8.0°C > 11.0°C: Clear when I arrived. Within 15 minutes fog had rolled in from the E. Lifted slightly after 08:15. Calm start with light SE breeze failing to blow away the fog. Very good visibility initially; very poor for a while, then generally poor.
Sunrise: 06:10 BST
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:20 – 06:35 // 07:25 – 09:10
(90th visit of the year)
Much of the time it was almost impossible to see anything on the water and certainly anything flying over. A very few clearer intervals.
Bird notes:
- Two Common Sandpipers noted.
- There seems to be five Goldcrest territories in the area this year. I noted four last year.
- No Willow Warblers heard.
- The Common Whitethroat first noted yesterday was heard and occasionally seen in the SW area.
Birds noted flying over here:
This won't take long!
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted:
Much of the time it was almost impossible to see anything on the water and certainly anything flying over. A very few clearer intervals.
Bird notes:
- Two Common Sandpipers noted.
- There seems to be five Goldcrest territories in the area this year. I noted four last year.
- No Willow Warblers heard.
- The Common Whitethroat first noted yesterday was heard and occasionally seen in the SW area.
Birds noted flying over here:
This won't take long!
- 2 Jackdaws
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as usual
- no Willow Warblers
- 20 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 21 (17) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat again
Counts from the lake area:
- 1? Canada Goose remains keeping watch
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest throughout
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Ducks
- 6 Moorhens
- no meaningful count of Coots possible
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Common Sandpipers
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
The poles were again covered in a heavy dew
1 small black beetle
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider
Noted later:
- Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) flowers
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as usual
- no Willow Warblers
- 20 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 21 (17) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat again
Counts from the lake area:
- 1? Canada Goose remains keeping watch
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest throughout
- 3 (3♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Ducks
- 6 Moorhens
- no meaningful count of Coots possible
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Common Sandpipers
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
The poles were again covered in a heavy dew
1 small black beetle
- 1 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spider
Noted later:
- Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) flowers
The first flowers of Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) I have seen around here this year. This plant is not related to garlic: the leaves have a garlic smell when bruised. The leaves are also good to eat (leave some for the insects to eat).
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:20
(87th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The two Mallard ducklings were significantly larger than any seen previously so not a new hatch. But where were many of the Mallard? There were six drakes on the lower pool and two more in the Wesley Brook by the tunnel.
- The visibility was not good but that does not account for the very low number of Tufted Duck.
- Just one Willow Warbler remains.
- Two male Bramblings flushed off the ground along the West side.
Birds noted flying over here:
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:20
(87th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The two Mallard ducklings were significantly larger than any seen previously so not a new hatch. But where were many of the Mallard? There were six drakes on the lower pool and two more in the Wesley Brook by the tunnel.
- The visibility was not good but that does not account for the very low number of Tufted Duck.
- Just one Willow Warbler remains.
- Two male Bramblings flushed off the ground along the West side.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (6) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water: all numbers potentially visibility effected
- 18 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 5 Mute Swans
- 9 (8♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 13 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 1 Herring Gull: first year again
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (6) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water: all numbers potentially visibility effected
- 18 Canada Geese
- 6 Greylag Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 5 Mute Swans
- 9 (8♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 13 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- 1 Herring Gull: first year again
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere
Nothing noted
Handsome I think is the right word for the Greylag Goose.
Scampering across the path in the mist is this family party of Mallard.
Safely(?) on the water.
As with most birds a head-on view looks like Mr. Angry.
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash
- 6 drake Mallard on the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff singing from trees between the pools
- 2 Blackcaps singing near the upper pool
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- the usual plumed midges – all female without plumes
- two different crane flies
(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 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
10 Tufted Duck
2 Common Sandpipers
6 Sand Martin
2 Swallow
11 Song Thrushes
11 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
112 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
4 Greylag Geese
25 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Curlew
6 Sky Lark
3 Meadow Pipit
5 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
2 Linnets
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
East Priorslee
5 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
3 Yellow Wagtails
Common Whitethroat
62 Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
3 Common Redstart
Willow Warbler
2 Swallows
Linnet
Skylark
Chiffchaff
(Martin Grant, Ian Grant, John Isherwood)
Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Ringed Plover
12 Lapwing
2 Stock Dove
4+ Skylark
5 Teal
(Martin Grant)
2012
Nedge Hill
1 White Wagtail
1 Redstart
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
(John Isherwood/ Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Whitethroat
15 Wheatear
2 Linnets
(John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Duck
1 Buzzard
25 Sand Martins
6 Swallows
3 Skylarks
2 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
2 Jays
4 Linnets
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
Common Sandpiper
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Chiffchaff
5 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
8 Tufted Duck
(Martin Grant)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Little Grebe
2 Heron
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
7 Common Sandpiper
4 Swallow
3 Sand Martin
1 Kestrel
1 Raven
2 Sky Lark
2 Grey Wagtail
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Wheatear
9 Chiffchaff
4 Willow Warbler
5 Blackcaps
1 Sedge Warbler.
5 Greenfinch
2 Siskin
1 Linnet
5 Reed Bunting.
(Martin Adlam, John Isherwood)
7 Willow Warbler
6 Blackcaps
1 Sky Lark
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Willow Tit
4 Greenfinch
3 Linnet
5 Reed Bunting.
(Martin Adlam, John Isherwood)