1.0°C > 7.0°C: Unexpectedly clear at 05:40; clouded from the E by 06:30; some breaks developing much later. Light N wind veering moderate NE. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:43 BST
* = a photo today
New today were:
- a Peregrine that flew E over the lake at 08:55 - a male I would judge from the size. Then ...
- Perhaps the same Peregrine that flew N over The Flash at c.10:45.
- A Willow Warbler at the lake, new there this year
Priorslee Lake: 05:40 - 09:45
(52nd visit of the year)
Birds notes:
- The first Jackdaws of the morning were at the early time (for them and me) of 06:04. Strangely they were in the company of two Mallard (one drake; sex of the other not determined). Next Jackdaws not until 06:39.
- About eight Sand Martins arrived c.07:45 and quickly built up to c.30 birds with, as yesterday, a single Barn Swallow with them. For no obvious reason almost all of them climbed high in the sky and left to the SE, not all at once but over a few minutes. Numbers soon began building again and by 09:00 there were at least 50 Sand Martins and two Barn Swallows.
- A most unexpected sight was a group of 52 Fieldfare. Even more unexpected was that they were heading W, though two, presumably of these, returned E a few minutes later. What do they know about another 'beast from the east'?
- Two Skylarks singing away and in very close proximity - a song battle? - came from over the fields to sing above the lake for a while.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 6 Canada Goose: three pairs outbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: single outbound; single and pair inbound
- 2 (?♂) Mallard
- 43 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Peregrine
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 1 Cormorant
- 8 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 52 Fieldfares (gulp!)
- 1 Meadow Pipit
Count of hirundines etc. noted:
- >50 Sand Martins again
- 2+ Barn Swallows
Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- *1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 19 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 3 Canada Geese: single and pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans: pen not sitting all the while
- 4 (4♂) Mallard again
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe heard
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull: second year briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult briefly
- 1 Grey Heron again
My 2021 bird species list for here moved on to 81 with today's addition:
- Barn Swallow
On the lamp-poles pre-dawn:
Nothing - too cold?
Nothing else of note.
Before the cloud rolled in a good view of the waning Worm Moon. The reason might be that at this time of year there is enough warmth in the soil to temp worms near to the surface for birds to feed on them. Then again ... I think the answer is "we don't know".
A bit like at The Flash two days ago. You will probably have to take my word for it that this is a Willow Warbler! It does have long wings and pinkish legs - but then so do most albatrosses!
Nothing else of note.
Did I mention there is always a branch in the way? A male Blackcap doing its best to hide.
Gotcha!
A pensive Wren looking left ...
... and right.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(6th visit of the year)
A quick charge up and down the hill failed to find anything much.
A few things to note:
- Three Skylarks in song. Also two non-singing birds.
- Three singing and one calling Chiffchaff.
- One singing Blackcap.
- Three Yellowhammers. All males, one singing.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(40th visit of the year)
The date for the reported sighting of the Little Egret is confirmed as 22 March 2021.
Bird notes:
- A group of four Tufted Ducks flew in, perhaps from the lake as the sailing club put to sea (or whatever).
- Some of the large gulls possibly qualify for inclusion in 'counts from the water'. Most of them arrived together and circled around quite low and frequently were behind the island where I could not see what they were up to.
- Yesterday's Great Crested Grebe not located.
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Herring Gull: second year
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: six adults and one first year
- 1 Peregrine
- 3 Jackdaws
Count of hirundines etc. noted:
- 8 Sand Martins
Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 3 (3) Willow Warblers
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 30 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese again
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 31 (22♂) Mallard
- 41 (26♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
My 2021 bird species list for here moved on to 61 with today's addition:
- Peregrine: I last noted one here on 16 April 2019.
Also noted:
- *1 Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
You saw the left and right of a Wren at the lake. Here is the front ....
... and the back!
And the whole bird for good measure.
Buzzing around slowly-enough for even in the shade of squirrel alley I could get a photo. This is a Buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). A big insect almost certainly a queen looking for a nest site. There seems to be debate about whether White-tailed bumblebee complex occur in this area and without a good view the separation of Buff- and White-tailed workers is not easy. As here the tail itself can appear white and the 'buff' of the Buff-tailed can be a very restricted band abutting the black abdomen.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day
2019
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2017
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Greylag Geese
14 Tufted Duck
4 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
229 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
6 Greylag Geese
1 Cackling Goose
52 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
12 Tufted Ducks
1 Little Gull
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
33 Greylag Geese
10 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
2 Little Grebe
Chiffchaff
Reed Bunting.
(John Isherwood)
The Flash
1 Brambling
1 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
>100 Fieldfare
> 50 Redwing
6 Lapwing
Meadow Pipit
Yellowhammer
(John Isherwood)
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
9 Greylag Geese
2 Tufted Duck
1 Curlew
1 Peregrine
4 Blackcaps
13 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
48 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
5 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Curlew
5 Sky Larks
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
2 Curlew
Wheatear
> 50 Sand Martin
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 male Common Redstart
21 Wheatear
(John Isherwood, Ian Grant)
2010
Priorslee Lake
White Wagtail
Wheatear
3 Sand Martin
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
Common Redstart
6 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
17 Tufted Duck
2 Willow Tit
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Bullfinch
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
25 Tufted Duck
2 Shoveler
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
2 Curlew
1 Blackcap
1 Sparrowhawk
4 Meadow Pipits
4 Skylarks
4 Chiffchaffs
8 Goldfinches
5 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
146 Jackdaws
1 Stock Dove
192 Wood Pigeons
2 Sky Larks
1 Meadow Pipit
27 Blackbirds
31 Fieldfares
3 Swallow
53 Sand Martins
4 Swallow
3 Blackcaps
2 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
2 Jays
22 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)