1.0°C > 3.0°C: Areas of medium-level cloud with a few clear spells. Moderate N wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 07:06 GMT
* = a species photographed today.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:55 – 08:40
(46th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *After my comment yesterday that the cob Mute Swan was not having much success in persuading the cygnets to leave all four cygnets took to the air c.07:35 and flew off East and had not returned by the time I departed.
- I heard a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming: the first I have heard here this year.
- I heard a Cetti's Warbler singing in the north-west area early and then later in the north-east area. I assume this is the same bird?
- The two Mistle Thrushes flew high South overhead and seemed not to be the birds that usually nest in the Ricoh copse.
- A Grey Wagtail was briefly on the dam. My first record here since 06 January.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: two East together; five South together
- 3 Greylag Geese: outbound together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- no gulls
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Mistle Thrushes: together
Counts from the lake area:
- 9 Canada Geese: of these five departed; and two arrived and then departed
- *2 + 4 Mute Swans: but see notes
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 14 Moorhens
- 77 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- *9 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived
- 1 Kingfisher
Noted on / around the frosted street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *1 male Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria)
Of note later:
- *first flowers of Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa)
Very little clear sky early.
The best of an uninspiring sunrise.
A swan-song? The four cygnets take to the air...
...and off they go to the East. They did not return while I was present.
One of the first of first year Herring Gulls has found something to play with.
This morning's male Dotted Border moth (Agriopis marginaria). [Reminder: females of this species have vestigial wings and cannot fly]. Several of the marks around the moth on the lamp pole look as if they might be tiny springtails.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 08:45 – 09:45
(42nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- A very 'routine' day with little of note. A brief sunny spell provided a few good images of some of the small passerines.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *1 Sparrowhawk
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 40 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 70 (44♂) Tufted Duck
- *3 (1♂) Goosander
- 14 Moorhens only
- 35 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two third and one first year
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and first year
- no Cormorants
On / around the street lamp poles or of note elsewhere:
Nothing noted
Bird notes:
- A very 'routine' day with little of note. A brief sunny spell provided a few good images of some of the small passerines.
Birds noted flying over here:
- *1 Sparrowhawk
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 40 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 70 (44♂) Tufted Duck
- *3 (1♂) Goosander
- 14 Moorhens only
- 35 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two third and one first year
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult and first year
- no Cormorants
On / around the street lamp poles or of note elsewhere:
Nothing noted
The same two with the drake in the lead. Note the inner forewing is paler on the drake than the duck.
A closer fly-by with the drake nearest me.
Here one of the two ducks comes back for a splash-down.
A Sparrowhawk dashes over. In this view the tail bands are visible but the belly looks streaked.
A second or so later and the belly is clearly banded. The under tail is too shaded to see the bands.
Gathering more nesting material is a Long-tailed Tit.
A male Bullfinch feeding on buds – as they do.
Munch, munch, munch.
And now for another of those delicious buds.
A female Greenfinch. Males are much brighter green at this time of year.
"Are you looking at me?"
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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
8 Pochard
5 Tufted Duck
5 Cormorant
1 Kittiwake
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
1 Iceland Gull
1 Caspian Gull
23 Redwings
c.800 Jackdaws
>300 Rooks
9 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, J. Reeves, P. Jordan, John Isherwood, Gary Crowder)
The Flash
1 Little Grebe
215 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
11 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Telford Crematorium
Cackling Goose
300 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c.20 Herring Gull
500 Black-headed Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Gary Crowder)
Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
(John Isherwood)
2013
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
25 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
17 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
Greater Scaup
50 Tufted Duck
12 Pochard
(Jim Shannon)
2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Redpoll
Priorslee Flash
1 Goosander
Nedge Hill
8 Lapwing
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
47 Pochard
55 Tufted Duck
c.550 Black-headed Gulls
c. 800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
56 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Pochard
7 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
1 Peregrine Falcon
1 Lapwing
3 Grey Wagtail
26 Wren
28 Robin
21 Blackbird
15 Redwing
53 Magpie
14 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
9 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
5 Cormorants
121 Coot
1 Mediterranean Gull
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
211 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
33 Herring Gulls.
741 Wood Pigeon
289 Jackdaws
108 Rooks
290 Starlings
21 Reed Bunting
1 Sky Lark
11 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
23 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)