9 Mar 24

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 7.0°C:  Low cloud again. A spell of drizzle after c.08:00. Fresh easterly wind. Good visibility, moderate in drizzle.

Sunrise:  06:38 GMT

* = a species photographed today but note...

Priorslee Balancing Lake:  05:50 – 09:05

(51st visit of the year)

Highlight today were two singing *Chiffchaffs. Last year's first date was 18 March. Bird species #66 for me here this year.

Other bird notes:
- a pair of Canada Geese flew North; a pair flew East; a pair flew South – all the same birds?
- *a drake Shoveler present early.
- I noted 43 Black-headed Gulls arriving from the West. I am not sure how many of these settled on the water: many of them seemed to circle around until it was time to leave.
- for the second day I noted no early passage of Jackdaws and Rooks, not helped by the very low light levels.
- four singing Chaffinches were noted. My best number of territories for several years if they stay.

Counts of birds noted flying over:
- 6 Canada Geese: see notes
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Rook

Warblers noted (figure in brackets is singing birds):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (2) Chiffchaffs

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Mute Swans
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler: departed
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 22 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 10 Moorhens
- 38 Coots
- Little Grebe heard only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 43 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 2 Herring Gulls: both immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult
- 2 Cormorants: arrived separately
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted on the street lamp poles pre-dawn.

Springtails:
-        1 possible Entomobrya nivalis or E. intermedia

Noted later:
-        *c.20 plumed non-biting midge sp. on the sheltered wall of the sailing club HQ.

A record shot of the drake Shoveler present early only. This species is a filter-feeder, sifting the water with its flattened bill and is usually to be seen, as here, lying along the surface. When in groups they can usually be seen spinning around to stir up food from below.

Not quite sharp but a lucky shot. On a dull morning a small warbler jumping around bushes full of twigs is not easy to photograph. No mistaking it is Chiffchaff. Strictly my second of the year as earlier I had heard another singing elsewhere around the lake.

A female non-biting midge on the sheltered wall of the sailing club HQ.

And a male with feathered antennae for detecting female pheromones. There is nothing in NatureSpot to help with Obsidentify's "unidentified non-biting midge". The Chinery Collins Guide to Insects suggests these could be Chaoborus crystallinus in which the female's wings reach the tip of the abdomen. But then again they could be different species.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash:  09:10– 10:20

(53rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I heard another single call from a Great Spotted Woodpecker at the bottom end somewhere – too brief to locate.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Herring Gulls: ages?
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
- 1 Jackdaw
- 3 Redwings

Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese: of these two pairs departed separately
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 + 4 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 24 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral duck
- 48 (27♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: two first years and one third (fourth?) year

Also noted:
-        *flowers of Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa just opening
-        *fungus, probably not Peeling Oysterling Crepidotus mollis

Some of the Coots are already sitting on eggs. Juveniles from early broods rarely survive predation, often by gulls.

This was one of two Long-tailed Tits that were visiting what I suspect was their nest site. It was well hidden and I did not see any material being taken there.

Another poor light shot enabling direct comparison of a Goldfinch and a male Siskin.

And a Goldfinch posing on its own.

I believe this to be Red Elderberry Sambucus racemosa with a spray of flowers just opening, as they should be for an "early Spring" flowering shrub. Obsidentify thought it was Elder S. niger but that flowers in June and July and the similar-shaped leaves lack the serrations. I found this amongst the Ivy Hedera helix near the academy. I am not sure of its wild provenance.

This fungus is probably not Peeling Oysterling Crepidotus mollis as suggested (20%) by Obsidentify. That species is an Autumn species so highly unlikely. I have no suggestion.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
1 Grey Wagtail
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
37 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaff. First of the year
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Snipe
1 Teal
11 Pied Wagtails
13 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
17 Redwings
1 Linnet
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2007
Priorslee Lake
6 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
420 Wood Pigeon
33 Wren
25 Robin
22 Blackbird
17 Fieldfare
22 Redwing
1 Chiffchaff. First of the year
4 Goldcrest
59 Magpie
218 Jackdaw
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
3 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
11 Goosander
1 Stock Dove
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
6 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
115 Coots
226 Wood Pigeon
178 Jackdaws
21 Blackbirds
c.25 Fieldfares
12 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
9 Greenfinches
6 Redpolls
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)