21 Mar 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 8.0°C: It looked promising ... broken medium-level cloud. That soon gave way to yet more low cloud and eventually drizzle, both brought in on the light NW wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:11 GMT

How come sunrise is at 06:11 and sunset is 18:24 when it is supposed to be the Equinox?

* = a photo today

Definite signs of Spring arrivals:
- Two single Sand Martins over the lake
- More Chiffchaffs at both the lake and The Flash. Another around the upper pool.
- My first Blackcap of the year singing from the large bush between the two pools. Equals my earliest-ever date in 2019

Priorslee Lake: 05:25 - 06:50 // 07:35 - 09:05

(40th visit of the year)

A report from one of the fishermen that an egret (species not positively determined but likely a Little Egret) working along the edges of the reeds yesterday afternoon.

Other birds notes:
- Pheasant heard again and then flushed out of a tree alongside the Wesley Brook.
- Of the 42 Wood Pigeons overhead 21 were in three groups heading N.
- One Redwing singing. Another heard.
- Six singing and one non-singing Chiffchaff.
- The ringed Grey Wagtail again by the sluices at the bottom of Teece Drive.
- Small passage of Meadow Pipits heading N.
- 13 Siskins seen heading determinedly N. At least two Lesser Redpolls and three more Siskins in the trees.
- In addition to the identified Meadow Pipits and Siskins flying N several other small groups of small birds were seen heading the same way, too distant to ID.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 8 Canada Geese: single outbound; two pairs and a trio inbound
- 5 Greylag Geese: single and pair outbound; pair inbound
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 42 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: seven adults; one second year
- 1 Cormorant
- c.90 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Sand Martins
- 1 Starling
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 14 Meadow Pipits
- 13 Siskins

Counts from the water:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs at different times
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard again
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 3 Little Grebes: one heard and two seen
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 15 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult briefly
- 1 Grey Heron

Nothing on the lamp-poles pre-dawn but later:
- 1 Sylvicola sp. wood gnat

Also noted:
- 3 Grey Squirrels

This Redwing has its bill wide open singing away.

Slightly easier to see both mandibles here. This is usually a rather shy bird and to see one singing away on top of trees seems unusual. Probably happens all the time on the breeding grounds.

Oops: too close. The poor light meant the camera had a hard time focussing on the bird and not the wire fence behind. I had to zoom right in with this result! Note the rings on its leg.

Zoomed out slightly .... It then flew off and did something you don't see too often ....

 .. perched on a tree singing away ....

... before diving back down again.

This seems to be one of the Sylvicola sp. of wood gnats. Specific identification requires examination of the genitalia (and knowing what to look for!).

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: : 06:55 - 07:30

(28th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Now four eggs in the Mute Swans' nest. Producing one a day of these large eggs is quite a feat.
- What seemed to be a pair of Great Crested Grebes keeping close company.
- Two singing Chiffchaffs with a non-singing bird at the top end.
- A Song Thrush sang just once also at the top end.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 (0♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 18 Black-headed Gulls

Counts from the water:
- 40 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese: arrived
- 3 + 4 eggs Mute Swans
- 30 (20♂) Mallard
- 73 (43♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 25 Coots again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull: arrived
- 1 Herring Gull: the usual second year, arrived once more

Also noted:
- 1 bumblebee sp. As with my last sighting here I was unable to determine the colour of the tail: otherwise it looked good for an Early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum).
- 1 Grey Squirrel again

Judging by the swelling at the base of the bill this is the cob Mute Swan examining now four eggs in the nest.

Well might the duck Mallard express surprise - I cannot recall seeing a Tufted Duck (a drake here) on the grass before. They often can be seen (with difficulty) hauled out on the island, but the grass no.

Now it is the drake Tufted Duck's turn to look surprised.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Between Priorslee Lake and The Flash

- Moorhens at the both pools.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing at the upper pool on my return.
- 1 Blackcap singing between the pools on my way out only.
- Long-tailed Tits around the upper pool.
- Bullfinch(es) at both pools
and
- 1 Grey Squirrel at the lower pool
also
- Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) in flower alongside the Wesley Brook.

Rather dark alongside the Wesley Brook. It is the ideal place to find a Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) in flower. The scientific name used to be Ranunculus ficaria but it is no longer thought to be related to buttercups (Ranunculus sps.). Neither is it related to Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus). 

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On this day

2020

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2019

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2018

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2017

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2016

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2015

Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013

Priorslee Lake

1 Brambling

1 Mediterranean Gull

7 Wigeon 

2 Gadwall 

29 Tufted Ducks

1 Little Ringed Plover

c.750 gulls

1 Mediterranean Gull

1 Buzzard

1 Sparrowhawk

Stock Dove

6 Redwings

7+  Fieldfares

279 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebe 

7 Swans 

1 Pochard 

1 Greater Scaup 

66 Tufted Duck 

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

1 Raven

Stock Dove

3+ Lapwing

(John Isherwood)

2012

Priorslee Lake

5 Chiffchaff singing

(Martin Grant)

2011

The Flash 

48 Tufted Duck 

1 Green Woodpecker

1 Great Spotted Woodpecker

3 Jays

2 Reed Buntings

Nuthatch

2 Siskins

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

2 Fieldfare

1 Little Grebe 

4 Great Crested Grebe 

6 Gadwall

36 Tufted Duck

149 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

2 Willow Tit

4 Chiffchaff

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill

Wheatear

1 Blackcap

5 Lapwing

(John Isherwood)

2007

Priorslee Lake

3 Great Crested Grebe

8 Cormorant

28 Tufted Duck

1 Ruddy Duck

1 Buzzard

1 Sparrowhawk

3 Stock Dove

141 Wood Pigeon

8 Pied Wagtail

27 Wren

21 Robin

21 Blackbird

48 Fieldfare

2 Redwing

8 Chiffchaff

67 Magpie

410 Jackdaw

1 Willow Tit

7 Greenfinch

2 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2006

Priorslee Lake

Barn Owl

c.750 Black-headed Gulls

4 Little Grebes

7 Great Crested Grebes

2 Herons

7 Pochard

42 Tufted Ducks

1 Ruddy Duck

1 Water Rail.

289 Wood Pigeon

29 Pied Wagtails

25 Blackbirds

7 Redwings

16 Greenfinches

11 Siskins

1 Linnet

3 Reed Buntings

(Ed Wilson)