1.0°C > 5.0°C: Mostly clear and frosty start with low-level mist over the water. An area of medium-level cloud from the north-west for a while, beginning to break as I departed. Light wind. Good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:57 BST
* = a species photographed today.
I only visited the lake this morning.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:15 – 09:15
(72nd visit of the year)
New here was a shy and quietly sub-singing Blackcap. A few days later than in most recent years. Bird species #81 this year here for me.
Other bird notes:
- A Pheasant was heard calling from the Ricoh copse.
- *I saw five Reed Buntings, at least two of which were males. None was heard to sing.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Goose: pair inbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: two separate pairs inbound
- 38 Wood Pigeons: of these ten flew very high North
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 1 Jackdaw
Sunrise: 06:57 BST
* = a species photographed today.
I only visited the lake this morning.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:15 – 09:15
(72nd visit of the year)
New here was a shy and quietly sub-singing Blackcap. A few days later than in most recent years. Bird species #81 this year here for me.
Other bird notes:
- A Pheasant was heard calling from the Ricoh copse.
- *I saw five Reed Buntings, at least two of which were males. None was heard to sing.
Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Goose: pair inbound
- 4 Greylag Geese: two separate pairs inbound
- 38 Wood Pigeons: of these ten flew very high North
- 1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 2 Cormorants: singles
- 1 Jackdaw
Not much again
Warblers noted (the number of these singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 17 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: adult and first year
- 1 Herring Gull: adult, briefly
- 1 Kingfisher: heard only
Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Lead-coloured Drab moth (Orthosia populeti) still in the same place as when it was first noted on 20 March
- *1 plumed midge sp.
- *1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn
- *1 Brindled Flat-body moth (Agonopterix arenella)
Elsewhere:
Warblers noted (the number of these singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 17 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 5 (4♂) Mallard
- 8 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Black-headed Gulls: adult and first year
- 1 Herring Gull: adult, briefly
- 1 Kingfisher: heard only
Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 Lead-coloured Drab moth (Orthosia populeti) still in the same place as when it was first noted on 20 March
- *1 plumed midge sp.
- *1 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus)
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn
- *1 Brindled Flat-body moth (Agonopterix arenella)
Elsewhere:
Nothing of note
Here he is again.
And again.
...and a few white tufts in the breast.
A frost-covered male plumed midge. This one seems to have a particularly thick set of plumes.
(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
6 Great Crested Grebes
5+ Cormorants
31 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
7 Fieldfare
6 Chiffchaffs
c.230 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Cackling Goose
2 Teal
49 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
7 Great Crested Grebes
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Pochard
34 Tufted Ducks
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
5 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Pochard
62 Tufted Duck
Steppe Gull?
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
26 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Middle Pool
3 Cormorants
2 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Dunlin
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
1 Willow Warbler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
16 Fieldfares
1 Willow Warbler
4 Great Crested Grebe
4 Herons
4 Gadwall
29 Tufted Duck
c.215 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Ducks
16 Meadow Pipits
36 Robins
28 Blackbirds
5 Chiffchaffs
1 Redpoll
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
127 Wood Pigeon
21 Wrens
3 Fieldfare
3 Redwing
3 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Warblers
8 Sand Martins
22 Siskin
6 Linnets
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam, Martin Grant)