12 Apr 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 7.0°C: A clear start. Some cloud after 08:30 and then lowering cloud ahead of forecast rain. Moderate southerly breeze increasing fresh. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:20 BST

A few photos from today (*)

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:25 – 06:45 // 07:50 – 09:34

(85th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- A Common Buzzard seen overhead at 05:40 was almost certainly one of the pair breeding in the Ricoh grounds. This species is often active at dawn and dusk.
- I was apparently in the right place at the right time in clear conditions to see the Jackdaws passing to the East on roost dispersal. I didn't see many compared to yesterday's total.
- I saw my first female Blackcap of the year (females have brown caps)

Birds noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 7 Greylag Geese: quintet outbound; pair inbound
- 2 Stock Doves: together
- 9 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 4 Cormorants: together
- 24 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 4 (4) Willow Warblers
- 14 (12) Chiffchaffs
- 7 (6) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 1 Sand Martin
- *c.20 Barn Swallows
- 2 House Martins
All after 08:00. It is unusual at this date for Barn Swallows to dominate the feeding groups: usually it is Sand Martins that occur in the highest number.

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 Canada Geese: the resident pair only had one visiting pair to chase away
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Mallard again
- 4 Moorhens only
- 41 Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Cormorant: arrived

Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn:
- 1 midge without plumed antennae

On the walls of the sailing club HQ:

Nothing noted

Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 20 midges of at least three species
- 1 cranefly

Noted later:
First flowers noted of:
- *Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata)
- *Marsh Marigold (aka Kingcups) (Caltha palustris)

The view at very early doors.

Even before 06:30 the incoming rain clouds to the West were visible.

The real sunrise...

 ...behind my favourite foreground. As the days get longer I will not be able to use this tree again.

A series of not brilliant photos of the Barn Swallows. My new camera seems little better at being able to focus on the flying birds rather than the ripples on the lake. Its main difference is that at 24 shots per second it takes me longer to find any good photos and I throw away more! A side elevation view.

A more or less plan view of the underside. Note the row of cream dots in the spread tail-feathers.

And now a more or less plan view from above.

This shows how the light catches the steel-blue upper-parts.

 Perhaps the best photo? I will keep trying!

A Grey Wagtail on the 'boxing ring' on the dam. The black bib does not look very extensive and I wonder whether this is an older female. It was apparently paired but I never managed to get a good view of its companion.

A colourful Goldfinch.

The cluster of flowers of Hedge Garlic or Jack-by-the-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata) is just about to open. The leaves of this plant have, as the vernacular name implies, a slight garlic taste and are excellent to eat raw in salads.

Apologies: I should have done some 'gardening' to remove the stick. My first Marsh Marigolds (aka Kingcups) (Caltha palustris) this year.

I cannot really count these Narcissus (Amaryllis sp.) flowers as they are cultivars planted by the council. They make an attractive photo though.

The clump of Wood Anemones (Anemone nemorosa) is now more advanced with the flowers showing their typical bell-like shape. In the afternoon the sun's rays will hit these plants and the flowers will likely lift their heads.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:55 – 07:45

(79th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The Shoveler trio were still here: the drake Gadwall was not seen.
- A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming from squirrel alley and also at the top end. I suspect different birds as I neither saw nor, more importantly, heard it move between the locations. Territorial birds usually call while in flight.

Birds noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- *8 (8) Willow Warblers again
- 7 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted

None

Noted on / around the water
- 35 Canada Geese: of these eleven departed as a duo and nonet (ennead?)
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: ? eggs
- 3 (2♂) Shoveler
- 23 (20♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 7 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens only
- 24 + 1 juvenile Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes

On / around the street lamp poles or of interest elsewhere:
Nothing noted

"A penny for your thoughts". A Wood Pigeon contemplates whatever. Perhaps it is just sunbathing.

The Willow Warblers are neck-breakingly high overhead!

As well as doing their best to hide.

Even the normally cooperative Dunnocks were hiding today.

(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
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
1 Greylag Goose
2 Common Sandpipers
c.6 Sand Martins
2 Barn Swallows
1 Grasshopper Warbler
10 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows flew through
2 Meadow Pipits
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Duck
9 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Swallow
1 Reed Bunting
3 Great Crested Grebes
33 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
6 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Swallow
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Skylarks
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Common Redstart
13 Wheatear
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

East Priorslee
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
2 Sand Martins
2 Greylag Geese
3 Stock Doves
1 Lapwing
(Ed Wilson)