3.0°C > 11:0°C: More high cloud this morning with just a touch of frost. Light E breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:53 BST
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:00 - 06:35 // 07:25 - 09:35
(73rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Not at all sure about how many Greylag Geese there were this morning. Twos seen flying around, trying to visit the lake, dropping in and out of the fields to the E. At least four birds, possibly many more. And I am not really sure that I should be calling any two geese flying over together as 'pairs' any more. Surely they are nesting and only one would be on a feeding foray?
- My first Mallard ducklings of the year. A duck with seven ducklings seen under the Wesley Brook bridge and then presumed the same seen at the S end of the dam - an awfully long way for the ducklings to paddle! One of the fishermen said there had been 10 ducklings yesterday. Attrition rate of this species is usually high, not helped by errant dog-walkers allowing their dogs in the water flushing birds from cover. Read the notices and do as the owners of the land request please: dogs on leads.
- Unusual late April records of 19 Black-headed Gulls, apparently all adults, flying in from the W at 06:10. They stopped for a quick drink and then left in line abreast to the E.
- Dire numbers of hirundines so far this year, not helped by the clear skies
- Six singing Reed Warblers again. One of these was singing from brambles alongside the W end path - overshot the reeds!
- Just one Common Whitethroat located.
- At least three Linnets flushed off the football field by dog-walkers, much later than I usually see them. That said it is 10 or more days since I last saw any here.
Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 8 Canada Geese: three pairs outbound; pair inbound
- 'some' Greylag Geese: see notes
- 1 Stock Dove
- 13 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 2 adults; 2 un-aged (too dark)
- 21 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 4 Sand Martins
Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 14 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers
- 20 (12) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
Counts from the water:
- 1 Canada Goose: the other bird presumed on nest
- at least 2 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen was off the nest for a while to feed with the cob standing close-guard
- 4 (3♂) + 7 (1 brood) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens
- 21 Coots again
- no Little Grebes heard
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Common Sandpipers
- 19 Black-headed Gull, all adults, together and briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
On / around the street lamps pre-dawn
Nothing
Noted later:
Between the lake and The Flash
- A pair of Mallard flew in to the lower pool.
- No Moorhens seen or heard though I am sure they are still there.
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler at the lower pool.
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff at the upper pool.
- 3 (2) Blackcaps: pair at the upper pool and a singing bird at the lower pool. I did wonder whether this bird had 'crossed the road' as there has been one singing on the other side of the tunnel recently. Not so: I heard both concurrently.
- House Sparrows at the upper pool. I do not usually specifically note this species but I cannot recall birds here in previous years.
The Flash: 06:40 - 07:20
Noted later:
- 1 Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)
- 1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- just opening are the first Ramsons flowers (Allium ursinum)
- 1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- just opening are the first Ramsons flowers (Allium ursinum)
(Ed Wilson)
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- A pair of Mallard flew in to the lower pool.
- No Moorhens seen or heard though I am sure they are still there.
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler at the lower pool.
- 1 (0) Chiffchaff at the upper pool.
- 3 (2) Blackcaps: pair at the upper pool and a singing bird at the lower pool. I did wonder whether this bird had 'crossed the road' as there has been one singing on the other side of the tunnel recently. Not so: I heard both concurrently.
- House Sparrows at the upper pool. I do not usually specifically note this species but I cannot recall birds here in previous years.
(Ed Wilson)
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(61st visit of the year)
Not surprisingly there was no sight nor sound of yesterday's Sedge Warbler.
Bird notes:
- Significant reduction in number of Tufted Duck. Two single drakes apparently flew it which bolstered the number a bit.
- A lone Great Crested Grebe now back.
- Two Stock Doves were seen flying in to trees behind the medical practice where one has recently been heard calling. What seems to be a different bird was calling bird near the southern-most cut-off footbridge, also a location where I have heard this species calling recently
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 3 Jackdaws again
Hirundines etc. noted.
Not surprisingly there was no sight nor sound of yesterday's Sedge Warbler.
Bird notes:
- Significant reduction in number of Tufted Duck. Two single drakes apparently flew it which bolstered the number a bit.
- A lone Great Crested Grebe now back.
- Two Stock Doves were seen flying in to trees behind the medical practice where one has recently been heard calling. What seems to be a different bird was calling bird near the southern-most cut-off footbridge, also a location where I have heard this species calling recently
Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 3 Jackdaws again
Hirundines etc. noted.
None
Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (3) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 21 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 26 (20♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck only
- 5 Moorhens
- 22 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Nothing else of note.
Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 6 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (3) Blackcaps
Counts from the water:
- 21 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 26 (20♂) Mallard
- 10 (6♂) Tufted Duck only
- 5 Moorhens
- 22 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
Nothing else of note.
(Ed Wilson)
NOTE
Photos will be added tomorrow
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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
Local Area
Today's Sightings Here
2014
Nedge Hill
2 Redstart
7 Wheatear
Whitethroat
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)
2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
5 Common Sandpipers
2 Reed Warblers
6 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose
20 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
5 Willow Warblers
(Ed Wilson)
Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
3 Ringed Plover
2 Dunlin
Lesser Whitethroat
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
11 Greylag
1 Tufted Duck
1 Grasshopper Warbler
1 Sedge Warbler
14 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
11 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
17 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
6 Skylarks
4 Blackcaps
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
9 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
8 Wheatear
28 Fieldfare
2 Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)
2008
Priorslee Lake
Reed Warblers
3 Common Sandpipers
1 Sedge Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Common Sandpipers
1 Tufted Duck
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Trench
8 Tufted Duck
8 Swallows
3 House Martin
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Ruddy Duck
4 Common Sandpiper
3 Swift
32 House Martin
3 Swallow
3 Reed Warbler
2 Sedge Warbler
1 Garden Warbler
6 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
14 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
7 Sand Martins
14 Swallows
1 House Martin
3 Stock Doves
3 Grey Wagtails
30 Wrens
2 Sedge Warblers
1 Reed Warbler
1 Common Whitethroat
9 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
8 Greenfinches
1 Linnet
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings.(Ed Wilson)
Lanes to the East of Priorslee lake
6 Stock Doves
2 Sky Larks
2 Whitethroats
3 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
4 Linnets
1 Reed Bunting
7 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)