22 Apr 24

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

7.0°C > 8.0°C: Overcast with light rain. A light south-easterly breeze. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 05:56 BST]

* = a species photographed today

Another wet day with a late start hoping for slightly brighter conditions. Well that did not work too well.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:00 – 10:50

(88th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
New today was my very-belated first House Martin of the year here among the other hirundines feeding over the water. My bird species #85 here this year.

Other bird notes:
- two first year Mute Swans remain.

Hirundines etc. noted:
- 2 Sand Martin
- *>15 Barn Swallows
- *1 House Martin

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: the resident pair
- 4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 5 (5♂) Mallard
- 8 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Cormorant

One of the two first year Mute Swans was put to flight by the resident cob. It merely circled around and splashed back down at the other end.

There were many Barn Swallow feeding low over the water. Getting photos of this species is not easy as they only feed like this when the weather is dull, wet and potentially windy. Here a few of the better images from today. This one low over the water with a reflection.

A different bird.

This one calling.

One from below...

...and from above.

Perhaps the best.

Or this?

I did say it was hard! The gleaming white rump of a House Martin that was always far away from me.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 11:00 – 11:55

(90th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Two additions to my 2024 bird list from here:
- *a drake Shoveler seems unusual at this date. Species #61
- *a singing Garden Warbler was not only new here for the year but also new anywhere for me this year. It is my first record of this species here since 2020. In 2019 I suspected this species bred here. Species #62

Other bird notes:
- last year's Mute Swans have indeed departed.
- perhaps it was my presence at a different time: I noted four singing Song Thrushes today and for the past moth I have only occasionally heard one in song.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Warblers noted (the figure in brackets relates to birds heard singing):
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs
- 11 (8) Blackcaps
- *1 (1) Garden Warbler
'nominal' warbler:
- 1 (1) Goldcrests

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- 8 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- *1 (1♂) Shoveler
- 16 (15♂) Mallard
- 13 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 Moorhens
- 20 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe

Noted elsewhere around The Flash on different lamp poles:

Flies:
- *2 plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

Beetles:
- 1 Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni

A bit distant but no mistaking a drake Shoveler.

This morning's Garden Warbler singing away. As noted in earlier years the diagnostic plumage features of this warbler is that it has no diagnostic plumage features! Best done by voice, sounding like a Blackcap singing more fluently and with a tone more akin to a Song Thrush. The Blackcap has more of a Blackbird tone.

A female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus . No plumes on her antennae.

(Ed Wilson)

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Sightings from previous years

2013
Nedge Hill
1 Whinchat
20 Wheatear
1 Blackcap
Willow Warbler
(Ian Grant)

2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
5 Tufted Duck
12 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
31 Tufted Duck
1 Heron
1 Buzzard
6 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Green Woodpecker
3 Skylarks
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
3 Chiffchaffs
6 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow Wagtail
5 Common Sandpiper
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Sedge Warbler
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Yellow Wagtail
10 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
1 Common Sandpiper
Swallows
Sand Martins
Common Whitethroat
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

The Nedge
Blackcap
Willow Warbler
Chiffchaff
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Sedge Warblers
Reed Warbler
Common Sandpipers
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Cuckoo
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
5 Greylag Geese
12 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Duck
27 Sand Martins
11 Swallows
5 House Martins
1 Sedge Warbler
8 Blackcaps
7 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
25 Wrens
23 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
1 Siskin
1 Redpoll
3 Reed Buntings.

Lanes to the east of Priorslee Lake
6 Pheasants
8 Skylarks
2 Whitethroats
4 Blackcaps
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Greenfinch
6 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)