14 Apr 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 6.0°C: Another wrong forecast by my app: rain after 07:15 it said. Clear to the East at 05:15 with steady rain for a while by 06:00. After c.06:30 the rain eased and while it was rarely dry the spots were not enough to worry about. A light easterly breeze increased moderate at times. Mostly very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:15 BST

A few photos from today (*)

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:15 – 06:50 // 07:40 – 09:15

(87th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- After days with few gulls the conditions provided several sighting. Eight unidentified large gulls flew South to the East at 05:55. Two adult Herring Gulls flew low East at 06:05. An adult Herring Gull flew over later and both an immature and adult dropped in briefly. Two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls also dropped in together briefly.
- Even more Willow Warblers noted in contrast to my visit to The Flash where I noted many fewer. Explain!

Birds noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: two pairs and a trio outbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove again
- 1 Herring Gull: adult
- 8 unidentified large gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 24 Jackdaws

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as ever
- 11 (11) Willow Warblers
- 16 (14) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (8) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 2 Sand Martins
- *10 Barn Swallows
- 1 House Martin
All numbers are my highest count at any one time: likely more individuals were involved.

Counts from the lake area:
- 13 Canada Geese: the resident pair had eleven birds for company, nine of these at one time. The residents seemed to give up chasing the visitors who departed anyway.
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 5 Moorhens again
- 33 Coots
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Cormorant: arrived

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

On the walls of the sailing club HQ:
Nothing noted

Noted on one wall and the ceiling of the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
- 11 midges of at least three species
- 2 owl midges Psychodidae sp.
- 1 White-legged Snake Millipede (Tachypodoiulus niger)

Noted later:
- *first flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis).
- *flowering Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) or a planted cultivar.

Another very early doors photo. I had hoped that with the forecast of incoming rain we might get a fiery red sky. This looked hopeful, clear to the North and East.

The cloud and rain came in too quickly and this was about as good as it got.

It was raining by the time the sun threatened to show itself. The council could have positioned the street light in better location.

A Great Crested Grebe of course. There are usually two birds just off the dam: this is one of them.

These two displaying Great Crested Grebes were in the south-east corner. The previously mentioned birds took no notice of them. I have no idea why the left-hand bird is more rufous along its flanks.

Some images of the Barn Swallows in the rain that prove if you take enough photos a few will turn out half reasonable even in poor light. This was an odd one: it seems to have no tail.

Did I say half reasonable. Perhaps that is over-stating it. This gives an idea of the contortions the birds undertake while chasing prey items.

There was not enough light to show the red on the face and throat of these birds.

Again

The same bird...

...yet again.

This shows the red area better than other photos and also shows the white spots in the tail-feathers, visible only when the tail is spread.

Again.

A different bird passes.

And a speedy pass. Males have longer tail-streamers than females. It has been proven (how?) that females prefer males with the longest streamers and with undamaged streamers. These feathers are prone to breaking, especially during territorial disputes.

A nice plan view.

Our friend the male Grey Wagtail was on the dam-face again

Looking rather morose here – perhaps too few insects in the rain. From this angle the black on the throat looks less extensive. I am sure it was the same bird I was photographing and that tends to be confirmed by the dark mark in the middle of the yellow breast.

Another view.

These are flowers of Lady's Smock / Cuckooplant / Milkmaid (Cardamine pratensis). Just about the usual earliest date for me to record them. The name Cuckooplant derives from their concurrent flowering with the traditional date for the arrival of Cuckoos. If only. It must be ten years since I heard a Cuckoo in this area. The plant is eaten by the caterpillars of the Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines) which may well appear in the next warm sunny day. Note the use of 'Cardamine' in the scientific name for both the plant and the butterfly.

Cherry blossom has been evident for some days. It has about reached its zenith and the rain may well ruin it. I have no idea whether the trees around the lake are genuine Wild Cherry (Prunus avium) or planted cultivars.

Another spray. The flowers seem to be about a week later than I have recorded in earlier years.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:00 – 07:30

(81st visit of the year)

A quick canter around as I was expecting the forecast rain to arrive at any time. Only a few spots.

Bird notes:
- I was told that two eggs had been seen in the water near the Mute Swan's nest yesterday. It was not clear whether these were from the swan's nest or perhaps goose eggs. I did not notice any such eggs this morning and the pen was still asleep on the nest.
- The Shoveler trio remain for their fifth day. The extra drake was nowhere near the pair unlike the previous days when they have been all together.
- After very low numbers at the start of this week a few more Tufted Ducks have drifted back.
- Two Stock Doves flew off the oft-frequented roof in Westcroft Walk.
- A Great Spotted Woodpeckers was drumming in squirrel alley. Later one was calling at the top end and this then flew away across the old A5 (whatever it is called these days).
- Many fewer singing Willow Warblers today. I did wonder whether some had moved on in the fine weather yesterday; or perhaps today's damp conditions had deterred them from singing. Neither suggestion explains why there was an increase in the number at the Balancing Lake.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult

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

Hirundines etc., noted

None

Noted on / around the water
- 30 Canada Geese: of these nine flew off more or less together
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: ? eggs
- 3 (2♂) Shoveler still
- 19 (15♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 18 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Herring Gull: near-adult, briefly
- no Cormorants

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

(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
3 Great Crested Grebes
12 Cormorants over
3 Grey Herons
2 Tufted Duck
4 Common Sandpipers
c.6 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
Green Woodpecker
9 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
193 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Wrekin
Tree Pipit
Pied Wagtail
Willow Tit
Marsh Tit
5 Pied Flycatchers
2 Common Redstarts
Willow Warblers
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Ringed Plover
6 Willow Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
1 House Martin
4 Sand Martin
(Martin Grant)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
Blackcap
Willow Tits
2 Jays
(Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
4 Common Redstart
31 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
5 Pied Flycatcher
1 Common Redstart
2 Tree Pipit
6 Willow Warbler
Marsh Tit
Goldcrest
Green Woodpecker
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Siskin
Lesser Redpoll
Crossbill
(Glenn Bishton)

2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Common Sandpiper
1 Reed Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
4 Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Osprey
4 Gadwall
12 Sand Martin
2 Swallows
6 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Blackcap
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Common Sandpiper
6 Willow Warbler
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock
5 Sand Martin
Swallows
4 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Swallows
1 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Pintail x Mallard
17 Tufted Duck
1 Grey Heron
2 Willow Warblers
8 Chiffchaffs
5 Blackcaps
20 Wrens
2 Linnet
6 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

Nedge Hill
2 Willow Warblers
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaff
1 Fieldfare
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Swallow
1 Buzzard
4 Skylark
2 Meadow Pipit
4 Yellowhammer
3 Greenfinch 3
4 Linnet
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
7 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
3 Common Sandpiper
8 Chiffchaff
5 Willow Warbler
5 Blackcaps
1 Garden Warbler
3 Swallows
1 Kestrel
2 Great Spotted Woodpecker
1 Skylark
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)
(Ed Wilson)