7 Apr 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake, The Flash and Woodhouse Lane area

2.0°C > 8.0°C: Clear and fine. Just frosted. A calm start with mist over the water. A light easterly breeze later. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:30 BST

* = a species photographed today.

So where are all the Willow Warblers this year. Normally around this date I am logging double-figures each day as birds pass through. Are they flying over without stopping during the clear nights? Or have they been held up by bad weather in Southern Europe?

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 08:45 // 09:10 – 09:50

(86th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a first year Mute Swan dropped in and was soon chased away.
- a pair of Gadwall again. They flew off when the drake made unwelcome advances to the duck.
- the duck Pochard is still present.
- a pair of Tufted Duck.
- ten was today's the highest Great Crested Grebe count.
- two pairs of Blackcaps were having a very noisy scrap – well the males were very noisy.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: a trio outbound; two pairs inbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair outbound
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 39 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 Canada Geese: of these six arrived
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair visited briefly
- 3 Mute Swans: see notes
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall: departed – see notes
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Pochard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Cormorant

Hirundines etc. noted:
clear skies mean very few visible
- 2 Barn Swallows

Warblers recorded (the figure in brackets is birds noted singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- no Willow Warbler
- 25 (24) Chiffchaffs
- 13 (11) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles

Pre-dawn:
Most of the poles were slightly frosted.

Flies:
1 plumed midges

Noted later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
Mining Bee Andrena sp.
Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Common Wasp Paravespula vulgaris

Hoverflies:
Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare [Long-winged Duskyface]

Alder flies:
Alder Fly Sialis lutaria

Other flies:
Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombilius major

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
Philodromus species

It could have been taken yesterday – but wasn't. Another clear start to the day with no cloud to provide colour.

The assumed first year Mute Swan that dropped in until it was chased away. Perhaps it is the same bird that was here for several weeks. I am surprised that with so much brown in the plumage there is so much pale on the bill.

Good lighting on the duck Gadwall.

The drake keeping close.

I counted more Coots today. They seemed especially feisty. "You and whose army?".

Claws drawn.

Wings raised. Mostly posturing I suspect.

Portrait shot of a Great Crested Grebe.

A male Chequered Hoverfly Melanostoma scalare known to Obsidentify as Long-winged Duskyface. My first this year, one day later than 2024.

Today's Dark-edged Bee-fly Bombilius major.

This may look like a caddis fly but it isn't and it is not even a true fly. It is an Alder Fly Sialis lutaria. Like its closest allies, lacewings, it has four fully-formed wings. My first this year, two days later then in 2024.

This small spider was also on the 'boxing ring'. It is one of the Philodromus species, known colloquially as running crab spider. As usual with many species of spider the specific identity cannot be determined from photos.

The Blackthorn blossom alongside the west-end path is about at its peak. In many other places around the lake flowering is almost over which seems strange as this would, on the face of it, to be a relatively sheltered but sunny spot.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25

(82nd visit of the year)

Bird notes
Highlight today was a pair(?) of Pink-footed Geese. I just had time for a quick photo and as I was reviewing the photo on the camera they departed. Normally I record the odd stray among the Canadas and Greylags during Winter and I am never really sure they are genuinely wild birds. This pair were almost certainly migrating back to Greenland – large flocks have been seen leaving the wintering sites on the Dee Estuary over the last week or so. Bird species #63 for me here this year.

Other bird notes:
- both Mute Swans present with one on the nest / at the site throughout.
- a trio of Great Crested Grebes with one calling loudly as the pair displayed.
- an immature Herring Gull and three adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls present.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 2 Pink-footed Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 14 (11♂) Mallard
- 21 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 34 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults

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

Also noted:

Moths:
1 Brindled Pug Eupithecia abbreviata: my first species of moth here this year.

Lacewings:
1 Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea

The presumed pair of Pink-footed Geese – the bird at the back looks larger and therefore the gander. While I was reviewing this photo on the camera they flew off North.

Coots are inveterate nest-builders and will add material to the growing pile of twigs and vegetation throughout their breeding season.

A small moth high up on a lamp pole in squirrel alley which is severely cross-lit by the early sun does not make for a good photo. This was taken with "fill-in flash" but at that range there is no significant effect. I am sure this is a Brindled Pug moth Eupithecia abbreviata.

A Common Green Lacewing Chrysoperla carnea, this on in transition from the brown Winter colour to Spring green.

(Ed Wilson)

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Woodhouse Lane: 08:45 – 09:10

(3rd visit of the year)

A quick canter down and up the lane yielded very little of note.

No obvious migrants again.

Birds:
- no Pheasants heard.
- 2 (3♂) Mallard in one of the muddy storm overflow pools.
- 3 Skylarks: one singing; one dancing over presumed nest site; a third calling
- no Willow Warblers again.
- 4 Chiffchaffs: three singing.
- no Blackcaps.
- 1 male Pied Wagtail beside one of the muddy storm overflow pools.
- 3 Chaffinches: all singing.
- no Linnets.
- no Goldfinches
- 1 Yellowhammer only: calling.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Snipe
(Ed Wilson, A. Harper)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
34 Tufted Ducks
1 Blackcap
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
11 Tufted Ducks
12 Sand Martins
1 Swallow
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
1 Heron
15 Tufted Ducks
Woodcock
1 Skylark
3 Meadow Pipits
7 Redwings
39 Fieldfare
149 Jackdaws
Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Pochard
48 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
2 Red-legged Partridge
2 Skylarks
1 Redwing
1 Linnet
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
20+ Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 House Martin
7 Chiffchaff
2 Blackcap
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 Redshank
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
Common Redstart
(Observer Unknown)

2007
Priorslee lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
11 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
2 Buzzard
2 Sand Martin
5 Meadow Pipit
4 Blackcap
8 Chiffchaff
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
3 Cormorants
4 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
118 Jackdaws
4 Stock Doves
3 Skylarks
3 Meadow Pipits
19 Robins
27 Blackbirds
1 Redwing
1 Blackcap
7 Chiffchaffs
4 Willow Warblers
17 Magpies
3 Jays
8 Greenfinches
10 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)