3.0°C > 8.0°C: Clear and hazy again early. Thin high cloud spreading from the West. Light north-westerly breeze. Moderate / good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:15 GMT
First time on "summer schedule": once around the Balancing Lake; up to, around and back from The Flash; and then around the lake again. When I can manage it without getting caught up in the school traffic!
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 06:50 // 07:55 – 09:25
(66th visit of the year)
New bird species:
Three additions to my 2026 bird list for here: in sighting order:
- a Blackcap was seen in spluttering song in the north-east area c.07:30. What I presume was the same bird was heard singing properly along the North side c.08:15. The same date as my first here in 2025.
- several House Sparrows had made it from the estate on to my (self-imposed) recording area in the bushes between Teece Drive and the football field.
- a Green Woodpecker was heard calling from the North side c.08:30. I could not locate the bird. Two days earlier than the last one I heard – at The Flash in 2025.
My bird species total here moves on to #70.
Other bird notes:
- a first-winter Black-headed Gull dropped in briefly: the only gull seen here today.
- yesterday's pair of Shoveler not seen.
- a Reed Bunting was calling along the South side; one was singing along the North side.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Greylag Goose: flew West
- 2 Greylag Geese: pair flew East
- 1 Stock Dove
- 31 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw
that's all
Counts from the lake area:
- 12 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose: departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 18 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens again
- 27 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 14 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
much dew on all the poles.
Flies:
- *male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus
- *male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
Noted later:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- >3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees Bombus terrestris
- >3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees Bombus terrestris
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 money spider
- *1 money spider
Slightly better than the forecast fog and / or low cloud.
Taken later. Some of the early aircraft arriving from the USA have left some partial contrails in the sky.
My photo of this Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. reveals that there was one of the small globular springtails present as well.
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:55 – 07:50
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:55 – 07:50
(63rd visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted: asleep near the putative nest site.
- a Blackcap seen and heard singing: perhaps the first true migrant here this year.
- no Siskins seen or heard
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- *2 Cormorants: together
Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese: probably more inside the island
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 21 (17♂) Mallard
- 11 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens only
- *27 Coots
- *1 Great Crested Grebe
- *1 Black-headed Gull: adult
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, departed
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- *1 (1) Blackcap
Of note around the area:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees Bombus terrestris
A Great Crested Grebe (pretending to be?) asleep near a putative nest site and ignoring the passing Coot.
An adult Black-headed Gull still to moult out a few white feathers around the base of its bill before it is in full breeding plumage.
One of them leaving. This species has bright yellow legs in the breeding season. What we see here are the feet which are pink: the legs are tucked up.
- 3 Buff-tailed Bumblebees Bombus terrestris
Ms. Mallard does not look impressed with either of her suitors. [PS: it is the roof that slopes – honest!]
Two smart adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
This female Blackbird seems to be trying to decipher the patterns on the rock.
Give up and look for food instead.
It is just about possible to make this out as a male Blackcap.
(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Cormorants
24 Tufted Duck
9 Meadow Pipits
4 Redwings
4 Chiffchaffs singing
2 Brimstone butterflies
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)
The Flash
43 Tufted Ducks
1 Skylark
2 Chiffchaffs singing
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
8 Lapwings
3 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff singing
(Ed Wilson)
Trench
2 Little Grebes
30 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
2 Gadwall
23 Tufted Duck
4 Sand Martins
1 Willow Warbler
2 Chiffchaffs singing
8 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
7 Wheatear
1 Green Woodpecker
1 Skylark
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebe
43 Tufted Duck
2 Sparrowhawks
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorant
33 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Kittiwake
31 Wren
24 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Redwing
4 Chiffchaff singing
34 Magpie
176 Jackdaw
7 Greenfinch
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
10 Great Crested Grebe
2 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
1 Chiffchaff singing
1 Willow Tit
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
49 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
1 Water Rail
2 Lapwings
c.950 Black-headed Gulls
509 Wood Pigeon
6 Stock Doves
613 Wood Pigeons
1 Great Spotted Woodpecker
13 Pied Wagtails
24 Wrens
19 Robins
22 Blackbirds
5 Redwings
1 Chiffchaff
2 Willow Tits
17 Magpies
17 Greenfinches
4 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)