16 Apr 23

Priorslee Lake and The Flash

8.0°C: Medium overcast gave way to low cloud and drizzle. Almost calm. Very good visibility until the drizzle: then moderate.

Sunrise: 06:11 BST

A few photos from today (*)

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:30 – 09:00

(89th visit of the year)

A rain delayed start for me after a long day yesterday.

Bird notes:
- The three adult Black-headed Gulls that dropped in briefly were a surprise at this date.
- A Stock Dove was displaying over the North wood again.
- A summer-plumaged Little Grebe that skittered out of the reeds and promptly disappeared was the only other notable sighting of the morning here.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: pair outbound
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves: together
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Warblers noted (the number singing in brackets):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler as ever
- 5 (5) Willow Warblers
- 17 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 9 (6) Blackcaps

Hirundines etc., noted:
- 4 Barn Swallows, briefly

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 Canada Geese: the resident pair had three other pairs for company at various times
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 4 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 7 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls: adults, briefly

Seen later:
Nothing of note

The chestnut head and neck identifies this as an adult breeding plumage Little Grebe. Note the yellow mark at the base of the bill.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 09:55

(82nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- The Shoveler trio remain for their seventh day.
- A drake Gadwall seen again.
- After weeks with an excess of drake Tufted Ducks today all 12 birds were paired up.
- The Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming from squirrel alley again.

Birds noted flying over here:
- 1 Starling

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

Hirundines etc., noted

None

Noted on / around the water
- 29 Canada Geese: of these seven flew off as a quintet and a pair
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans: ? eggs
- 3 (2♂) Shoveler remain
- 1 (1♂) Gadwall
- 20 (16♂) + 2 (1 brood) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white duck (Peking(?) Duck)
- 12 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 24 + 1 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Cormorant

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

It was mainly about baby birds this morning. Two drake and a mostly hidden duck Mallard with a brood of just two ducklings.

A more normal arrangement of an adult pair of Mallard with the same two ducklings.

What seems to be a juvenile Wood Pigeon. There appears to be no white mark on the neck. The dark area at the end of the tail rules out it being a Stock Dove. Note too the eye looks all dark, though that could be the pupil is enlarged in the dull conditions.

When it turned around there was a small amount of white on the neck. I think this is a bird hatched this year and beginning to acquire adult plumage. Note the restricted white on the edge of the folded wing and also the pale fringes to the feathers on its back. Pigeons are promiscuous birds that given the opportunity will breed at any time (all times!) of the year.

Another juvenile: a Coot that also came too close. Note that the crown still shows a few remnants of the spiky red feathers these birds have when they first hatch.

A pair of Great Crested Grebes displaying. Two other Great Crested Grebes were in the same general area.

A juvenile Robin with one of its parents.

The juveniles were amazingly confiding so long as I stayed still. This one was almost too close and nearly stood on my foot.

Feeding takes place in a split second and I could not freeze the action. Just how wide can they open their beaks!

A very rare opportunity to get some really close photos of the juveniles. There seemed to be three of them.

One eschewing publicity.

 'Cute' I think is the right adjective.

 "Yes you"

From this angle it looks a bit grumpy.

(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
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
10 Tufted Duck
2 Common Sandpipers
6 Sand Martin
2 Swallow
11 Song Thrushes
11 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
112 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
4 Greylag Geese
25 Tufted Ducks
2 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Curlew
6 Skylark
3 Meadow Pipit
5 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
2 Linnets
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wheatear
2 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

East Priorslee
5 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
3 Yellow Wagtails
Common Whitethroat
62 Wheatear
1 Fieldfare
3 Common Redstart
Willow Warbler
2 Swallows
Linnet
Skylark
Chiffchaff
(Martin Grant, Ian Grant, John Isherwood)

Long Lane, Wellington
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Ringed Plover
12 Lapwing
2 Stock Dove
4+ Skylark
5 Teal
(Martin Grant)

2012
Nedge Hill
1 White Wagtail
1 Redstart
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
(John Isherwood/ Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Whitethroat
15 Wheatear
2 Linnets
(John Isherwood, Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
9 Tufted Duck
1 Buzzard
25 Sand Martins
6 Swallows
3 Skylarks
2 Blackcaps
3 Chiffchaffs
3 Willow Warblers
1 Willow Tit
2 Jays
4 Linnets
1 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Common Sandpiper
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Chiffchaff
5 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
1 Reed Bunting
8 Tufted Duck
(Martin Grant)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
1 Little Grebe
2 Heron
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
7 Common Sandpiper
4 Swallow
3 Sand Martin
1 Kestrel
1 Raven
2 Skylark
2 Grey Wagtail
2 Meadow Pipit
1 Wheatear
9 Chiffchaff
4 Willow Warbler
5 Blackcaps
1 Sedge Warbler.
5 Greenfinch
2 Siskin
1 Linnet
5 Reed Bunting.
(Martin Adlam, John Isherwood)