2.0°C > 5.0°C: Mostly cloudy at medium-low level. Clearer to E early and a few brighter spells later. Light, chilly feeling E breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:43 GMT
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:35 – 09:00
(54th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Yesterday the pair of Mute Swans at The Flash was seen mating. Today the pair here did the same.
- Rather fewer Tufted Ducks: probably some left yesterday if the sailing club were on the water.
- Just two Great Crested Grebes. Single birds were usually alongside reeds adjacent to traditional nest sites. I wonder whether their partners are already sitting on eggs? Last year there seemed to be so many birds around that nesting was much delayed and no second broods were possible.
- The only Grey Heron today flew high W at 08:40.
- The Cetti's Warbler was very vocal after 06:05 until at least 08:00.
- The Chiffchaff started to sing at 06:20 but was silent after 07:00.
- Two of the Rooks were seen apparently carrying food. These passed as single birds much later than any roost dispersal. Probably nesting birds.
- One group of at least 35 Siskins flew W together. Probably these were birds seen in the W end later and I have therefore not included then on the 'flying over' counts. Nor the several smaller groups seen in flight later.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound
- 2 Feral Pigeons: together
- 17 Wood Pigeons
- 26 Black-headed Gulls
- 14 Herring Gulls
- 38 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Cormorants: together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 23 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks
- 1 Greenfinch
Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese; pair throughout; another pair departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 25 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebe
- 9 Black-headed Gulls again
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
The only record on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn was:
- 1 Nursery Web Spider (Pisaura mirabilis)
Later:
Nothing
Just to prove it wasn't all grey skies. A thin sliver of clear skies to the far E allowed this brief sunrise.
This Long-tailed Tit has something in its bill. (Today a twig was actually behind the bird for a change.)
Not easy to see what it is.
Much clearer but does not help much. What is it?
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:05 – 10:10
(51st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- There are probably more Canada Geese than I counted. There was much noise coming from inside the island.
- Neither Teal nor Pochard located. The Teal could well be doing their not infrequent hiding trick: I suspect the Pochard have gone.
- Just one Great Crested Grebe noted, initially lurking under overhanging vegetation in a traditional nesting area. I could not find its partner.
- A party of eight Fieldfare flew over: my first of the year at this site taking my 2022 bird species count here to 52.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *1 Cormorant
- 2 Jackdaws
- 8 Fieldfare: see notes
On /around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 + *2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 27 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- no Teal
- no Pochard either
- *74 (46♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens still
- 26 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *45 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: immatures; one departed
On /around the street lamp poles:
- *1 red-eyed fly
- 1 small plumed midge
- *1 small spider
Of note:
Bird notes:
- There are probably more Canada Geese than I counted. There was much noise coming from inside the island.
- Neither Teal nor Pochard located. The Teal could well be doing their not infrequent hiding trick: I suspect the Pochard have gone.
- Just one Great Crested Grebe noted, initially lurking under overhanging vegetation in a traditional nesting area. I could not find its partner.
- A party of eight Fieldfare flew over: my first of the year at this site taking my 2022 bird species count here to 52.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *1 Cormorant
- 2 Jackdaws
- 8 Fieldfare: see notes
On /around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese: see notes
- 3 + *2 (1 brood) Mute Swans
- 27 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- no Teal
- no Pochard either
- *74 (46♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens still
- 26 Coots again
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- *45 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: immatures; one departed
On /around the street lamp poles:
- *1 red-eyed fly
- 1 small plumed midge
- *1 small spider
Of note:
Nothing
"Why are they called Tufted Ducks, mummy?". The drakes are at 'maximum tuft' at this time of year.
At the opposite end of the spectrum an adult in full breeding plumage.
Another fixes me with its eye whilst continuing to munch away.
A female get in on the act.
"I know an old lady why swallowed (a red-eyed) fly: perhaps she'll die".
"She swallowed the spider to catch the fly....". Not one of my best as it was a hyper-active spider running down a lamp pole. Hopefully Nigel can tell me what the species is.
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
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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
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged gull
(Gary Crowder)
Horsehay Pool
1 Iceland Gull
(Ian Grant)
2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
5 Teal
8 Goosander
15 Pochard
40 Tufted Ducks
7 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
6 Gadwall
26 Pochard
5 Goosanders
62 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
76 Coots
62 Magpies
2 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
16 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Woodcock
425 Wood Pigeon
2 Grey Wagtail
37 Robin
26 Blackbird
7 Song Thrush
6 Redwing
47 Magpie
146 Jackdaw
10 Greenfinch
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
4 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
106 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Curlew
23 Blackbirds
11 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)