5.0°C > 9.0°C: A few early sunny intervals. Moderate south-westerly wind abated for a while before increasing as more cloud arrived. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:22 GMT
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 09:00
(60th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- two pairs of Canada Geese throughout. Just after I arrived one of geese set off to hassle the pair of Mute Swans. It did not succeed. I wondered whether it was (optically) short-sighted and mistook the swans for another pair of geese. It was certainly a short-sighted move.
- another pair of Canada Geese flew in. It was the Mute Swans that chased them away.
- *the Mute Swans also had a visiting pair(?) of visitors to chase away which they did within five minutes.
- just one Goosander was not at first light. I did not see it again.
- an adult Black-headed Gull flew through at 07:35. A first-year visited for a few minutes around 08:00.
- two adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls dropped in c.08:20, leaving separately.
- a Skylark singing over the fields to the East was heard again despite the weekday traffic noise.
- *the south-side Reed Bunting finally emerged from deep in the reeds to sing from a bush-top.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: a pair flew East
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew West
- 1 Herring Gull
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *19 Wood Pigeons
- *1 Sparrowhawk: presumed the same seen on three occasions
- 181 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 6 Canada Geese: see notes
- *4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 12 (8♂) Mallard
- 21 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (0♂) Goosander: departed
- 5 Moorhens
- *23 Coots
- *5 Great Crested Grebes: yet again
- 2 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 7 (7) Chiffchaffs
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Flies:
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis
- 1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis
Springtails:
- *1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
- 1 very small unidentified springtail
- *1 springtail Tomocerus vulgaris
- 1 very small unidentified springtail
Noted later:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
This Wood Pigeon flew in good light in front of the camera so it would have been churlish not to have taken its photo.
Not the best of lighting conditions but a few tweaks with the photo editor provides a reasonable image of a female Sparrowhawk...
Two Great Crested Grebes displaying in the distance. I have not seen any do their full dance with weed as an offering so far this year.
A male Reed Bunting giving its undistinguished song. Note the shape of the lower mandible, common to all species of bunting (which includes Yellowhammer). Females have brown heads and less chestnut in the wings.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:20
(58th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as yesterday I noted only one adult Great Crested Grebe: the dead body is still in the water.
- one first-year Black-headed Gull, briefly.
- no Blackcaps today: too dull and windy?
- the feeding station was devoid of attendees with a lone Chaffinch looking for non-existent spoils.
- six Siskins were in trees at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *1 Honey Bee Apis mellifera
An experiment to see how landscape photos work. The best of the sunrise.
Later a weak sun through encroaching cloud.
Two visiting Mute Swans arrive toward the far end of the lake.
The resident cob is quick off the mark and on the warpath.
He soon moved them away.
Both residents had to get involved before the visitors got the hint.
Climbing away making one lap to gain height...
...before heading off the way they came.
...as she dashes past. She is significantly larger than the male. He has rufous across his chest.
Yesterday I proved that Carrion Crows are not as black as they seem. Th same is true of Coots.
Not my best: my third Honey Bee Apis mellifera of the year.
Here is a springtail Tomocerus vulgaris sneaking up on an unidentified very small springtail.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:05 – 10:20
(58th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- as yesterday I noted only one adult Great Crested Grebe: the dead body is still in the water.
- one first-year Black-headed Gull, briefly.
- no Blackcaps today: too dull and windy?
- the feeding station was devoid of attendees with a lone Chaffinch looking for non-existent spoils.
- six Siskins were in trees at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 (16♂) Mallard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe (plus the dead body)
- 1 Black-headed Gull
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Of note around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 (16♂) Mallard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe (plus the dead body)
- 1 Black-headed Gull
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 3 (2) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps
Of note around the area:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Flies:
- *very many small midges
- *very many small midges
Plants:
- *Wood Avens Geum urbanum [Herb Bennet]
Another Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris and likely a queen looking for a nest site. This is a typical individual showing a thin line of colour between the (off-) white tail and the black abdomen. Workers of this species have whiter tails and are not safely separable from White-tailed Bumblebees B. lucorum. That species is not thought to occur in our area.
One of very many midges that were annoying everyone in areas sheltered from the breeze. Species unknown.
This is Wood Avens Geum urbanum also known as Herb Bennet. My records show an earliest date for this flower as 24 April. NatureSpot notes "May to September" as the flowering period. Not sure why it is so early.
(Ed Wilson)
2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Kittiwake
2 adult Little Gulls
(J Reeves / Jim Almond / Andy Latham)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
18 Tufted Duck
5 Great Crested Grebe
12+ Sand Martin
3 Chiffchaff
17 Pied Wagtails
23 Linnets
11 Greenfinches
(Mike Cooper, (Martin Grant, Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
c.12 Tufted Duck
4 Teal
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock
30 Tufted Duck
6 Sand Martins
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
( Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebe
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
19 Tufted Duck
2 Reed Buntings
( Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
3 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
46 Golden Plover
4 Stock Dove
281 Wood Pigeon
27 Wren
38 Robin
21 Blackbird
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaff singing
3 Jay
35 Magpie
159 Jackdaw
3 Reed Bunting
( Ed Wilson)
- *Wood Avens Geum urbanum [Herb Bennet]
A calling Common Buzzard from the local wooded area.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Kittiwake
2 adult Little Gulls
(J Reeves / Jim Almond / Andy Latham)
2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
18 Tufted Duck
5 Great Crested Grebe
12+ Sand Martin
3 Chiffchaff
17 Pied Wagtails
23 Linnets
11 Greenfinches
(Mike Cooper, (Martin Grant, Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
c.12 Tufted Duck
4 Teal
2 Chiffchaff singing
1 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock
30 Tufted Duck
6 Sand Martins
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
( Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebe
1 Heron
6 Gadwall
19 Tufted Duck
2 Reed Buntings
( Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebe
15 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
3 Buzzard
1 Kestrel
46 Golden Plover
4 Stock Dove
281 Wood Pigeon
27 Wren
38 Robin
21 Blackbird
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaff singing
3 Jay
35 Magpie
159 Jackdaw
3 Reed Bunting
( Ed Wilson)