Priorslee Lake and The Flash
6.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear and hazy again. Calm. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:04 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:30
(70th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Now five Great Crested Grebes. The presence of the fifth seemed to inspire the other two pairs out in to the open to display.
- Two adult and one first year Black-headed Gulls appeared over the lake at 05:50 and circled low for about 10 minutes before leaving.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound again
- 7 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound; single and pair inbound
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Stock Doves: single and pair
- 21 Wood Pigeons again
- 4 Herring Gulls: again and all immatures again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both immatures
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 48 Jackdaws
We are missing the passage of Meadow Pipits that has been reported elsewhere over the last flew days. These normally fly low-enough that I should see or at least hear them even in the hazy conditions.
Hirundines etc. noted:
6.0°C > 12.0°C: Clear and hazy again. Calm. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:04 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:20 // 07:25 – 09:30
(70th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Now five Great Crested Grebes. The presence of the fifth seemed to inspire the other two pairs out in to the open to display.
- Two adult and one first year Black-headed Gulls appeared over the lake at 05:50 and circled low for about 10 minutes before leaving.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound again
- 7 Greylag Geese: two pairs outbound; single and pair inbound
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Stock Doves: single and pair
- 21 Wood Pigeons again
- 4 Herring Gulls: again and all immatures again
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: both immatures
- 1 Common Buzzard again
- 48 Jackdaws
We are missing the passage of Meadow Pipits that has been reported elsewhere over the last flew days. These normally fly low-enough that I should see or at least hear them even in the hazy conditions.
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 13 (13) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: one flew off 05:50; a pair throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- Little Grebe(s) heard only again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons: both departed, but separately
On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- *1 Red-letter Flat-body moth (Agonopterix ocellana)
- *1 spider sp. (same species as yesterday?)
Notes later:
- 1 Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)
- 1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- >4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- many other unidentified bumblebees in flight only – there are not many flowers for them to visit
Also: the overnight fishermen reported many bats of at least two species were flying last evening.
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 13 (13) Chiffchaffs
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: one flew off 05:50; a pair throughout
- 2 Mute Swans
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 31 Coots
- Little Grebe(s) heard only again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Grey Herons: both departed, but separately
On / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn
- *1 Red-letter Flat-body moth (Agonopterix ocellana)
- *1 spider sp. (same species as yesterday?)
Notes later:
- 1 Peacock butterfly (Aglais io)
- 1 Red-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lapidarius)
- >4 Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- many other unidentified bumblebees in flight only – there are not many flowers for them to visit
Also: the overnight fishermen reported many bats of at least two species were flying last evening.
Possibly a better photo than yesterday of this unusual-looking spider. I do not have an identity for it as yet.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(66th visit of the year)
Best record today was a singing Blackcap in the bushes between Priorslee Avenue and the car parks outside the medical centre. My first of the year and bird species #55 here in 2022 for me. Last year I noted the first bird on March 25th so it is about on cue. While I was unsuccessfully trying to see the bird a trio of Redwings perched briefly in the tops of trees here – Summer and Winter visitors together.
Other bird notes:
- A lone Greylag Goose still seems to be making overtures to one of a pair of Canada Geese.
- Still four eggs in the Mute Swans' nest.
- One of the groups of Tufted Ducks (comprising 11 drakes and three ducks) was doing much chasing around.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was flying around the E side trees making a lot of noise.
- *A Long-tailed Tits' nest located.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew N
- 12 Wood Pigeons: high NE together
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
On /around the water:
- 31 Canada Geese: of these two pairs flew off
- 3 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: 4 eggs still
- 26 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal still here
- 58 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens again
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
Noted on / around the street lamp poles: a bumper bundle:
- 2 Plumed midges (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 owl-midge (also known as drain fly, moth fly or owl fly) Psychodidae sp.
- 1 lacewing, probably Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea)
- *1 midge sp.
- *1 spider, likely a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)
Elsewhere:
Best record today was a singing Blackcap in the bushes between Priorslee Avenue and the car parks outside the medical centre. My first of the year and bird species #55 here in 2022 for me. Last year I noted the first bird on March 25th so it is about on cue. While I was unsuccessfully trying to see the bird a trio of Redwings perched briefly in the tops of trees here – Summer and Winter visitors together.
Other bird notes:
- A lone Greylag Goose still seems to be making overtures to one of a pair of Canada Geese.
- Still four eggs in the Mute Swans' nest.
- One of the groups of Tufted Ducks (comprising 11 drakes and three ducks) was doing much chasing around.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was flying around the E side trees making a lot of noise.
- *A Long-tailed Tits' nest located.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew N
- 12 Wood Pigeons: high NE together
- 1 Jackdaw
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
On /around the water:
- 31 Canada Geese: of these two pairs flew off
- 3 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Mute Swans: 4 eggs still
- 26 (22♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 2 (1♂) Teal still here
- 58 (39♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens again
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
Noted on / around the street lamp poles: a bumper bundle:
- 2 Plumed midges (Chironomus plumosus)
- *1 owl-midge (also known as drain fly, moth fly or owl fly) Psychodidae sp.
- 1 lacewing, probably Common Green Lacewing (Chrysoperla carnea)
- *1 midge sp.
- *1 spider, likely a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)
Elsewhere:
Nothing of note
A Long-tailed Tit.
This looks to me like a midge though it is rather short and unusual in have a dark mark in the wings.
I think this spider is most likely a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis). As usual there are similar species that require detailed examination (10 foot up a lamp pole?) to be certain.
Between the Lake and The Flash:
- 2 (2♂) Mallard in the lower pool.
- 1 Moorhen heard in the upper pool only.
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the lower pool
- 8 Starlings in trees
Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- 2 (2♂) Mallard in the lower pool.
- 1 Moorhen heard in the upper pool only.
- 1 (1) Chiffchaff beside the lower pool
- 8 Starlings in trees
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nothing of note
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day can be found via the yearly links in the right-hand column.
Sightings from previous years without links are below
2014
Priorslee Lake
7 Chiffchaffs
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
5 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
3 Buzzard
30 Fieldfares
5 Redwings
7 Chiffchaffs
>700 Jackdaws
1 Raven
1 Marsh Tit
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Common Teal
50 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebe
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
37 Tufted Ducks
c.180 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.50 Herring Gulls
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
11 Pied Wagtail
2 Redwings
Willow Warbler
4 Chiffchaffs singing
12 Linnets
1 Siskin
4 Great Crested Grebe
2 Gadwall
28 Tufted Duck
c.225 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
3 Wheatears
(Ian Grant)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
46 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
25 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Sky Lark
1 Sand Martin
28 Wren
20 Robin
33 Blackbird
1 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
32 Magpie
117 Jackdaw
4 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Village
Raven
Blackcap
(Martin Adlam)
Nedge Hill
3 Sky Lark
1 Chiffchaff
3 Greenfinch
6 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
22 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)