5.0°C: Mostly cloudy. A few light sprinkles. Also a few blue bits. Moderate easterly wind. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:19 GMT
* = a species photographed today
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:45 // 07:40 – 09:15
(64th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *the presumed duck Pochard again.
- apparently nine Great Crested Grebes: they are hard to keep track of.
- no large gulls visited the water.
- just 5 Jackdaws and no Rooks. Perhaps with the easterly wind they all flew well to the East out of sight?
- *for many weeks the Cetti's Warbler has started singing pre-dawn in the north-east area. It occasionally was later heard in the north-west area. In the last two days it has also been heard singing from the South side. That is where the first song was heard today though later it was at the West end.
- seven singing and one calling Chiffchaffs.
- two Mistle Thrushes were seen on the south-west grass. What I assume were the same two birds were upset at Magpies in the Ricoh copse area later.
- no Reed Buntings were seen or heard.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Geese: single inbound with...
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 9 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 5 Jackdaws
- no Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: of these five arrived together again
- 3 Mute Swan: plus one long dead
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- *1 (0♂?) Pochard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- no Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- no Grey Heron
On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
A slightly warmer morning tempted a few things to appear after a long barren period.
Flies:
- *2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
- *2 winter craneflies Trichocera regelationis
Springtails:
- *1 unidentified springtail
Of note:
- *1 unidentified springtail
Of note:
Nothing else apart from:
- *fading Glistening Inkcap fungus Coprinellus micaceus
I cannot explain why this apparent duck Pochard is staying around. Pochard are usually shy and this one seems very tolerant. If she is unwell she has been so for several weeks.
I suspect this adult Black-headed Gull is also unwell. Here alongside the dam face where it was yesterday. I hope not bird flu.
- *fading Glistening Inkcap fungus Coprinellus micaceus
I would stay in bed for this sunrise if I were you. It was just spitting with rain too.
A smart Song Thrush
And a very poor view of an unidentified springtail.
After just a few days many of the Glistening Inkcap fungus Coprinellus micaceus are fading fast.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:35
(62nd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- there were three Greylag Geese in a group with a single Canada Goose, almost certainly the group that flew over the Balancing Lake later.
- there was no sign of last year's two, now immature, Mute Swans. *Two adults (the same two? I could not see to read any rings) were getting very friendly and looked to be about to mate.
- single Stock Doves were heard calling from two different locations.
- *I have no idea what was going on with the Great Crested Grebes. I noted one by the island and then saw two displaying beneath overhanging trees at the top end. Another (the first one seen?) flew in to join them and was swiftly chased away with both the displaying birds diving. I then saw one flying around at some height though I could not see where it went. Ten minutes later a pair was by the island.
- still only one Chiffchaff singing in the area.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Jackdaws
Noted on / around the water:
- 33 Canada Geese
- 3 Greylag Geese
- *2 Mute Swans
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 26 (19♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 Moorhens
- 33 Coots
- *3 Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
Of note:
Nothing else
A Great Crested Grebe takes off at high speed.
Don't expect high quality photos of small birds at 06:50 on a dull morning. One of my friendly Long-tailed Tits was up and about.
Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:
(Ed Wilson)
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Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:
Of interest
- 1 (1♂) Mallard: on the upper pool.
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing by the lower pool.
- 5 Starlings: together in a tree by the upper pool.
(Ed Wilson)
- 1 (1♂) Mallard: on the upper pool.
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool.
- 1 Chiffchaff singing by the lower pool.
- 5 Starlings: together in a tree by the upper pool.
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Bramblings
2 Chiffchaffs singing
(Martin Grant)
Priorslee Flash
2 Shoveler
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
1 Stonechat
3 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
14 Pochard
25 Tufted Duck
1 Lapwing
2 Sand Martins
26 Greenfinches
23 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Cormorants
24 Tufted Duck
1 Kestrel
1 Tree Sparrow
2 Reed Buntings
1 Chiffchaff singing
Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
12 Swan
6 Gadwall
20 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Mute Swan nest building
16 Tufted
(Mike Cooper)
The Flash
c.25 Tufted Duck
Chiffchaff singing
(Mike Cooper)
2007
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorant
12 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Kestrel
2 Stock Dove
1 Green Woodpecker
31 Wren
36 Robin
6 Redwing
5 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Tit
44 Magpie
9 Greenfinch
8 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
33 Tufted Duck
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Redpoll
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)