5.0°C > 7.0°C: Clear with some thin high cloud to the E. Light N breeze. Good visibility: a bit hazy.
Sunrise: 06:02 BST
* = a photo today
With the car due an MoT (it passed) I was pressed for time. A quick canter around The Flash and two incomplete circuits of the lake means some lower than usual numbers.
Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:30 // 07:25 – 08:00
(94th visit of the year)
I have feedback on yesterday's sighting of a Common Sandpiper with a colour ring. Thanks go to Richard Smith who co-ordinates Dee Estuary birding information and who produces an informative monthly newsletter Here. He is a keen spotter of waders with rings and put me in contact with the folks ringing this species. I can reveal that it was ringed as an adult female in May 2021 on a stretch of the Leithen Water, north of Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders. She may well be on her way back there.
Bird notes:
- A duck Mallard with three ducklings only. Was this the remnant of yesterday's brood of 11? Or a different brood?
- I glimpsed a small duck flying W at 05:20. Probably a Tufted Duck and possibly from the lake. Not included in the counts.
- 10 Black-headed Gulls flew S at 06:20. I was looking in to the light so ageing them reliably was not possible. Some had dark on their heads but many first year birds acquire complete or nearly complete head markings by this time of year.
- A Grey Heron flew over calling and very high up at 05:35.
- Two Cetti's Warblers were seen together with the male singing.
- Two Willow Warblers were a surprise after five blank days here. One was singing from the Ricoh copse and opposite the academy entrance early but not later. A bird was singing near the sailing club HQ later (but not earlier) and could perhaps have been the same bird?
Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 1 Greylag Goose: single outbound
- 11 Wood Pigeons
- 10 Black-headed Gulls: together; ages not determined
- 4 Herring Gulls: ages not determined
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Jackdaws only
Hirundines etc. noted:
None
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
See introduction: partial count
- 2 (1) Cetti's Warblers
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 12 (8) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose: keeping guard
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- *5 (3♂) + 3 ducklings (1 brood) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Herring Gulls: third years, together, briefly
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *4 different spider sp. including
*1 Clubiona sp.
1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
others unidentified
Noted on the side of the sailing club shelter:
- *2 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spiders
Later:
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
See introduction: partial count
- 2 (1) Cetti's Warblers
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 10 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler again
- 12 (8) Blackcaps
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
Counts from the lake area:
- 1 Canada Goose: keeping guard
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- *5 (3♂) + 3 ducklings (1 brood) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Herring Gulls: third years, together, briefly
Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *4 different spider sp. including
*1 Clubiona sp.
1 Bridge Orb-web Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
others unidentified
Noted on the side of the sailing club shelter:
- *2 Tetragnatha sp. stretch spiders
Later:
Nothing noted because of my early departure:
Rather hazy and not too much cloud so an uninspiring sunrise.
Maximum colour.
Another spider I am not sure about. It may be a Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis) but it looks rather small.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:35 – 07:20
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:20
(91st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- The two Great Crested Grebes were together most of the time and did at least one short head-shaking display
- Contrary to my suggestion yesterday the Willow Warblers were probably not passing through: birds were in exactly the same locations today.
Birds noted flying over here:
Bird notes:
- The two Great Crested Grebes were together most of the time and did at least one short head-shaking display
- Contrary to my suggestion yesterday the Willow Warblers were probably not passing through: birds were in exactly the same locations today.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 2 Willow Warblers
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water:
- 33 Canada Geese: of these a pair and a trio departed
- 6 Greylag Geese: of these a trio arrived
- 5 Mute Swans
- 13 (10♂) Mallard only
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 21 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 2 Willow Warblers
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (3) Blackcaps
Noted on / around the water:
- 33 Canada Geese: of these a pair and a trio departed
- 6 Greylag Geese: of these a trio arrived
- 5 Mute Swans
- 13 (10♂) Mallard only
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 21 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
On / around the street lamp poles or elsewhere.
Nothing noted
(Ed Wilson)
Between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Moorhen heard at the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff singing alongside the lower pool
(Ed Wilson)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- Not checked
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the lake and The Flash
- 1 Moorhen heard at the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff singing alongside the lower pool
(Ed Wilson)
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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel
- Not checked
(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
2 Great Crested Grebe
7 Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant
40 Swifts
2 Jays
4 Chiffchaff
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
(Tony Beckett)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Ringed Plovers
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 White Wagtail
1 Common Redstart
41 Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)
The Wrekin
1 Wheatear
11+ Tree Pipit
7 Common Redstart
6 Pied Flycatchers
(JW Reeves)
2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
The Wrekin
2 Ring Ouzel
2 Pied Flycatchers
(J W Reeves)
2010
Wrekin
2 Wood Warblers
3+ Common Redstarts
4+ Pied Flycatchers
2+ Tree Pipits
Tawny Owl
4 Green Woodpecker
1 Lesser Spotted Woodpecker
(J Reeves)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Common Sandpipers
20 Sand Martins
4 Swallows
2 Grey Wagtails
1 Wheatear
1 Redwing singing
8 Willow Warblers
9 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Common Sandpiper
Grey Wagtail
4 Sand Martin
House Martins
Chiffchaff
1 Lesser Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
3 Greylag Geese
3 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
15 Swallows
House Martins
2 Stock Doves
26 Wrens
19 Robins
20 Blackbirds
10 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
9 Blackcaps
9 Chiffchaffs
7 Willow Warblers
2 Sedge Warbler
10 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)
Lanes to east of Priorslee Lake
1 Sky Lark
1 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
2 Greenfinch
2 Linnets
2 Reed Buntings
8 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
2 Skylark
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Fieldfare
2 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
2 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaff
2 Linnet
(Martin Adlam)
Priorslee Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)