30 Mar 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 12.0°C: A clear start soon gave way to showers somewhat earlier than I expected from the forecast. Thankfully these were mainly light. A calm start with a light southerly breeze springing up. Very good visibility except in showers.

Sunrise: 06:50 BST

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:20

(75th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- In addition to the resident and presumably breeding Canada Geese there was another pair on the water when I arrived. These soon flew off. A trio arrived and these too soon departed. Two more arrived accompanied by a Greylag Goose. Then a party of five arrived. Finally a group of four pitched in. Why are so many geese are still flying around? I would have expected them to be on their breeding grounds.
- The pair of Gadwall that flew in was a surprise. I had assumed they were long-gone for the summer.
- Before the football field was fenced off it was not uncommon for as many as 50 Wood Pigeons to be feeding there soon after first light, often ignoring the dogs running about. For some reason they do not seem to see the fence as protecting them and most days there are none.
- It was only yesterday that I noted I had not heard Chaffinch song since 12 March. Of course I did today!
- There are still a few Siskins about. Both yesterday and today a group of five flew out of trees at the West end. Today I noted another single bird.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 9 Canada Geese: two trios outbound; one trio inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair outbound
- 3 Feral Pigeons: a trio
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 1 Rook

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 15 (15) Chiffchaffs again
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted
- 6 Sand Martins: by 08:45

Counts from the lake area:
- 18 Canada Geese: see notes
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- *2 (1♂) Gadwall: arrived as a pair
- *10 (8♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck: arrived
- 9 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Cormorant: arrived

Noted on the damp street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- *2 different species of fly
- *at least 2 springtails
- *1 Clubiona sp. spider

In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn
Nothing of note

As my mother used to say if the day started too bright it would not last.

She was right.

A trio of ducks with a drake Mallard leading the pair of newly arrived Gadwall.

The Gadwall pair came slightly closer, the drake bring up the rear.

One of the two species of fly I found on the street lamp poles pre-dawn. This small species with red eyes I see reasonably often.

The other species of fly. It looks like one of the Muscid flies. This is a group I almost never see pre-dawn. A springtail lurks behind its back right foot. [The crack is the vertical join in the lamp pole.]

As yesterday a Clubiona sp. spider and as yesterday another springtail is getting in on the action (extreme bottom right)

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:30

(69th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming from trees near The Priorslee.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Sparrowhawk

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- *3 (3) Willow Warblers again
- *10 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap again

Hirundines etc., noted

None

Noted on / around the water
- 16 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: eggs not visible
- 20 (16♂) Mallard
- 1 all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 36 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens only again
- *24 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- no Cormorants

On / around the street lamp poles
Nothing noted 

Of interest elsewhere:
- A bumblebee seen, this time high in a willow tree feeding on nectar. Too distant to identify.
- *Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)
- *male catkins from an unidentified pine tree.

None of today's Willow Warblers was being camera-friendly this morning. This was the best I could do through all the twigs and branches it was determined to hide behind. Note the long supercilium, the all pale bill and its very bright pink feet.

Compare with this greyer-looking Chiffchaff. As well as the less-distinct supercilium this individual has black feet as well as dark legs.

I am just missing the tip of his bill here.

I don't think I have ever seen in to a Coot's nest before, much less seen the clutch of eggs. The nest has been made against the wall of Derwent Drive and is therefore easy to see.

A soggy Robin in the bath. An unfortunately positioned pebble gives its head a strange profile but you get the idea.

Mr. Bullfinch still eating his greens.

 From a different angle.

"Hooray!" Not quite sure what he is celebrating!

Rather better than my attempt to photograph a Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna) at the lake a few days ago.

This is a male catkin from a long-needled but unidentified species of pine tree. The female part of the tree becomes the cone.

Plane of the day: it is a Piper PA-28 Cherokee 140 owned by a real estate company called Moving Style Ltd. of Burscough, Ormskirk, the 20th owner of this aircraft. There is no transponder fitted to this 1967 build machine so I cannot say where it had come from or where it was going.

(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

1 Little Grebe

4 Great Crested Grebes

3 Cormorants

1 Grey Heron

19 Tufted Duck

4 Meadow Pipits

1 Redwing

1 Blackcap

7 Chiffchaffs

197 Jackdaws

(Ed Wilson)

The Flash

2 Great Crested Grebes

1 Cackling Goose

2 Common Teal

42 Tufted Ducks

3 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

2013

Horsehay Pool

Mandarin Ducks

(JW Reeves)

2012

Priorslee Lake

4 Great Crested Grebes

15 Tufted Duck

1 Peregrine Falcon

3 Blackcaps

12 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood )

The Flash 

46 Tufted Duck 

3 Blackcaps

4 Chiffchaffs

(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill

Raven

(John Isherwood)

2006

Priorslee Lake

7 Chiffchaff

1 Willow Warbler

1 Swallow

14 Tufted Duck

2 Ruddy Duck

1 Sparrowhawk

5 Great Crested Grebe

1 Little Grebe

1 Grey Heron

20 Redwing

4 Siskins

2 Linnet

9 Greenfinch

4 Reed Bunting

10 Meadow Pipit

1 Willow Tit

(Martin R Adlam)