8.0°C > 11.0°C: Cloudy with occasional light drizzle barely wetting the ground. Moderate SW breeze. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:54 BST
* = a photo today
With the advent of BST then for a few weeks I will be back to two circuits of the lake and finishing at The Flash. This is to avoid getting involved with the school run as I return from The Flash. This happens if I if try to fit The Flash between the lake two circuits.
Priorslee Lake: 06:10 - 09:00
(47th visit of the year)
Highlight was the arrival from high overhead of three Oystercatchers at 08:15. They briefly settled on the dam-face before relocating to the SW grass until disturbed by a dog walker. As a result my 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 80.
Other birds notes:
- I noted pairs of Great Crested Grebes in three locations but never unable to see all three pairs at the same time. Probably six birds: only four confirmed.
- A tight group of 21 Black-headed Gulls flew W at 07:35. If I include the group I saw over The Flash this is the fourth such group I have seen this Spring. I cannot recall such passage in previous years.
- One Lesser Redpoll over
- The only Siskins were two in the trees.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 19 Canada Geese: single, four pairs and two quintets outbound
- 3 Greylag Geese: pair outbound; single inbound
- 2 Stock Dove: singles
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 21 Black-headed Gulls: single group
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 32 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling
- 1 Lesser Redpoll
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 12 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 2 Canada Geese: throughout.
- 1 Greylag Goose: chased off by the Canadas
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (4♂) Mallard
- 9 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens still
- 30 Coots
- 2 Little Grebes heard again
- 4 (6?) Great Crested Grebes
- *3 Oystercatchers
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult briefly
- 1 Cormorant: arrived and departed.
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Kingfisher
On the lamp-poles pre-dawn
Nothing - too damp and windy:
Also noted:
- 2 queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)
All three as they arrive over the water. I see this species just about every year and March is a typical date as birds are searching for nest sites. Small numbers of this species breed in Shropshire.
Also noted:
- 2 queen Buff-tailed Bumblebees (Bombus terrestris)
Almost my first sighting of one of the three Oystercatchers as it started to descend from high overhead.
Two of them as they fly toward the dam-face. They stayed there just a few seconds and then headed to....
... the SW grass. Here are two.
"I've got a dirty bill". Bird #1.
"So have I". Bird #2.
"But I've got a ring on my leg as well as a dirty bill". Bird #3.
(Ed Wilson)
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(35th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Three Jays flying back and forth between the SE and NW wooded areas.
- The Blackcap gave a single short burst of song as it made it way up squirrel alley
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Stock Doves
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Jackdaw
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the water:
- 39 Canada Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 26 (21♂) Mallard
- 40 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebe
- no gulls
My 2021 bird species stays at 58.
Nothing else of note.
There is always a twig in the way. A Song Thrush contemplates the world. A different bird was singing.
"Do I look better in profile?"
I did say there was always a twig in the way - it is a branch here. The key features of Treecreeper can all be seen - the long thin and curved bill to get in all those nooks to dig out food; the strong tail-feathers used a prop as the bird climbs up, always up, tree trunks and the camouflage plumage. The wide-spread of the claws are none too clear in this view. Must try harder.
(Ed Wilson)
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- Two Moorhens at the lower pool. Also two at the upper pool.
- A Chiffchaff singing by the upper pool today.
- *The ringed male Grey Wagtail in the mud around the lower pool and then seen with a female in the Wesley Brook by the tunnel.
also
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Underneath the Priorslee Avenue bridge
The ringed male Grey Wagtail hunting amongst the debris and litter scattered in the Wesley Brook.
And another view. A handsome bird.
(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
2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
4 Great Crested Grebes
9+ Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
2 Shoveler
30 Tufted Duck
10 Chiffchaffs
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
51 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Fieldfare
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
7 Meadow Pipits
c.150 Fieldfare
c.30 Starlings
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
7 Wigeon
22 Tufted Duck
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 hybrid Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Mediterranean Gull
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gulls.
(Tom Lowe, Martin Grant)
Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
(Martin Grant)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
10 Chiffchaffs singing
4 Blackcaps singing
1 Sky Lark
1 Willow Tit
1 Raven flew over
3 Great Crested Grebes
11 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
38 Tufted Duck
5 Chiffchaffs singing
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Gadwall
c.15 Tufted Duck
1 Fieldfare
11 Linnets
5 Chiffchaffs
c.40 Sand Martins
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
30 Tufted Ducks
Siskins
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
10 Meadow Pipits
Linnets
Sky Larks
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
14 Tufted Ducks
3 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kittiwake
242 Wood Pigeons
4 Stock Doves
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
3 Meadow Pipits
3 Grey Wagtails
9 Pied Wagtails
26 Wrens
3 Fieldfare
94 Redwings
2 Swallow
13 Sand Martins
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
7 Chiffchaffs
18 Magpies
4 Jays
127 Jackdaws
13 Greenfinches
7 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam, Martin Grant)
6 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer.
(Ed Wilson)