25 Apr 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 7:0°C: Low cloud spilling in from E, tending to break, especially early. Light / moderate NE breeze. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:51 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 05:00 - 06:30 // 07:25 - 09:30

(74th visit of the year)

A sure sign that Spring has more or less arrived with three additions to my 2021 lake bird list. In the order I recorded them:
- A Sedge Warbler singing along the S side by 05:10. During a later visit I briefly saw a shape move inside a dense Red-osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea). It was not going to show itself. This species rarely stays long, but has bred here at least once.
- A Garden Warbler sang from bushes alongside the W end path at 06:00. Later it was singing very intermittently while moving rapidly around in the trees and bushes, probably more interested in feeding after its journey from sub-Saharan Africa than singing at the moment. Small numbers usually breed here.
- A mixed group of c.30 hirundines etc. over the water at 08:25 comprised c.25 Sand Martins, 2 Barn Swallows, only my second House Martin here this year - and my first Swift of the year.
These take this year's species total for here to 94.

Other bird notes:
- No sign of any duck Mallard, with or without ducklings. The fishermen had seen none today either.
- No idea why the Coots numbers were so low.
- Four Black-headed Gulls, ages uncertain, arrived from the W at 05:20, circled around, briefly landed on buoys and then left to the NE at 05:40.
- The only Willow Warbler heard here was in yet another different location.
- One of the Chiffchaffs seemed to making song notes more like Siberian Chiffchaff as well as more typical 'chiff-chaff' notes. I am taking advice.
- Six singing Reed Warblers again. One singing from the SW copse area where a House Sparrow was seen once more.
- A second Common Whitethroat with one bird sub-singing from the W end bushes. Scolding calls also heard here which might indicate there was also a female present.
- A pair of Linnets briefly seen on the football field and then presumably the same pair in the W end bushes as I was searching for the Garden Warbler. The male Linnet is now resplendent in full breeding plumage.

Birds noted flying over / near here:
- 6 Canada Geese: three pairs outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair inbound
- 4 Stock Doves: two singles and a pair
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 4 Cormorants: together
- 16 Jackdaws
- 4 Rooks

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Swift
- c.25 Sand Martins
- 2 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin

Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 6 (6) Reed Warblers again
- *16 (9) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Garden Warbler
- 2 (2) Common Whitethroats

Counts from the water:
- 5 Canada Goose: one 'resident' (partner presumed on nest and not recorded); single and trio visited and chased away.
- 2 Mute Swans: the pen on the nest throughout.
- 2 (2♂) Mallard
- 6 Moorhens
- 12 Coots only
- 2 Little Grebes: both heard only
- 3 Great Crested Grebes yet again
- *3 Common Sandpipers
- 4 Black-headed Gulls; briefly
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

On / around the street lamps pre-dawn again

Nothing

Noted later:
- *flowers of what I think is Wild Privet (Ligustrum vulgare)

An update from Thursday 24 April: the mining bee has been identified as a Buffish Mining Bee (Andrena nigroaenea).

Starting with a few from yesterday (Saturday 24th) that I didn't have time to organise. Here is the sunrise through areas of thin high cloud.

From a slightly different view.

Mrs. Mallard with her seven ducklings passing under the Wesley Brook bridge. Later I saw these at the S end of the dam - a long way for the little legs on the ducklings to paddle. One of the fishermen reported that there were 10 ducklings the previous day (23rd). I did not see the duck or any ducklings today (25th)

Only one male Common Whitethroat seen on the 24th. Here it is.

 Well named with the loose white feathers fluffed up here.

Almost looks like an old man's beard (quiet at the back) as it sings.

Most of the Ramsons (Allium ursinum) have yet to flower. This is a rather scruffy exception. When in full bloom the area around the Teece Drive gate smells strongly of onions

Now to this morning. A difficult sunrise with the sun only occasionally breaking through thin low cloud spilling in from the E.

Two photos of one of the Common Sandpipers courtesy of Phil Nock who did a great job getting really close to show an astonishing amount of detail. I hope my edits to format them for the web has not destroyed the detail.

Thanks Phil. I think I'll throw my camera away!

A Common Buzzard of course. They seem to be nesting in the Ricoh copse again this year.

An obliging male Blackcap. A rather thoughtful-looking bird.

 Give us a song!

Yep: shout that song

"Who made all that noise?"

No houses around here Mr. House Sparrow. Strange. This small copse is where I saw a male carrying nesting material last year.

Straining my (very) limited botanical knowledge I think these flower clusters are Wild Privet (Ligustrum vulgare).

And one cluster in close-up.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

- No Moorhens seen or heard again
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs at the upper pool.
- no Blackcaps seen or heard

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 - 07:20

(62nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *Another return visit by what I assume is the same second year Herring Gull, this time accompanied by a full adult.
- A strange late date for a Lesser Redpoll to still be in the area. One flew over calling.

Birds noted flying over / near The Flash:

- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Hirundines etc. noted.
- 1 Barn Swallow flew through

Count of warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds)
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler again
- 6 (5) Chiffchaffs
- 5 (5) Blackcaps

Counts from the water:
- 15 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 3 + ? eggs Mute Swans
- 19 (15♂) Mallard
- 16 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 21 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- *2 Herring Gulls: adult and second year

Nothing else of note.

No photos from yesterday (24th). Here a / the second year Herring Gull stretches its wings. An adult preens next to it.

The two are nicely posed together here. The smaller bird in the foreground could well be a female. It is a full adult with no hint of dark on its bill and has an obvious pale eye. I have to say the legs do not really look 'pink' - more grey to my eyes. (A Greylag Goose behind them - Canada Geese have black legs).

(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

2016

Local Area

Today's Sightings Here

2014

Priorslee Lake

1 Reed Warbler

1 Sedge Warbler

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill

1 Lesser Whitethroat

5 Wheatear

(John Isherwood)

2013

Priorslee Lake

Tawny Owl

4 Great Crested Grebes 

2 Cormorants

2 Lapwings 

2 Common Sandpiper 

3 Reed Warblers

14 Blackcaps 

8 Chiffchaffs 

2 Willow Warblers 

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebe 

1 Greylag Goose 

1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose 

12 Tufted Duck 

5 Song Thrushes 

3 Blackcaps 

3 Chiffchaffs 

3 Willow Warblers

(Ed Wilson)

Woodhouse Lane

3 Common Whitethroats

2 Linnets.

7 Yellowhammers

Blackcaps

Chiffchaffs 

Willow Warbler.

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

4 Meadow Pipits

4 Sky Lark

20 Wheatear

2 Fieldfare

1 Lesser Whitethroat.

2 Common Whitethroats.

3 Blackcaps.

2 Chiffchaffs.

1 Linnet.

2 Yellowhammer

(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington

1 Whimbrel

2 Curlew

6 Dunlin

2 Ringed Plover

(JW Reeves)

2012

Priorslee Lake

35 Swallows

2 House Martins

Grey Wagtail

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

2 Swift

1 Grasshopper Warbler

(John Isherwood, J W Reeves, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill

1 Wheatear

(John Isherwood)

2011

Priorslee Lake

1 Yellow Wagtail

Common Sandpiper

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill

9 Wheatear

(John Isherwood)

2010

Priorslee Lake

3 Common Sandpiper

(Andy Latham)

Nedge Hill

Swift

12 Wheatear

1 Whinchat

Lesser Whitethroat

2 Whitethroat

Blackcap

(Andy Latham)

2009

Priorslee Lake

1 Wheatear

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill

19 Wheatear

1 Lesser Whitethroat

2 Turtle Doves

(John Isherwood)

2008

Priorslee Lake

4 Great Crested Grebes

Sand Martins

Swallows

1 Tufted Duck

1 Sedge Warbler

4 Reed Warblers

1 Lesser Whitethroat

1 Common Whitethroat

3 Blackcaps 

6 Chiffchaffs 

1 Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

2 Wheatear

1 Common Whitethroat

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee

3 Great Crested Grebes

1 Tufted Duck

1 Wheatear

1 Chiffchaff

1 Willow Tit

1 Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

5 Wheatears

1 Whinchat

1 Sedge Warbler

Common Whitethroat

4 Linnets

(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash

Swallows

1 Grey Wagtail

6 Blackcaps

6 Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

2006

Priorslee Lake

7 Great Crested Grebes

4 Herons

4 Greylag Geese

4 Tufted Ducks

2 Ruddy Duck

2 Kestrels

2 Common Sandpipers

1 Sky Lark

23 Sand Martins

12 Swallows

29 Wrens

2 Sedge Warblers

2 Reed Warblers

11 Blackcaps

8 Chiffchaffs

2 Willow Warblers

2 Jays

7 Greenfinches

21 Redpolls

5 Reed Buntings.

Lanes

3 Whitethroats

2 Sky Larks

3 Whitethroats

2 Blackcaps

1 Chiffchaff

4 Linnets

6 Yellowhammers

(Ed Wilson)