12.0°C > 13.0°C: Cloudy start. Clearer to E which encroached to make it sunny by 06:00. Then clouded again after 06:45. Light SE breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 04:45 BST still
No pictures with this report – some to follow tomorrow. Went straight out for the day from the lake.
Priorslee Lake: 04:25 – 05:35 // 06:30 – 09:00
(123rd visit of the year)
On another quiet morning the highlight was three Common Terns that dropped in at 07:50 and stayed less than 10 minutes. My 102nd bird species at the lake this year.
Other bird notes:
- A pair of Tufted Duck flew W at 05:10; then a single drake also W at 07:50.
- A trio of Grey Herons flew steadily W at 05:05. Not sure I have ever seen three together like this.
- Four Swifts at 04:50. By 07:45 16 overhead.
- The persistently singing Garden Warbler on the N side was not heard while I was in that area. Much later I heard it from across the lake. Is he beginning to give up?
- Five Starlings on the football and academy playing fields: not all gone yet.
Overhead:
- 7 Greylag Geese: single outbound; single and quintet inbound
- 6 Feral Pigeons: two trios
- 3 Stock Doves: single and duo
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Ducks; pair and single drake
- 3 Grey Herons: together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: (near) adult
- 6 Jackdaws
- 14 Rooks
Hirundines etc., noted:
- >16 Swifts
- 3 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (9) Reed Warblers
- 11 (11) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Garden Warblers
- 4 (2) Common Whitethroats
Count from the lake area
- 2 + 1 (1 brood) Canada Geese
- 2 + 5 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 4 + 4 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 23 + 13 (6 broods) Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both immatures
- 3 Common Terns, briefly
On / around the street lamps pre-dawn:
- 1 carpet moth: flew off as I was about to photo it!
Noted later:
Moths:
- Timothy Tortrix (Zelotherses paleana)
- Straw Dot (Rivula sericealis)
Bees / Wasps:
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
- Garden Bumblebee (Bombus hortorum)
Hoverflies:
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
- Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)
Other Flies:
- Black Snipe fly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Mystacides longicornis (Caddis Fly)
- Black Snipe fly (Chrysopilus cristatus)
- Mystacides longicornis (Caddis Fly)
Spiders:
- Stretch spider sp (Tetragnatha sp.)
- Stretch spider sp (Tetragnatha sp.)
Mammals:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash:
- Two juvenile Moorhens seen on the lower pool: a bit of a puzzle as they looked two small to be first brood birds but too large for second brood birds.
- The Blackcap still on singing duty by the lower pool.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 05:40 – 06:25
(108th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Only one of the two independent juvenile Coots located. Two juveniles with their parents alongside Derwent Drive – this brood only heard previously.
- The Great Crested Grebes reappear.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Grey Squirrel
(Ed Wilson)
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- Two juvenile Moorhens seen on the lower pool: a bit of a puzzle as they looked two small to be first brood birds but too large for second brood birds.
- The Blackcap still on singing duty by the lower pool.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(108th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Only one of the two independent juvenile Coots located. Two juveniles with their parents alongside Derwent Drive – this brood only heard previously.
- The Great Crested Grebes reappear.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Hirundines etc., noted:
- no Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
On /around the water:
- 113 Canada Geese
- 18 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 22 (14♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 3 juvenile Coots again: see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: asleep together
Also noted
- grass moth on a lamp pole – probably Inlaid Grass-veneer (Crambus pascuella): to be confirmed when I have checked the photos.
(Ed Wilson)
- no Swifts
- 2 House Martins
Warblers noted (the number in brackets is singing birds):
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps
On /around the water:
- 113 Canada Geese
- 18 Greylag Geese
- 1 Greylag x Canada Goose
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 22 (14♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 + 2 (1 brood) Moorhens
- 3 juvenile Coots again: see notes
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: asleep together
Also noted
- grass moth on a lamp pole – probably Inlaid Grass-veneer (Crambus pascuella): to be confirmed when I have checked the photos.
(Ed Wilson)