Priorslee Lake and The Flash
6.0°C: Overcast with occasional mainly light rain. Moderate NE wind. Good visibility.
[Sunrise: 06:59 BST]
* = a species photographed today.
It was the rain and not the clock change that made me late starting: honest! All quoted times are BST
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 08:30 – 09:30
It was the rain and not the clock change that made me late starting: honest! All quoted times are BST
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 08:30 – 09:30
(71st visit of the year)
Another Summer visitor arrives. I was looking through my telescope from the Castle Farm lay-by and counting the Coots at the West end. At least one Barn Swallow flew through my view. There may have been a second bird but could equally well have been the same bird passing through my view again. Reverting to binoculars for a wider view suggested the bird(s) had flown on. This equals my previous earliest date for this species in 2016. Bird species #80 this year here for me (as it was last year).
Only viewing from the Castle Farm lay-by and the dam-top area.
Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- *7 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 Moorhens
- 47 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- *6 Herring Gulls: various ages arrived together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first year, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
Another Summer visitor arrives. I was looking through my telescope from the Castle Farm lay-by and counting the Coots at the West end. At least one Barn Swallow flew through my view. There may have been a second bird but could equally well have been the same bird passing through my view again. Reverting to binoculars for a wider view suggested the bird(s) had flown on. This equals my previous earliest date for this species in 2016. Bird species #80 this year here for me (as it was last year).
Only viewing from the Castle Farm lay-by and the dam-top area.
Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- *7 (5♂) Mallard
- 4 (3♂) Tufted Ducks
- 4 Moorhens
- 47 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- *6 Herring Gulls: various ages arrived together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: first year, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
Ah! Delicious oily water from a puddle in the Castle Farm lay-by and none of that fresh stuff in the lake.
The duck Mallard does not seem any the worse for her unsavoury drink.
Well: at least I assume accurately. There is a dark mark on the leading edge of the wing just outboard from the bend in the wing. This might suggest it is a fourth year bird though the pattern of black, white and grey on the wing tip is consistent with it being a full adult as is the bill marking visible more clearly in the previous photo.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:35 – 10:25
(66th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *The pen Mute Swan was off the nest which contained a single egg. Apparently the egg was seen yesterday as well.
- Where have all the duck Mallard gone? Even the all-white feral bird was without his female companion. No doubt all hidden away sitting on eggs.
- A fisherman reported seeing the first juvenile Coot out of the nest briefly yesterday afternoon. They would all have been keeping warm and dry under the parent this morning.
- Perhaps Coots like wet weather. I counted many more in the open today.
Birds noted flying over here:
I was just too late to capture the moment. This pair of Tufted Duck had just been mating and do look rather pleased with themselves. I wonder whether that means they will nest here again this year?
Despite the rain and low cloud here is a plane of the day. It is a Best Off Sky Ranger 912(2). Best Off is a Toulouse, France company that designed this aircraft to be built from kits by or for amateur pilots. Several enhancements were needed to get UK certification for the design. The 912 refers to the fitment of the Austrian-designed Rotax 912 engine, more-or-less the standard fitted to light sport aircraft with over 50000 manufactured. This 2003-built aircraft has owners in St. Georges and Gnosall. It seems to fly out of mid-Wales airport at Welshpool and here was on a flight to Darley Moor near Ashbourne in Derbyshire.
(Ed Wilson)
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:35 – 10:25
(66th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *The pen Mute Swan was off the nest which contained a single egg. Apparently the egg was seen yesterday as well.
- Where have all the duck Mallard gone? Even the all-white feral bird was without his female companion. No doubt all hidden away sitting on eggs.
- A fisherman reported seeing the first juvenile Coot out of the nest briefly yesterday afternoon. They would all have been keeping warm and dry under the parent this morning.
- Perhaps Coots like wet weather. I counted many more in the open today.
Birds noted flying over here:
None
Warblers noted (the number of these singing in brackets):
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: *one egg
- *19 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- *40 (26♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Cormorants
On / around the street lamp poles or of interest elsewhere:
Nothing noted
One egg in the Mute Swan's nest. Apparently laid yesterday. The clutch may comprise as many as nine eggs, laid at one or two day intervals.
Warblers noted (the number of these singing in brackets):
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
Noted on / around the water
- 32 Canada Geese
- 7 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: *one egg
- *19 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- *40 (26♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 32 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Cormorants
On / around the street lamp poles or of interest elsewhere:
Nothing noted
Where are all the girls then? A group of drake Mallard atop one of the roofs in Derwent Drive.
(Ed Wilson)
Note:
On 22 & 23 Mar - Ed Wilson visited the Wirral:
Part one of his trip was Hoylake Here.
Part two of his trip Here.
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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
3 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
4 Greylag Geese
22 Tufted Duck
5 Sand Martins
6 Redwings
8 Chiffchaffs
>500 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
50 Tufted Ducks
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull.
Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
2 Redwings
65 Magpies
25 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
6 Swans
2 Pochard
85 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Buzzards
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
c.160 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
3 Greylag Geese
32 Tufted Duck
Trench
1 Cormorant
43 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Ringed Plover
1 Cormorant
1 Mallard x Pintail
18 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Kittiwake
33 Wren
29 Robin
24 Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
39 Magpie
3 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Duck
1 Snipe
3 Chiffchaff
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Owl
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
321 Wood Pigeons
2 Sky Larks
5 Meadow Pipits
33 Wrens
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
18 Greenfinches
8 Siskins
1 Linnet
6 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer.
(Ed Wilson)