8.0°C > 10.0°C: Patches of cloud, mainly at medium/high-level, sometimes rather thick. Light SW breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:06 BST
* = a photo today
Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:30 // 07:35 – 09:25
(92nd visit of the year)
It is the time of year for several species of warblers to arrive. I was not really expecting today's arrival - a Grasshopper Warbler singing in the SW area at 05:30 (but not heard after 06:00). This is a passage migrant that I record less than annually - 12 April 2016 and 11 April 2014 are my most recent records, both of single birds. One year in the noughties a bird sang daily for over six weeks and may well have bred. I did not so much as glimpse this arch skulker on that, nor any other, occasion. Species #83
The trilling of a Grasshopper Warbler (Courtesy of xento-canto)
Other bird notes:
- The lone Common Sandpiper was not seen before 08:30 and probably flew in.
- Many calling as well as singing Chiffchaffs today. Presumably pairs starting to get on with bonding and nest-building.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 6 Greylag Geese: two trios inbound
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 20 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Hirundines etc. noted:
- 1 Sand Martin, briefly at 07:50
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as usual
- *23 (16) Chiffchaffs
- 16 (10) Blackcaps
- 1 (1 Grasshopper Warbler
- 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 yet again
- 19 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Common Sandpiper: arrived
- no gulls
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- only plumed midges
It is now over a month since I saw my last moth!
Noted later:
- Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
- *Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum)
- *Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris)
- *German Wasp (Paravespula germanica)
- *presumed Cheilosia hoverfly
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph (Eupeodes luniger)
- *7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- *first flower of Ramsons (Allium ursinum)
A Common Carder Bee (Bombus pascuorum) with gingery thorax and white hairs between the segments on the abdomen (the tergites).
A Buff-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris). On size a queen. It seemed to be looking for a nesting place.
Just caught flying away is another Buff-tailed Bumblebee and not, as might be presumed, a White-tailed Bumblebee (Bombus lucorum). This latter species is rare away from the south coast and has a yellow band across the abdomen. Buff-tailed Bumblebees usually show a thin line of buff colouring between the white tail and the dark abdomen. It is often, as here, hard to see. The colour of the band across the abdomen is the best field mark.
This is one of several wasps I noted chewing away at the fence between the Wesley Brook and Teece Drive. Thanks to Martin for looking at it more closely than I did. This is a German Wasp (Paravespula germanica) and can be recognised by the yellow marks on the front side of the thorax being triangular (they are parallel-sided on Common Wasps (Paravespula vulgaris)). Steven Falk's web site suggests this is only true of queen wasps though the NatureSpot web site suggests it is a feature shared also by males and workers. German Wasps tend to be a brighter yellow but that is probably of little practical use.
It was good to see a few hoverflies despite the lack of full sun. However we start with a puzzle. I am fairly certain this in one of the Cheilosia group. The wings are hiding any markings on the abdomen. Not that this is necessarily the problem as many of the 40 or so species are basically black. Pass!
Annoying. At the time I thought this was most likely a mining bee and that my best chance of identification was a side-view. Only when I looked at the photo did I realise that it had short antennae and was not a bee but likely a hoverfly. There is not enough view of the abdomen pattern here for me at to attempt an identification. I needed a plan view. Very hairy though!
Just a 7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata). I am not sure I had ever noticed the 'white eyebrows' beside the central spot.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
In tropical lands there used to be several species of duck known as tree ducks though as not all the species liked trees they are now called whistling ducks after their calls. This neither a whistling duck nor a tree duck but a duck Mallard pretending. I am not sure I have ever seen one in a tree before.
A male Great Spotted Woodpecker trying to hide behind twigs. This was at the bottom of squirrel alley by the academy where I have heard and seen one or more birds in recent days.
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash
- No Moorhens seen or heard at either pool
- 2 Chiffchaffs: different birds calling and singing from trees between the pools
- 1 Blackcap singing near the lower pool
also
- *flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis)
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- only the usual plumed midges were noted.
(Ed Wilson)
- *Common Spotted Field Syrph (Eupeodes luniger)
- *7 Spot Ladybird (Coccinella 7-punctata)
- *first flower of Ramsons (Allium ursinum)
Another sunrise worth looking at.
A different perspective.
The long view.
Now if only all species of warbler were as cooperative as Chiffchaffs.
Not one but two different birds posing.
This Wren looks as if it has had a hard night.
Seems not have affected his ability to sing loudly.
And this is a Common Spotted Field Syrph (Eupeodes luniger).
Just about on cue is this first flower of Ramsons (Allium ursinum).
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:30
(89th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- Definite preponderance of drake Tufted Duck at the moment. It would be nice to think that some of the ducks are sitting on eggs.
- Two Great Crested Grebes were noted and I wonder whether there is another somewhere. One bird was between the island and the S end as it often is. Another bird flew over the water toward the two bridges prompting the first bird to adopt a threat posture and swim toward it. Was the first bird protecting a nest site somewhere at the bottom end?
- No Willow Warblers seen or heard. Likely they have all moved on.
- I could not locate any Bramblings today. In tops of trees deep in the wooded area where I saw them yesterday there was a non-singing male Blackcap – they are not often to be found at such height.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Racing Pigeons
- 1 Sparrowhawk
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- no Willow Warblers
- 9 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (4) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- *21 (18♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 22 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Herring Gull: one first and one second year
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Bird notes:
- Definite preponderance of drake Tufted Duck at the moment. It would be nice to think that some of the ducks are sitting on eggs.
- Two Great Crested Grebes were noted and I wonder whether there is another somewhere. One bird was between the island and the S end as it often is. Another bird flew over the water toward the two bridges prompting the first bird to adopt a threat posture and swim toward it. Was the first bird protecting a nest site somewhere at the bottom end?
- No Willow Warblers seen or heard. Likely they have all moved on.
- I could not locate any Bramblings today. In tops of trees deep in the wooded area where I saw them yesterday there was a non-singing male Blackcap – they are not often to be found at such height.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 5 Racing Pigeons
- 1 Sparrowhawk
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- no Willow Warblers
- 9 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (4) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese: of these a pair arrived
- 6 Greylag Geese
- 5 Mute Swans
- *21 (18♂) Mallard: no ducklings seen
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 22 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 2 Herring Gull: one first and one second year
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Nothing noted
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash
- No Moorhens seen or heard at either pool
- 2 Chiffchaffs: different birds calling and singing from trees between the pools
- 1 Blackcap singing near the lower pool
also
- *flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis)
I am sure I will find better but these are my first flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis) around here this year.
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- only the usual plumed midges were noted.
(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
4 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
7 Wheatear
6 Lapwing
Whitethroat
(John Isherwood)
2013
Nedge Hill
21 Wheatears
3 Common Redstart
Common Whitethroat
(Peter Jordan, Ian Grant)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Sedge Warbler
25 Swallows
6 House Martins
1 Sand Martin
Chiffchaff
Willow Warbler
Blackcap
(John Isherwood, Martin Grant)
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2009
Priorslee Lake
17 Tufted Duck
1 Common Sandpiper
Swallows
House Martins
Sand Martins
2 Reed Warblers again
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
Lapwing
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Redstart
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
4 Willow Warblers
15 Sand Martins
27 Swallows
2 Gadwall
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Kestrels
9 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Sand Martins
6 Swallows
2 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
17 Willow Warblers (11 in song)
4 Redpolls
Nedge Hill
2 Willow Warblers
Trench Lock
2 Sand Martins
7 Swallows
2 Chiffchaff
3 Willow Warblers
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpipers
1 Garden Warbler
Chiffchaff
Reed Bunting
1 Ring-necked Parakeet
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)
The Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
1 Curlew
(Ed Wilson)
Wood Lane
1 Grasshopper Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
1 Sand Martin
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Duck
5 Common Sandpiper
1 Kestrel
1 Buzzard
1 Sky Lark
2 Grey Wagtail
1 Willow Tit
5 Greenfinch
1 Linnet
3 Reed Bunting.
(Martin Adlam)
Lanes east of Priorslee Lake
4 Pheasants
4 Sky Larks
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
8 Linnets
4 Yellowhammers
1 Redwing
1 Tree Sparrow
1 Common Whitethroat
2 Stock Dove
2 Jay
2 Kestrel
(Martin Adlam)
1 Willow Tit
5 Greenfinch
1 Linnet
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)