5.0°C > 8.0°C: Banks of fog until c.08:30. Then clear. Light winds. Poor/very poor visibility early; good later.
Sunrise: 06:50 BST
* = a photo today
Best today was my first Willow Warbler of the year singing intermittently atop the highest trees at the top of squirrel alley at The Flash
Priorslee Lake: 06:00 - 09:20
(49th visit of the year)
Birds notes:
- A male Pheasant calling in the far NE area first thing.
- One Common Buzzard on the academy playing field.
- A male House Sparrow again made it nearly as far as the academy grounds.
- Even more Chiffchaffs. Most place around the lake I could hear four singing - hard to separate them.
- Four Lesser Redpolls in the Ricoh hedge.
Birds noted flying over / near here: badly affected by the early fog
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: single outbound and single inbound
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 26 Jackdaws
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 17 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps again
Counts from the water:
- 4 Canada Geese: pair arrived and stayed; another pair arrived and were chased away.
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair arrived and were chased away.
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 7 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens again
- Coots not counted
- 1 Little Grebe heard
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull: first year briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult briefly
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- no Grey Herons
On the lamp-poles pre-dawn
Nothing - too much dew?:
Also noted:
- 2 Grey Squirrels
- My first flowering Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) of the year.
- several other species of flower that I will try and ID later.
Also noted:
- 2 Grey Squirrels
- My first flowering Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) of the year.
- several other species of flower that I will try and ID later.
It was clear when I left home. This bank of fog rolled in just after I arrived at the lake.
What seems to be a pair of Magpies getting friendly.
"Oi! Leave my feathers alone"
LLLLLLLLLLLL
And a video of the action: "give us a kiss"!
There is always a branch in the way. A female Great Spotted Woodpecker - no red on the nape.
I don't chase after the local tits but if they present an opportunity .... a Blue Tit.
At least I remembered to take a photo of the leaves as well.
Autumn already? When was Summer?
Did not find any spiders though.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:25 - 10:20
(37th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- It was the pen Mute Swan on the nest this morning which might indicate the clutch of eggs is complete and that any opportunity to count the number of eggs is unlikely. The RSPB site suggests that the parents share the brooding. The Swan Sanctuary site suggests, but does not explicitly say so, that the pen does all the incubation - up to 41 days.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- no Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 28 (21♂) Mallard
- 47 (31♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 26 Coots again
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 59 with the addition of:
-Willow Warbler (as highlighted)
Also noted:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:25 - 10:20
(37th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- It was the pen Mute Swan on the nest this morning which might indicate the clutch of eggs is complete and that any opportunity to count the number of eggs is unlikely. The RSPB site suggests that the parents share the brooding. The Swan Sanctuary site suggests, but does not explicitly say so, that the pen does all the incubation - up to 41 days.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- no Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 24 Canada Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 28 (21♂) Mallard
- 47 (31♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 26 Coots again
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 59 with the addition of:
-Willow Warbler (as highlighted)
Also noted:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Flaps and air-brakes out this drake Tufted Duck prepares for splash-down.
And some formation-flying by this pair of Tufties.
Yesterday I showed 'sticky buds' just opening. A different Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) with the distinctively shaped young leaves well developed.
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill: 10:30 - 11:-05
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nedge Hill: 10:30 - 11:-05
(1st visit of year)
Very much an exploratory visit to this area that has changed much over the last few years with the advent of T54. Fields that saw breeding Lapwings are now covered in industrial units.
Some other fields that used to be grazed by horses are now planted with arable. It was these fields that seemed to attract migrants in the Spring with notable records of Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, and Yellow Wagtail.
Breeding Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Yellowhammers were regular.
Access to some of the more distant fields is probably now impossible with increased security necessitated by the increase in rural crime.
It was not an ideal day to visit - it is early in the migration period and the clear skies would have encouraged any migrants to keep going. All I noted of interest were
- A few Skylarks
- Two Meadow Pipits
- An overflying Siskin
Many Chiffchaffs were the only warblers in evidence.
(Ed Wilson)
Very much an exploratory visit to this area that has changed much over the last few years with the advent of T54. Fields that saw breeding Lapwings are now covered in industrial units.
Some other fields that used to be grazed by horses are now planted with arable. It was these fields that seemed to attract migrants in the Spring with notable records of Cuckoo, Grasshopper Warbler, Ring Ouzel, Redstart, Whinchat, Stonechat, and Yellow Wagtail.
Breeding Skylarks, Meadow Pipits, Linnets and Yellowhammers were regular.
Access to some of the more distant fields is probably now impossible with increased security necessitated by the increase in rural crime.
It was not an ideal day to visit - it is early in the migration period and the clear skies would have encouraged any migrants to keep going. All I noted of interest were
- A few Skylarks
- Two Meadow Pipits
- An overflying Siskin
Many Chiffchaffs were the only warblers in evidence.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day
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
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Redwing
1 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaffs
197 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
2 Common Teal
42 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Horsehay Pool
Mandarin Ducks
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
3 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood )
The Flash
46 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Raven
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Swallow
14 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
1 Grey Heron
20 Redwing
4 Siskins
2 Linnet
9 Greenfinch
4 Reed Bunting
10 Meadow Pipit
1 Willow Tit
(Martin R Adlam)