31 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 10.0°C: Mostly clear overhead and to the East with just wisps of high cloud. More extensive medium-level cloud to the West. Almost calm. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:46 BST

Back to twice around the lake and then to The Flash.

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:00

(78th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- only the new pair of Mute Swans remain.
- the duck Pochard still here: also a lone Tufted Duck.
- eleven Great Crested Grebes counted.
- of course after noting yesterday that the Cetti's Warbler had been uncharacteristically subdued recently it was shouting its head-off today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: quartet outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair outbound
- 3 (2♂) Tufted Duck: together
- 38 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 35 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (6♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 1 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 9 Moorhens
- 42 Coots
- 11 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron: flushed c.06:30 and not seen again

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 22 (22) Chiffchaffs again
- 8 (8) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles

Pre-dawn:

Moths:
1 March Moth Alsophila aescularia
On the same lamp pole as yesterday but in a very different position. Both days it has gone when I rechecked the poles later.
Nothing else on dew-covered poles

Noted later:
An earlier departure meant fewer insects around.

Bees, wasps etc.:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Hoverflies:
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

Other flies:
cranefly, possibly Limonia nubeculosa

New flowers for the year:
Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa

Early dawn.

Slightly later dawn.

Two Great Crested Grebes seem surprised.

I flushed this Common Buzzard then went and hid in a tree beside the M54. Two Jays decided it wasn't going to stay there and chased it out...

...and away.

You will be pleased to know that I did not photograph the other 21 singing Chiffchaffs.

A male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax rubbing its hands (wee, front legs) together.

On a wall I found this cranefly, possibly Limonia nubeculosa.

Must try harder with my generally rubbish flower photos. These are Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 10:10

(76th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a Great Crested Grebe back again!
- just one singing Willow Warbler.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 33 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 (19♂) Mallard
- 17 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 27 Coots

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Blackcaps

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris

Hoverflies:
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

Spiders, harvestman etc.:
Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

I came across a trio of fighting Goldcrests with their crests erect showing red. The bundle of bird disappeared in to a bush and only this one emerged leaving the camera struggling to keep up.

Too many branches for the camera to 'lock-on' to the bird.

Perhaps the best of the bunch.

A Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax. This is of course a species of hoverfly and here doing what it says on the tin.

My first Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. of the year.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
4 Greylag Geese
22 Tufted Duck
5 Sand Martins
6 Redwings
8 Chiffchaffs
>500 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
50 Tufted Ducks
4 Chiffchaffs
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
1 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Mediterranean Gull.
Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull.
>1500 Black-headed Gulls
2 Redwings
65 Magpies
25 Siskins
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
6 Swans
2 Pochard
85 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Buzzards
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
36 Tufted Duck
c.160 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
3 Greylag Geese
32 Tufted Duck

Trench
1 Cormorant
43 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Little Ringed Plover
1 Cormorant
1 Mallard x Pintail
18 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Ringed Plover
1 Kittiwake
33 Wren
29 Robin
24 Blackbird
3 Chiffchaff
39 Magpie
3 Greenfinch
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
8 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
27 Tufted Duck
1 Snipe
3 Chiffchaff
2 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Owl
1 Little Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
30 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
321 Wood Pigeons
2 Skylarks
5 Meadow Pipits
33 Wrens
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
18 Greenfinches
8 Siskins
1 Linnet
6 Reed Buntings
1 Yellowhammer.
(Ed Wilson)

30 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

8.0°C > 11.0°C: Broken cloud. Many patches of blue failed to deliver as much sun as they promised. Moderate, gusting fresh, north-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:49 BST

All times now BST.

After today and for the next week or so it will be back to twice around the lake and then to The Flash so as to avoid getting tangled up with the school run.

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:00 – 07:25 // 08:35 – 10:00

(77th visit of the year)

More about the tree felling alongside Teece Drive. I was shown a post on the Priorslee Community Notice Board that reported the council were "clearing storm damage and removing over-mature crack willows infected with honey fungus...over or adjacent to what would be described as a high target area because of their proximity to the school".

Well now. If it is honey fungus then the advice from the Forestry Commission web site:

"..the most effective means of controlling the disease is to remove all sources of infection from the site.

This normally means removing infected stumps and plants though it is worth bearing in mind that other buried wood, fence posts for example, can sometimes harbour the disease. There is no simple way of removing stumps; methods which claim to burn, dissolve or rot them away are ineffective. Small stumps can be dug out by hand, but larger ones require the help of jacks, winches or excavators."

Alongside Teece Drive many of the large timbers remain laying around. It was also suggested that the trees would soon re-grow from the stumps. That does not square with the honey fungus claim. Perhaps the message has got somewhat garbled along the line?

Since none of the trees was in danger of falling on the paths or roadways I still do not understand why wholesale (any?) felling has been undertaken. Boys with toys?

It is perhaps pertinent to point out that at The Flash there is a large tree which is riddled with honey fungus adjacent to a footpath. The council have known about it for at least three years.

End of rant – for now.

Bird notes:
- four Mute Swans when I arrived: only the new pair remained later.
- a pair of Gadwall on my first pass only.
- the duck Pochard still here and happily diving with the small group of Tufted Duck.
- twelve Great Crested Grebes counted. I surrender.
- the Cetti's Warbler has been uncharacteristically subdued recently but one of this morning's outbursts was from the boundary hedge with the M54. The first time I have heard him that far from the water-side.
- after yesterday's scarcely credible count of 21 singing Chiffchaffs I was most careful not to double-count any today. And the answer? 22!
- no Redwings seen or heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs outbound
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk
- 13 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 4 Mute Swans: two of these departed: plus one long dead: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall: departed
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 4 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 12 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *2 Cormorants: arrived separately

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 22 (22) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (4) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles

Pre-dawn:

Moths:
*1 March Moth Alsophila aescularia

Flies:
none

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
*Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva
*Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
*Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax

Other flies:
*blow fly Calliphora sp.

New flowers for the year:
*Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis
*Cowslip Primula veris

The sort-of sunrise with the clouds threatening to break but not delivering much sun.

An adult Cormorant with a 'bad hair' day, the brisk north-west wind raising the crest this species develops in its breeding season.

A March Moth Alsophila aescularia on one of the street lamp poles pre-dawn. A common species though I do not see it every year and my last last record here was 27 March 2018. Like many "Winter" species only the male has fully-developed wings and can fly. A slow start to my 2025 moth logs, this being species #6.

Not all mining bees are hard to identify. I managed one over-zoomed shot to ensure the camera focussed on the bee and not the leaves with this result before the bee flew off not to be seen again. It is a female Tawny Mining Bee Andrena fulva (males are smaller and mainly black).

A slightly better photo of a Honey Bee Apis mellifera than I managed yesterday....

...before it flew off.

One of many Tapered Droneflies Eristalis pertinax sunbathing on the Ivy leaves. This is a male though the abdomen is not as tapered as many I have seen.

Another male.

Conversely this female Tapered Dronefly has a more tapered abdomen than I would expect. Here she is using her middle pair of legs to clear here wings and then...

...stretch them out.

A blow fly Calliphora sp., one of several species in various genera popularly called "bluebottles"

Tiny white flowers on an unobtrusive plant. It is Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis. Ten days later than my photo from 2022.

I checked two days ago and there was no sign of these Cowslips Primula veris. They are very late this year: in 2024 I photographed flowers on 24 February.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 07:30 – 08:30

(75th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- I was told that the new pairing of Mute Swans was seen mating a few days ago.
- yesterday's Great Crested Grebe seemed to have gone once more!
- still two singing Willow Warblers in trees alongside the Priorslee Academy. I did not expect this as these days this species is a passage migrant here. Many years ago it bred at the top end but the trees are probably now too tall to meet this species' preference.
- one of the four Blackcaps noted was a non-singing male.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 5 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 35 Canada Geese
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 19 (16♂) Mallard [yesterday's total should have read 18 (15♂) Mallard if you are keeping notes]
- no feral Mallard x?
- no all-white feral Mallard [’Aylesbury Duck’]
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Duck again
- 10 Moorhens
- 30 Coots

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- *2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 8 (8) Chiffchaffs
- *4 (2) Blackcaps

Of note:

Nothing

You will have to take my word for it that this is a Willow Warbler. It is barely possible to see that it has a more-defined pale eyebrow than would a Chiffchaff. Luckily it was singing – and then flew off.

 A male Blackcap sitting up straight.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:

Of interest
- 2 (2♂) Mallard on the lower pool again
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
19 Tufted Duck
4 Meadow Pipits
1 Redwing
1 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaffs
197 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
2 Common Teal
42 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Horsehay Pool
Mandarin Ducks
(JW Reeves)

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Duck
1 Peregrine Falcon
3 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood )

The Flash
46 Tufted Duck
3 Blackcaps
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Raven
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
1 Swallow
14 Tufted Duck
2 Ruddy Duck
1 Sparrowhawk
5 Great Crested Grebe
1 Little Grebe
1 Grey Heron
20 Redwing
4 Siskins
2 Linnet
9 Greenfinch
4 Reed Bunting
10 Meadow Pipit
1 Willow Tit
(Martin R Adlam)

29 Mar 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 8.0°C: Clear start with mainly high cloud to the West gradually encroaching. Just frosted. Light / moderate south-westerly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:51 GMT

* = a species photographed today.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:15 // 07:20 – 09:50

(76th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- four Mute Swans: the new pair; the erstwhile resident pen and the first year bird..
- yesterday's pair of Common Teal not seen.
- the duck Pochard still here.
- ten Great Crested Grebes for certain though most counts I made were of fewer.
- *an Oystercatcher was on the south-west grass when I arrived in the area c.05:35. It flew off East but presumably the same bird returned within a few minutes. During this time it did not call. As I arrived back from The Flash c.07:20 I assume the same bird flew noisily off West only to fly back equally noisily a few minutes later though where it then went is a mystery.
- no sight or sound of yesterday's Marsh Tit.
- at least eight Redwings seen flying out of trees at various locations.
- a pair (I assume) of Mistle Thrushes were making din apparently chasing away a Magpie. This early-nesting species will likely have eggs at this date. I assume two birds flying together along the South side were a different pair? And one was heard singing, albeit distantly, from within the Ricoh grounds: another?

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: a pair outbound; a pair inbound
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 24 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Herring Gulls again
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 2 Grey Herons: flew West together 08:35
- 15 Jackdaws again
- 4 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: six of these arrived
- 4 Mute Swans: plus one long dead: see notes
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- *10 Moorhens
- 41 Coots
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- *1 Oystercatcher: see notes
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 3 Cormorants: arrived while I was at The Flash

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

On the West end street lamp poles

Pre-dawn:

Moths:
none

Flies:
several, mainly female midges.

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
*mining bees Andrena sp.
*Honey Bee Apis mellifera
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
*Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
*Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Common Dronefly Eristalis tenax

Beetles:
*7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

Flowers:
*flowering Wild Cherry Prunus avium

Sunrise on the way.

And here it is.

Record shot: Oystercatcher (and Moorhen) on south-west grass at 05:35.

One of the 21 (21!) singing Chiffchaffs here today.

"This is my better side".

"Are you pointing that camera at me?". This Chiffchaff was very cooperative.

His best side!

Possibly my best-ever portrait of this species.

Did we fall off out perch?

Composure regained.

Field Guides tell you this species has black legs. That depends! They are darker than those of Willow Warbler but not always black.

"Give us a song".

This was a "walk away" bird. I think I could have gone on taking photos but other things called.

This Blackcap required a lot more patience to get any sort of of view.

Eventually...

I managed it.

 I will leave this as a mining bee Andrena sp.

Not my best shot of a Honey Bee Apis mellifera but the first I have seen this year.

And not my best-ever shot of my first Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris of the year. This species because the yellow along the side of the thorax is parallel-sided.

A female Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax.

I can only think this is a male Tapered Dronefly. It did seem smaller than usual,

A 7 Spot Ladybird Coccinella 7-punctata

I believe this to be flowering Wild Cherry Prunus avium.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:20 – 07:15

(74th visit of the year)

Bird notes
Two singing Willow Warblers were a new bird species for me here this year. Species #62. A few days later than both 2023 and 2024.

Other bird notes:
- both adult Mute Swans seen with one sitting on the island for long periods.
- a Great Crested Grebe seen again and once more touring the water calling.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese
- 9 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 18 (18♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) feral Mallard x?
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Mallard [’Aylesbury Duck’]
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 30 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe

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

Of note:

Nothing

Find the Great Spotted Woodpecker! Its red "trousers" are dead-centre.

A Robin with its tail at a jaunty angle.

Not as much light as the photos of this species that I took later at the lake. However this view of a Blackcap clearly shows that it is well-named.

Sometimes it more or less works. A singing Goldcrest.

Takes off still singing.

And flies on. I needed more light in squirrel alley to 'freeze' the action here.

Also lurking in squirrel alley was a Treecreeper. Is that a small piece of feather it is carrying?

Treecreepers always climb up using their strong feet to grip and their tail feathers as a prop.

A good view of one of the feet here.

"Up" can mean "along"!

Or even "upside down". A morsel found.

Not my best but note the tail shape.

Where next? Indeed.

(Ed Wilson)

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Between the Balancing Lake and The Flash:

Of interest
- 2 (2♂) Mallard on the lower pool again
- 4 Moorhen: one pair on each pool

(Ed Wilson)

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2014

Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
31 Tufted Duck
3 Redwings
5 Sand Martins
7 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
2 Common Teal
49 Tufted Ducks
3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
4 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
3 Great Crested Grebes
17 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
3 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
7 Wigeon
Iceland Gull
(John Isherwood and et al)

The Flash
1 Shoveler
2 Pochard
(John Isherwood)

Horsehay Pool
2 Mandarin Ducks
(Paul Spear)

2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
16 Tufted Duck
2 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
47 Tufted Duck
1 Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridges
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Oystercatcher
Blackcap
5 Chiffchaffs
Sand Martins
7 Gadwall
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
6 Skylarks
1 Fieldfare
3 Redwings
Lapwing
Green Woodpecker
14 Linnets.
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
Barn Owl
25 Sand Martins
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
47 Redwings
4 Meadow Pipits
12 Tufted Duck
4 Jays
433 Wood Pigeons
(Ed Wilson)