8.0°C: Cloud lifting and clearing from the north-west after yesterday's deluge. Light north-westerly breeze. Very good visibility.
[Sunrise: 07:46 BST]
+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a species photographed today
A venture out once the rain had stopped. The Flash visited first. The Balancing Lake only viewed from the dam-top area.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 11:10 – 11:55
+ = my first sighting of this species at this site this year.
++ = new species for me at this site.
* = a species photographed today
A venture out once the rain had stopped. The Flash visited first. The Balancing Lake only viewed from the dam-top area.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 11:10 – 11:55
(216th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- apart from a few Wood Pigeons there were no birds noted flying over.
- a Little Grebe may have been new in. However fishermen reported seeing one last weekend and it may well have been lurking, as they do.
Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 2 + 2 Mute Swan
- 14 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 129 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 18 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
Noted later:
- *a tiny unidentified insect, possibly a springtail
No help from my apps about this tiny creature. One helpfully suggested it was an insect. The other thought it might be a glow-worm or a horsefly! I think it might be a springtail or a thrip. I found it on a railing of the 'boxing ring' on the dam.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 10:05 – 11:00
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 10:05 – 11:00
(202nd visit of the year)
The water-level was perhaps as high as I have ever seen it with much of the lowest part of the island under water.
Bird notes:
- the Goosanders were mobile again today with apparently four flying in. Some birds were noted inside the island and there could well have been more out of sight.
- quite where all the Moorhens were is hard to say. The number I record seems to be inversely proportional to the number of dogs being walked. Today everyone seemed to be walking their dogs now the rain had stopped.
- what seemed to be a dead Black-headed Gull was floating in the water. Not, I hope, bird flu.
- single Redwings were flushed from two separate locations around the water.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Siskin
Warblers noted:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 29 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 17 (>10♂) Tufted Duck
- *47 brownhead Goosander: see notes
- 2 Moorhens only
- 40 Coots
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
On / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 29 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 17 (>10♂) Tufted Duck
- *47 brownhead Goosander: see notes
- 2 Moorhens only
- 40 Coots
- 3 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
On / beside the street lamp poles etc. around the water etc.:
Nothing noted
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Noted elsewhere around The Flash:
Mammals:
- Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
- Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Bees / wasps etc.:
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
- Common Wasp (Paravespula vulgaris)
Beetles:
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
- Alder Leaf Beetle (Agelastica alni)
Unusually close.
(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
2011
Priorslee Lake
14 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Common Gull, though it could have been Mew/Ring-billed Gull!
Yellow Legged Gull
(Mike Cooper/Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Ruddy Ducks
42 Redwing
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Wigeon
1 Shoveler
8 Pochard
64 Tufted Ducks
30 Robins
(Ed Wilson)