11.0°C > 19.0°C: A few unexpected very light showers very early, though mainly clear. Light winds. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:50 BST
* = a photo today
Firstly thanks to some much appreciated feedback I can add
- Monday's orb-web spider is most likely Larinioides sclopetarius, sometimes known as Bridge Orb-web Spider from it preferred man-made habitat. Apparently lamp-poles will do.
- The Mute Swans at The Flash have at least eight eggs in their clutch (from a Facebook post).
I am always happy to get comments and corrections.
Today's fine weather brought out the butterflies:
- *Small Tortoiseshell and *Comma at Priorslee Lake
- Brimstone and Small Tortoiseshell at The Flash
- Red Admiral and Small Tortoiseshell at Middle Pool
- Small Tortoiseshell at Trench Lock
A few other insects too .... as we will see.
Priorslee Lake: 05:45 - 09:40
(50th visit of the year)
Birds notes:
- A male Pheasant calling from the academy area more or less throughout.
- Early 25 Wood Pigeons flew N in three tight groups. Later another 80 birds logged, mainly heading W but in singles / duos rather than groups.
- One Common Buzzard on the academy playing field again.
- Where do all the Chiffchaffs come from? Not all will stay of course but this year has seen my highest-ever Spring count of this species
Birds noted flying over / near here: badly affected by the early fog
- 7 Canada Geese: a loose group of four outbound; single and pair inbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: two pair inbound together
- 2 Stock Doves: pair
- 105 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 1 Black-headed Gull: first year
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 16 Jackdaws
- 1 Starling
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- *19 (18) Chiffchaffs
- *6 (6) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair arrived
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived and chased away.
- 2 Mute Swans: pen sitting throughout
- 3 (3♂) Mallard only
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe seen
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult briefly
- 2 Grey Herons
On the lamp-poles pre-dawn: sadly no moths but ...
- *1 tiny black beetle, perhaps Altica lythri
- *3 Common Green Lacewings (Chrysoperia carnea)
- 1 plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
- 1 plumed midge with patterned wings (Psectrotanypus varius)
- *4 different spiders: I have been given a contact for the Shropshire spider recorder so rather than speculate I will liaise over their identity and report back.
Also noted:
- *Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae)
- *Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album)
- several Tapered Droneflies (Eristalis pertinax)
- 1 Grey Squirrel
A pensive #2. Did someone say they have black legs? Dark but not always black.
And #3 with a crick in its neck.
A splendid Comma butterfly (Polygonia c-album) feeding on the Blackthorn blossom
Spider #2
Spider #3 (or #4)
(Ed Wilson)
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(4th visit of the year)
A visit to the 'top of the hill' only to check for any migrants in the top fields - a blank. A few things to note:
- Two Skylarks in song. Also one non-singing bird.
- Four Chiffchaffs and a single Blackcap in song.
- Four Meadow Pipits. I could tell whether they were flying off N or just changing fields.
- *Three Yellowhammers. None was heard to sing though two, at least, were males.
I think it has spotted me.
(Ed Wilson)
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(38th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- One Canada Goose at the side of the island appeared motionless and may have incurred the wrath of the cob Mute Swan and be an ex-Canada Goose.
- The fine weather seemed to have encouraged some of the Tufted Ducks to move on.
- No sight or sound of the Willow Warbler. They no longer seem to breed here as the trees are probably too tall now.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 2 Feral Pigeons: singles
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 1 Jackdaw again
Count of warblers noted (number in brackets is singing birds)
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 41 Canada Geese
- ? Greylag Geese (heard from inside the island)
- 3 + 8? eggs Mute Swans
- 32 (21♂) Mallard
- 30 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull: first year arrived
My 2021 bird species list for here stays at 59
Also noted:
- 1 Brimstone butterfly (Gonepteryx rhamni). This may well be my first-ever of this species at this site.
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae).
- *1 Dark-edged Bee-fly (Bombilius major).
- 1 wasp sp. Seen only briefly. Strangely at this early date it seemed too small to be a queen.
And
- A house balcony in Derwent Drive boasts a Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in a cage - the call had me struggling to ID it for a while!
A sure sign of Spring are the first Dark-edged Bee-flies (Bombilius major). These furry flies use their proboscis for sucking nectar and are totally harmless. They can often be seen hovering in front of flowers.
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool: 11:35 - 12:05
(6th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *The duck Goosander was a surprise - a very late date for this species. I have no local records post-March - and it is nearly post-March!
- A singing Blackcap was new for the year here
Birds noted flying over / near here:
(Ed Wilson)
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(6th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *The duck Goosander was a surprise - a very late date for this species. I have no local records post-March - and it is nearly post-March!
- A singing Blackcap was new for the year here
Birds noted flying over / near here:
None
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
Counts from the water:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs again
- 2 Mute Swan: the usual pair. They do not seem to have any eggs as yet
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Goosander
- 3 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 39 with new today:
- Blackcap
Also noted
- 2 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies (Aglais urticae).
- 1 Grey Squirrel
[The local Wood Pigeons and Jackdaws not included]
Counts from the water:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs again
- 2 Mute Swan: the usual pair. They do not seem to have any eggs as yet
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂) Goosander
- 3 Moorhens
- 11 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 39 with new today:
- Blackcap
Also noted
- 2 Small Tortoiseshell butterflies (Aglais urticae).
- 1 Grey Squirrel
On a surprisingly late date - should be off at their breeding rivers by now - a duck Goosander.
A very smart-looking bird and unusually approachable.
Having a bath.
(Ed Wilson)
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(6th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- I was slightly surprised to see so many gulls here when they are almost absent elsewhere.
- A Willow Warbler was singing from the island - not an ideal place to try and hear it with all the squabbling geese. Not a species I record here every year as they seem to only pass by.
- Two Chiffchaffs in song again.
- One Blackcap in song. New for me here this year.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
None
Counts from the water:
- 38 Canada Geese
- 14 Greylag Geese again
- 1 all-white feral goose: the usual
- *2 Mute Swans with three eggs
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 19 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls: three adults and five first years
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, arrived and stayed
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 38 with new today:
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Also noted
- 1 Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae).
- 1 Grey Squirrel
Counts from the water:
- 38 Canada Geese
- 14 Greylag Geese again
- 1 all-white feral goose: the usual
- *2 Mute Swans with three eggs
- 14 (12♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens only
- 19 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls: three adults and five first years
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, arrived and stayed
My 2021 bird species list for here moves on to 38 with new today:
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
Also noted
- 1 Red Admiral butterfly (Vanessa atalanta)
- 1 Small Tortoiseshell butterfly (Aglais urticae).
- 1 Grey Squirrel
The resident Mute Swans on hand-over duty. Three eggs so far
(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)