2.0°C > 6.0°C: Wall to wall clear. Light E wind. Good visibility – a bit hazy.
Sunrise: 06:13 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:25 – 06:45 // 07:40 – 09:10
Priorslee Lake: 05:25 – 06:45 // 07:40 – 09:10
(66th visit of the year)
A distant calling Pheasant at 05:45 was new for my 2022 list from here (species #72). He won't be able to strut his stuff on the academy playing fields this year.
Other bird notes:
- A pair of Canada Geese was on the SW grass early and again not noted later.
- No Black-headed Gulls at all (and none at The Flash either).
- A full-winged Grey Heron flew high from the S and away to the E at 08:20. At 08:40 two birds were sparring low over the lake.
- The lack of traffic aided by the road works lights meant I could hear two distant Sky Larks to the E of Castle Farm Way.
- Just a single Siskin noted: heard flying over.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound; pair inbound
- 9 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound; pair and trio inbound
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves: pair
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 56 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Siskin
Hirundines etc. noted:
A distant calling Pheasant at 05:45 was new for my 2022 list from here (species #72). He won't be able to strut his stuff on the academy playing fields this year.
Other bird notes:
- A pair of Canada Geese was on the SW grass early and again not noted later.
- No Black-headed Gulls at all (and none at The Flash either).
- A full-winged Grey Heron flew high from the S and away to the E at 08:20. At 08:40 two birds were sparring low over the lake.
- The lack of traffic aided by the road works lights meant I could hear two distant Sky Larks to the E of Castle Farm Way.
- Just a single Siskin noted: heard flying over.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound; pair inbound
- 9 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound; pair and trio inbound
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves: pair
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Grey Heron
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 56 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- 1 Siskin
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted. (figures in brackets relate to singing birds)
- no Cetti's Warbler heard
- *12 (12) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 31 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe seen; another heard?
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Grey Herons
On / around the frosted street lamp poles pre-dawn
Warblers noted. (figures in brackets relate to singing birds)
- no Cetti's Warbler heard
- *12 (12) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 31 Coots
- *1 Little Grebe seen; another heard?
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 2 Grey Herons
On / around the frosted street lamp poles pre-dawn
Nothing
Later:
Nothing noted
The rather murky sky pre-sunrise.
Grey Herons always look surprised with that staring eye.
A different bird caught in mid 'chiff' - or was that mid 'chaff'?
From now on is the best time of year to photo Wrens as they become territorial. This one was on the dam
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(63rd visit of the year)
Starling was a new species for my 2022 site list for here (species #54). One was briefly calling from a TV aerial in Wordsworth Drive.
Other bird notes:
- *The pen Mute Swan now has three eggs.
- Mallard reappeared in some number.
- Also many more Tufted Ducks.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming alongside squirrel alley: the first I have heard in the alley for some years.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Stock Doves: pair
- 10 Wood Pigeons: together
- 4 Jackdaws: singles
Warblers noted. (figures in brackets relate to singing birds)
- *7 (7) Chiffchaffs
On /around the water:
- 26 Canada Geese: a pair of these flew off
- 6 Greylag Geese: a trio of these flew off
- *3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 27 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal
- 85 (52♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
On / around the street lamp poles
- *1 Plumed midge (Chironomus plumosus)
Elsewhere:
Nothing noted
Count them - "one, two, three". May be as many as ten eventually.
And another!
This is my first 'big' (relative term) plumed midge this year that I believe to be Chironomus plumosus.
(Ed Wilson)
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- 1 (1♂) Mallard in the lower pool
- 1 Moorhen in the upper pool
- 1 Moorhen in the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff around the lower pool again
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 1 Moorhen in the upper pool
- 1 Moorhen in the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff around the lower pool again
(Ed Wilson)
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Nothing of note:
The only thing I could find in the tunnel was this. I suspect a dead springtail – or at least one none too well.
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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
2013
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
27 Tufted Ducks
6 Redwings
138 Jackdaws
1 Chiffchaff
1 Redpoll
7+ Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Mute Swans
1 Pochard
56 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Long Lane, Wellington
133 Lapwing
17 Golden Plover
1 Redshank
3 Dunlin
2 Oystercatcher
3 Teal
c.600 Black-headed Gulls
5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Herring Gull.
(Martin Grant)
2011
Priorslee Lake
17 Tufted Duck
11 Golden Plover
17 Meadow Pipits
5 Chiffchaffs (4 in song)
Raven
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
40 Golden Plover
11 Lapwing
1 Red-legged Partridge
2 Green Woodpeckers
8 Meadow Pipits
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
32 Tufted Duck
1 Curlew
2 Brambling
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
6 Gadwall
39 Tufted Duck
146 Jackdaws on roost dispersal
c.35 Greenfinches
c.15 Goldfinches
c.10 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebe
36 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
435 Lesser Black-backed Gull
(Peter Wilson)
2007
Priorslee lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
12 Cormorant
24 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Merlin
1 Buzzard
2 Kestrel
1 Great Black-backed Gull
188 Wood Pigeon
1 Green Woodpecker
26 Wren
5 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
55 Magpie
14 Greenfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
The Flash
9 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
26 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
c.250 Black-headed Gulls
146 Lesser-black Backs
15 Herring Gull
2 Yellow-leg Gulls
2 Common Gulls
36 Tufted Duck
6 Great Crested Grebe
1 Cormorant
2 Water Rail
3 Siskins
2 Redpoll
3 Linnet
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)