1 Nov 21

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 0.0°C: Variable amounts of cloud with occasional light showers. Fresh SW wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:06 GMT

*= a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 05:40 – 09:20

(247th visit of the year)

A much busier morning. The large Starling roost dispersal the most impressive.

Other bird notes:
- The recently arrived two Mute Swans were present early. At 07:40 the erstwhile resident cob and his three cygnets arrived from the NE. The cob soon set about chasing the other adults away, which he achieved within 20 minutes.
- One pair of Gadwall again.
- Of the >500 Wood Pigeons seen in migrant groups at least 150 seemed to be climbing away from trees to the N and W of the lake.
- Just a single 'large gull' arrived and briefly stopped for a drink. Low number of gulls in general.
- At least 850 Starlings burst out of the reeds almost together – how do you even get an estimate when they fly straight out over you? Could have been many more. Just 10 'teenagers' struggling to get out of bed and leaving later (a few over-flights as well).

Overhead:
- 5 Feral Pigeons: one group
- c.600 Wood Pigeons: c.500 in 13 migrant groups, heading between SW and SE
- 1 Collared Dove
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: together
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 263 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 1 Skylark
- 11 Starlings: two groups
- 2 Fieldfare: singles
- 31 Redwings
- c.16 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Chaffinch
- 4 Siskins

Birds leaving roosts around the lake:
- c.860 Starlings
- 14 Redwings
- 1 Reed Bunting

Warblers noted:
- 1 Cetti's Warbler: single song near Wesley Brook bridge pre-dawn; later calling at W end

Count from the lake area:
- *3 + 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 26 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens
- 44 Coots
- c.150 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 unidentified large gull, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

At / around the street lamps pre-dawn:

Moths:
- 2 November Moth agg. (Epirrita sp.)
with:
- 1 Hawthorn Shieldbug (Acanthosoma haemorrhoidale)
- 1 Common European Earwig (Forficula dentata)
- *1 Neriene montana spider
- *1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
- *1 Tetragnatha sp. Stretch spider
- 1 Paroligolophus agrestis harvestman
- 2 Dicranopalpus ramosus/caudatus harvestmen

Noted later:
- 1 (Common) Striped Woodlouse (Philoscia muscorum) in the sailing club shelter.
- 1 Grey Squirrel

It did not look like this for much of the time! A rewarding sunrise.

Not too easy to see against the water but here is 'our' con Mute Swan and two of the cygnets returning from wherever they have been on half-term. [The red spot is a buoy behind one of the cygnets.]

It did not take the cob long to dislodge the two that have been present for the last five days. Here they climb away to safety

And having circled around to gain height head off.

The spider Neriene montana with a dark line down the head and thorax.

A six-legged Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis). Best identified by the unusual shape of the head and thorax with a pale line down the centre (and often down the abdomen as well), Typically he front two pairs of legs are held together as they are here on the spider's left side. It seems to have lost the two front legs on its right side.

A species of stretch spider Tetragnatha showing the top row of four eyes. I saw very many spiders in this group on vegetation in early summer but none recently. One or two have appeared on the lamp posts recently. This could mean they are different species. The NatureSpot web site notes all three common species as not occurring beyond September. For scale purposes the background in the top part of the number '0' on the lamp pole identifier.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:250 – 10:10

(223th visit of the year)

Seems I was mistaken: some / much of the Willow tree that had fallen in the water (adopts 'Goon Show' voice) and was lately removed has, after all, been retained on site. It is scattered around in various places to recycle its nutrients. Well done.

Bird notes:
- The drake Teal appeared yet again – on its own still apparently.
- At least two Siskins in trees on the island.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 4 Jackdaws

On /around the water:
- 29 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese: one of these flew in
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swan
- 36 (25♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Teal reappeared
- 26 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- *14 (0♂) Goosander: two flew off
- 9 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes only
- 44 Black-headed Gulls
- *2 Grey Herons

On a lamp pole:
- 1 Dicranopalpus ramosus-type harvestman.

Noted elsewhere:
- A few Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris) on the Ivy flowers braving the dull and windy conditions.

A 'brownhead' Goosander. The pale line from the base of the bill to the eye (called a loral line) indicates this is an immature, sex unknown. Note the outline of the head and nape is slightly fuzzy.

Here is the same bird in front of what I believe to be duck (female). There is no loral line and the eye and the head has a more shaggy outline to the nape.

A reflective Grey Heron.

The same bird from an unusual angle.

(Ed Wilson)

Note:

A Gyrfalcon has gone missing from Bridport and has been seen in the Priorslee Area. If you see it please contact us by email so we can pass on the sighting to the owner. Here a couple of photos of it.

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On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.

Sightings from previous years without links are below

2010
Priorslee Lake
Brambling
3 Fieldfares
12 Redwings
5 Siskins
2 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Cormorant
14 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
Female Blackcap
Chiffchaff
Goldcrest
Willow Tits with the Long-tailed Tits
Kingfisher
Jays
Skylark
Siskin
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)