7.0°C: Started clear to E but with a very heavy shower arriving from the S at 05:30. After c.06:00 cloudy with some light rain until a heavy squall at 08:45. Moderate S wind, gusty and fresh in showers. Very good visibility but moderate / poor in showers.
Sunrise: 05:59 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:10 - 06:40 // 07:20 - 09:10
(45th visit of the year)
Birds notes:
- The Tufted Duck frustrated. Early there were certainly four drakes and three ducks. Later I could only find three drakes but there were four ducks. So ...?
- I did not see the Cormorant arrive: it was present by 06:05. Perhaps it was the bird seen over The Flash later. It had certainly gone by 07:25
- I left the lake at 09:05 and there were no gulls on the water. As I walked back up Teece Drive a tight, low-flying group of Black-headed Gulls flew W overhead.
- A lone Sand Martin appeared at 08:35 but probably got blown back to Africa by the squall at 08:45.
- Two Grey Wagtails around the Teece Drive gate area. I did not either well-enough to check for rings.
- Three Siskins noted in the trees again..
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 18 Canada Geese: single. pair and group of 12 outbound; single and pair inbound
- 5 Stock Doves: three singles and one pair
- 14 Wood Pigeons only
- 2 Common Buzzards again
- 49 Black-headed Gulls: together
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gull: all adults
- 42 Jackdaws
- 1 Sand Martin
- 1 Redwing
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Counts from the water:
- 3 Canada Geese: single briefly; pair later, probably birds seen on academy playing field earlier.
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard: all flew off
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck again, but see notes
- 5 Moorhens again
- 27 Coots only - poor weather!
- 1 Cormorant: departed
- no Little Grebes heard
- *7 Great Crested Grebes once again
- 1 Black-headed Gull: first year, briefly
- 1 Herring Gull: first year, briefly
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: three adults and one first year, all briefly
- no Grey Herons
My 2021 bird species list for here stays at 79
Nothing on the lamp-poles pre-dawn - too wet and windy:
Nothing else of note.
Looked promising as the heavy shower started to clear at 06:15.
These breaks did not last long.
Never let pouring rain get in the way of romance. These Great Crested Grebes show how.
A Mistle Thrush was living up to its 'Storm-cock' epithet singing away in to the wind from the highest branches around the Teece Drive gate.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:45 - 07:15
(33rd visit of the year)
A rather rapid circuit to avoid the incoming rain showers.
Bird notes:
- The dead gull (if that is what it is) remains on the island.
- Just three Chiffchaffs in song.
- A Blackcap seen singing at the bottom of squirrel alley.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Cormorant again
Counts from the water:
- 20 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *3 + 7 eggs Mute Swans
- *28 (20♂) Mallard
- *52 (34♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens yet again
- Coots not counted
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
My 2021 bird species moves on to 58 with the fly-over Stock Dove.
Also noted:
- 1 bumblebee sp. At this time of year most sightings are of queens darting about looking for a suitable nesting place. It is difficult to see exactly where the colour bands are and this record, like several others, will have to remain unidentified.
(Ed Wilson)
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(33rd visit of the year)
A rather rapid circuit to avoid the incoming rain showers.
Bird notes:
- The dead gull (if that is what it is) remains on the island.
- Just three Chiffchaffs in song.
- A Blackcap seen singing at the bottom of squirrel alley.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Cormorant again
Counts from the water:
- 20 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- *3 + 7 eggs Mute Swans
- *28 (20♂) Mallard
- *52 (34♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens yet again
- Coots not counted
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
My 2021 bird species moves on to 58 with the fly-over Stock Dove.
Also noted:
- 1 bumblebee sp. At this time of year most sightings are of queens darting about looking for a suitable nesting place. It is difficult to see exactly where the colour bands are and this record, like several others, will have to remain unidentified.
I need more fingers. When I looked in the Mute Swans' nest 'in the flesh' I counted six eggs. Er - seven!
The drake Tufted Duck with the identity crisis is still chasing the duck Mallard. All geese and ducks 'imprint' on the first thing that they see, that should be their parents. If not they can get confused. If that is the explanation then the next question is where did this happen? Not too many places where these species would breed alongside each other.
(Ed Wilson)
Between Priorslee Lake and The Flash
- Moorhens heard at both pools.
- A Chiffchaff singing by the upper pool.
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Between Priorslee Lake and The Flash
- Moorhens heard at both pools.
- A Chiffchaff singing by the upper pool.
(Ed Wilson)
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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
2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
4 Greylag Geese
22 Tufted Duck
5 Sand Martins
6 Redwings
8 Chiffchaffs
>500 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
50 Tufted Ducks
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull.
Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
2 Redwings
65 Magpies
25 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
6 Swans
2 Pochard
85 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Buzzards
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
c.160 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
3 Greylag Geese
32 Tufted Duck
Trench
1 Cormorant
43 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Ringed Plover
1 Cormorant
1 Mallard x Pintail
18 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Kittiwake
33 Wren
29 Robin
24 Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
39 Magpie
3 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Duck
1 Snipe
3 Chiffchaff
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Owl
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
321 Wood Pigeons
2 Sky Larks
5 Meadow Pipits
33 Wrens
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
18 Greenfinches
8 Siskins
1 Linnet
6 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer.
(Ed Wilson)