2 Rooks only
- 9 Starlings (two groups)
- 15 Pied Wagtails
Count of warblers logged (singing birds in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 + 5 Mute Swans
- 12 (7♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- Little Grebe(s) heard only
- 17 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 102 Coots
- >150 Black-headed Gulls again
- >225 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again (see notes)
- >9 Herring Gulls
- 1 Kingfisher again
If you're keeping count (why not?) yesterday's Mallard entry should have read
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
The only other sighting was of fairy ring toadstools noted in the grass at the E end. I kept the camera dry this morning so cannot confirm whether they matched the most likely Fairy Ring Champignon (Marasmius oreades). They should be present for some days unless the contractors mow the grass.
(Ed Wilson)
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(194th visit of the year)
A 'standard' walk around here. Very quiet
Bird notes:
- A further decline in Coot numbers here as well as at the lake. Perhaps also just sheltering.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash
Warblers logged
None
Counts from the water:
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese again
- 24 Canada Geese
- 45 (26♂) Mallard
- 80 (>19♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens again
- 33 Coots
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
- 3 + 7 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 7 Greylag Geese again
- 24 Canada Geese
- 45 (26♂) Mallard
- 80 (>19♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens again
- 33 Coots
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
Otherwise:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day