24 Apr 22

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 10.0°C: Clear but rather hazy to start. Light N breeze increasing moderate, even fresh. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:53 BST

* = a photo today

Priorslee Lake: 05:10 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 09:20

(98th visit of the year)

Two Reed Warblers were in song this morning and new for the year. Birds species #85 for me here in 2022. A few days later than in each of the preceding three years.

Other bird notes:
- At least two different Pheasants heard calling a long way to the N.
- Three Greylag Geese flew in. The guarding Canada Goose tried to persuade them to go but it needed the cob Mute Swan to make a success of it. The swan then turned its attention to the Canada Goose with what I presume to be its mate force to join in to protect it. Both geese were last seen on the grass with the swan standing guard. I assume the eggs were going unguarded.
- I found at least one Mallard duckling. The mother was keeping herself and the duckling in cover and there may have been more.
- Before 06:00 one of the Common Sandpipers was calling loudly while doing its circular display flight at the W end. Later it was just calling and chasing one of the others. I cannot recall seeing display here previously.
- A Grey Heron was seen flying across the lake several times. What was presumably the same bird flew down the line of the Wesley Brook c.06:00.
- It was probably the resident male Cetti's Warbler that made a foray all along the S side as far as the S end of the dam and back again to the W end singing loudly all the while.
- A / the Sedge Warbler was singing in the NW area today, its place at the W end having being taken by one of the Reed Warblers.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: one pair outbound
- 1 Wood Pigeon only
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults
- no Jackdaws
- 1 Rook yet again

Hirundines etc. noted:

None

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 17 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler still
- 2 (2) Reed Warblers: new arrivals
- 21 (14) Blackcaps
- 3 (2) Common Whitethroats

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese: briefly
- 2 Mute Swans: pen on nest
- 5 (3♂) + 1? (1 brood) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck again
- 5 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes still
- *3 Common Sandpipers
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on / around the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 2 spiders

Noted later in breezy conditions:

Hoverflies:
- Spring Epistrophe (Epistrophe elegans)
- *Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax)
- *Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare)

and:
- *Herb Robert flowers (Geranium robertianum)

Standing to attention is one of the three Common Sandpipers I saw here today.

This one putting its best foot forward.

While this one looks glum.

This is a female Tapered Dronefly (Eristalis pertinax): a female because the eyes do not meet and a Tapered Dronefly because the legs are pale. Only males have an obviously tapered abdomen.

One again I used supplementary flash to penetrate the folded wings and show the abdomen markings on this Chequered Hoverfly (Melanostoma scalare).

Today is the first time this year I have noticed flowers of Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum). The stems and borders to the leaves of this plant have a distinctive red tinge.

We have seen these before – Cowslips (Primula veris). An attractive group.

A close-up of one of the bunches of flower.

One of the two unidentified spiders on the lamp poles.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:15

(95th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- Some of the Mallard had done their disappearing trick again. A new brood of nine small ducklings.
- Another Common Sandpiper.
- The reappearance of a Willow Warbler was a surprise. A late migrant? It was singing along the E side [there was also one at the lower pool]

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Warblers noted (figures in brackets relate to singing birds):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 8 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 8 (5) Blackcaps

Noted on / around the water:
- 28 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese: one of these departed
- 4 Mute Swans
- *16 (12♂) + 9 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Aylesbury Duck)
- 9 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- *1 Common Sandpiper
- 1 Herring Gull: second year: departed

Noted on / around the street lamp poles:
- *1 Common Quaker (Orthosia serasai) moth
- 4 plumed midges (Chironomus plumosus) all on different lamp poles.

Noted elsewhere:

Nothing

The cob Mute Swan chasing one of the 2021 swans.

Here are the two white birds apparently happy together. I have still not managed to read any rings on these two so as to positively identify them. To my eyes both have large swellings at the base of their bills as if they are both cobs – oh er!

A duck Mallard siting at a strange angle. If you look closely there is a duckling's head poking out.

Moments later a drake arrived and they all took to the water – nine ducklings.

I am not sure whether it is the ducklings or the photo that is a bit fuzzy. Both I suspect. No bright yellow ones in this brood.

An annoying out of focus twig in the foreground mars an otherwise pleasing shot of the Common Sandpiper in the early light. I knew if I moved to get a clearer view the bird would fly – it did!

 I found this moth on one of the lamp poles: it is a Common Quaker (Orthosia serasai): a very common species though as with many of the group it tends to fly early in the evening and is not so often found at light in the morning. Moth species #5 around The Flash for me in 2022.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the lake and The Flash

- 3 (2♂) Mallards in the lower pool
- 1 Moorhen chasing the Mallard at the lower pool
- 1 Willow Warbler singing beside the lower pool
- 1 Chiffchaff calling beside the lower pool
- 1 Blackcap singing beside the lower pool

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel

- *1 Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata) moth
- several plumed midges

A pug moth found resting in the roof – as they seem to like to do. This group of moths are not always easy to identify. I am almost certain this has to be a Brindled Pug (Eupithecia abbreviata).

(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

Nedge Hill

2 Redstart

7 Wheatear

Whitethroat

Willow Warbler

(Ian Grant)

2013

Priorslee Lake

4 Great Crested Grebes

5 Greylag Geese

5 Common Sandpipers

2 Reed Warblers

6 Blackcaps

9 Chiffchaffs

2 Willow Warblers

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

1 Richardson's / Cackling-type Canada Goose

20 Tufted Duck

2 Chiffchaffs

5 Willow Warblers

(Ed Wilson)

Long Lane, Wellington

1 Little Ringed Plover

3 Ringed Plover

2 Dunlin

Lesser Whitethroat

(JW Reeves)

2012

Priorslee Lake

8 Great Crested Grebes

11 Greylag

1 Tufted Duck

1 Grasshopper Warbler

1 Sedge Warbler

14 Blackcaps

4 Willow Warblers

11 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash

4 Great Crested Grebes

5 Greylag Geese

17 Tufted Duck

5 Blackcaps

3 Willow Warblers

4 Chiffchaffs

1 Reed Bunting

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

1 Wheatear

1 Common Whitethroat

2 Lapwings

1 Green Woodpecker

6 Skylarks

4 Blackcaps

1 Willow Warbler

3 Chiffchaffs

9 Linnets

(Ed Wilson)

2010

Priorslee Lake

4 Common Sandpiper

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill

8 Wheatear

28 Fieldfare

2 Whitethroat

(John Isherwood)

2008

Priorslee Lake

Reed Warblers

3 Common Sandpipers

1 Sedge Warbler

1 Common Whitethroat

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Common Sandpipers

1 Tufted Duck

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Willow Warbler

(Ed Wilson)

Trench

8 Tufted Duck

8 Swallows

3 House Martin

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

2 Wheatear

1 Common Whitethroat

2 Linnet

(Ed Wilson)

2007

Priorslee Flash

4 Great Crested Grebe

1 Ruddy Duck

4 Common Sandpiper

3 Swift

32 House Martin

3 Swallow

3 Reed Warbler

2 Sedge Warbler

1 Garden Warbler

6 Blackcap

1 Lesser Whitethroat

5 Chiffchaff

4 Reed Bunting

(Martin Adlam)

2006

Priorslee Lake

5 Great Crested Grebes

14 Tufted Ducks

2 Ruddy Ducks

7 Sand Martins

14 Swallows

1 House Martin

3 Stock Doves

3 Grey Wagtails

30 Wrens

2 Sedge Warblers

1 Reed Warbler

1 Common Whitethroat

9 Blackcaps

7 Chiffchaffs

2 Willow Warblers

1 Willow Tit

8 Greenfinches

1 Linnet

1 Redpoll

5 Reed Buntings.(Ed Wilson)

Lanes to the East of Priorslee lake

6 Stock Doves

2 Sky Larks

2 Whitethroats

3 Blackcaps

3 Chiffchaffs

4 Linnets

1 Reed Bunting

7 Yellowhammers

(Ed Wilson)