25 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 10.0°C: A receding sliver of clear sky to the far East. Otherwise medium overcast. Light / moderate north-westerly wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:00 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

I had another interesting time with the Merlin app.
- at The Flash it told me it could hear a Common Sandpiper. I didn't hear one. I searched all the usual places where I have seen this species previously and failed to find anything. It is about time for the first of this migrant species to pass through.
- later Merlin reported a Firecrest calling at the Balancing Lake. Again I didn't hear anything. It is a species unlikely to be there at this date – though nothing is impossible.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:25 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 09:30

(72nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the two new resident Mute Swans were again making significant efforts to persuade the previous incumbent to leave: it still didn't.
- the duck Pochard still here.
- one pair of Tufted Duck only.
- at least eight Great Crested Grebes during one count. Thereafter usually only seven! A possible explanation is that I noted a pair displaying inside one of the reed beds and only visible from certain angles.
- most of the 38 Herring Gulls logged flying over were in one loose group all heading south-west.
- only one Blackcap and that singing very intermittently. I guess if you have no competition you do not have to proclaim your territory.
- the Cetti's Warbler now seems to be favouring the West end though it makes occasional forays along the South side.
- I suspect there are two pairs of Grey Wagtails. A pair seen on the dam usually fly off East over Castle Farm Way. A pair on the south-west grass usually fly off West.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *10 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound; a pair inbound; and a quartet that had no idea where they were going.
- 10 Wood Pigeons
- 38 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 13 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- 23 Canada Geese: all but four of these arrived
- 4 Mute Swans: plus one long dead
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 Moorhens
- 33 Coots only
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- *15 (15) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap

On the West end street lamp poles
Pre-dawn:

Moths:
*1 Common Plume Emmelina monodactyla
*1 Shoulder Stripe Earophila badiata

Flies:
1 plumed midge Chironomus plumosus

Also noted:
Nothing else. The night had been clear and the poles were dew-covered

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
several unidentified bumblebees Bombus sp.

Flies:
*1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
*very many 'dancing columns' of gnats.

Flowers:
*Primroses Primula vulgaris

This quartet of Canada Geese did not seem to know where to go. They were flying in all directions before finally heading off East.

More less-than-satisfactory photos of Chiffchaffs. This one unexpectedly brown-toned. For all that it was singing just like any other Chiffchaff.

This one also looking browner than I would expect.

Well now: that's a mouthful for a small Long-tailed Tit. Will make the nest cosy though.

"no photos please"!

Apparently still trying to work out what to do with the feathers. Or is this another load?

 "Should I help?"

Or not bother.

A flash photo of a Common Plume moth Emmelina monodactyla on one of the street lamp poles. As its vernacular name implies this is a common moth. It over-winters as an adult and can be found any month between October and May. There are many species of 'plume' moth which generally rest with their wings tightly rolled and held horizontally giving them a cross-shape.

And a daylight shot of the same moth. Note the hind legs are held parallel to the abdomen. Hard to see are the pair of spurs on each leg.

Now is this another Shoulder Stripe moth Earophila badiata or not. I did not notice it when I checked the street lamp poles before dawn. It is in a very similar position to the one I photographed yesterday. The 'lump' bottom right appears to be a small blob of concrete that has been on the pole as long as I can remember. I still occasionally think it is an interesting insect as I approach in the dark.

There were many midges dancing in columns above my head. This male decided to come and try and make sense of my paper log from this morning. Good luck to him!

On the wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was this larger and female (with 'simple' antennae) midge. The banding on the abdomen identifies it as a midge Chironomus plumosus.

I found this clump of Primroses Primula vulgaris deep in one of the wooded areas. I cannot recall seeing them here in previous year. Perhaps more visible after Severn-Trent thinned the vegetation. They are growing beneath the Magpie roost – hence the 'splash'.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:15

(70th visit of the year)

Bird notes
Another additions to the bird species noted here in 2025:
- two Blackcaps were heard in song. One day later than my first here in 2024 but the same date as 2023.
My 2025 bird species count here moves on to #61.

Other bird notes:
- just the 5 Wood Pigeons logged as fly-overs were in a group flying high, somewhat unexpectedly, South.
- for some days the adult Moorhens have been chasing last year's birds around and it seems many of these have now departed. Some of the adults are now climbing inside bushes to nest and consequently harder to find.
- the Great Crested Grebes gone (into hiding?) again.
- just nine singing Chiffchaffs today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 3 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 30 Canada Geese: again many of these flew off
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 19 (14♂) Mallard
- 14 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Herring Gulls: adults, very briefly
- 1 Cormorant

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 9 (9) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

Of note:
Nothing else

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:

Of interest
- no Mallard on the pools
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool?
one Moorhen was seen in the Wesley Brook near the Priorslee Academy. It scampered back to cover. Could there be two pairs in / around the upper pool?

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
18 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
1 Sand Martin
7 Chiffchaffs
158 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Kittiwake
(John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Little Grebes
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Ducks
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
2 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebe
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
34 Tufted Ducks
c.450 Black-headed Gulls
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.50 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Swans
2 Pochard
73 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
27 Tufted Duck
c.210 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebe
36 Tufted Duck
2 Siskins
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
2 Shoveler
27 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
29 Wren
22 Robin
21 Blackbird
5 Fieldfare
9 Redwing
6 Chiffchaff
36 Magpie
99 Jackdaw
8 Greenfinch
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Mallard x Pintail
2 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaff
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Ow
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
26 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rail
532 Wood Pigeon
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Skylarks
15 Pied Wagtails
26 Wrens
34 Blackbirds
6 Redwings
1 Willow Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
17 Magpies
4 Jays
1 Brambling
13 Greenfinches
4 Siskins
1 Linnets
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
6 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
22 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaff
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)