28 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

3.0°C > 8.0°C: Mostly clear skies. Keen westerly wind gusting fresh. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 05:54 GMT

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:35 – 06:30 // 07:30 – 09:35

(71st visit of the year)

New bird species:
- a Willow Warbler sand once from the North on my first walk around c.06:15. I did not hear it later. My latest date for at least four years.
- a Barn Swallow flew through at c.08:45 with it or another seen at 08:50
My 2026 bird species total now #72.

Other bird notes:
- a pair and a *single Mute Swan visited at separate times and were soon sent on their way.
- yesterday's extra Coots gone again (or sheltering from the wind?)
- now eight Great Crested Grebes.
- at least a dozen Sand Martins 'appeared' high overhead c.08:30 before 'disappearing'. Later four (more? of these?) appeared briefly high overhead.
- a single Starling flew out of the estate: the first I have seen for several weeks and suggesting nesting in the area as usual.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Canada Geese: two pairs flew East; one pair flew West.
- 2 Stock Doves: singles
- 19 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls: first- and second-year together

Counts from the lake area:
- 13 Canada Geese: of these a pair throughout; a pair departed and three pairs and a trio arrived
- 4 Greylag Geese: throughout
- *5 Mute Swans: a pair and a single visited briefly
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 21 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Hirundines etc. noted:
- >12 Sand Martins
- 1 or 2 Barn Swallows

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- *13 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (2) Blackcaps

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Nothing noted in chilly breezy conditions

Of note around the area later:

Bees, wasps etc.:
- *1 Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- many other unidentified bumblebees seen in flight only

Flies:
- *Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria
- many other unidentified flies sunning on the street lamp poles

Clear skies do not make for interesting sunrises.

A lone Mute Swan tries its luck.

Leaving so soon? It is clear this bird is unringed. My view was blocked by trees when a pair were similarly quickly seen off.

One of the local Common Buzzards...

 ...unpopular with the local Carrion Crows that always....

 ...try and persuade the buzzard to go elsewhere. Crows are more agile in flight and can usually avoid the buzzards' talons.

I am not sure what this Long-tailed Tit is doing. Are there insects in the buds? Is it after the sticky covering of the leaf-sheath to take away to bind its nest? Or is in drinking moisture?

This does not make it any clearer!

Another in the group looks on.

A Long-tailed Tit from a different family group.

One peering at me between branches.

Wings? What are they?

One of the thirteen Chiffchaffs I heard singing. When they start nesting I hope some will descend from the tree-tops for better photos.

Just to prove it is not only The Flash that has friendly Robins.

A Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris get stuck in to the flowers of Blackthorn Prunus spinosa. One of many other bumblebees seen in flight only and these hence unidentified.

A good view of the tail showing the thin line of colour between the white of the tail and the black of the lower abdomen.

Spectacularly ugly and hairy! A male Yellow Dung Fly Scathophaga stercoraria.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Flash: 06:35 – 07:25

(70th visit of the year)

New bird species:
A Skylark flew over heading West in full song. I cannot recall hearing a Skylark in song here before. Usually I hear their flight calls as they move between breeding sites and wintering areas. Also they are more often heard in Autumn. Bird species #58 here for 2026.

Other bird notes:
- I only confirmed one Mute Swan. The vegetation on the island is greening up and it is quite likely the other bird was on the nest and not visible from where I was looking.
- a pair of (Common) Teal was chased by a Coot from underneath overhanging vegetation at the top end.
- the recent low counts of Moorhens is likely due to nesting birds hiding away.
- back to two Great Crested Grebes with one in close attendance of the other sitting on the nesting platform.
- some Siskins remain: at least three at the top end and four seen near the top of squirrel alley.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Skylark

Noted on / around the water:
- *17 Canada Geese: of these a trio departed. More(?) heard from inside island?
- 4 Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan: see notes
- 20 (17♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) (Common) Teal
- 13 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no gulls

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 5 (5) Chiffchaffs still
- no Blackcaps

Of note around the area:

Flies:
- more male and female plumed midges Chironomus plumosus

Little and large. The duck (Common) Teal dwarfed by a Canada Goose.

The white at the bend of the wing identifies this as a Wood Pigeon. The lack of a white neck patch must mean this is a juvenile. Wood Pigeons attempt to mate and breed more or less throughout the year though this seems remarkably early for a juvenile to have successfully fledged.

I think this could be described as "feathering your own nest".

I thought the adjacent Long-tailed Tit nest had been destroyed (by the gales) and abandoned. Apparently not.

It must be difficult to see where you are going with a large feather in front.

Splendid!

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
4 Great Crested Grebes
9+ Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
2 Shoveler
30 Tufted Duck
10 Chiffchaffs
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cackling Goose
51 Tufted Ducks
3 Chiffchaffs
1 Meadow Pipit
2 Fieldfare
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
7 Meadow Pipits
c.150 Fieldfare
c.30 Starlings
1 Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
7 Wigeon
22 Tufted Duck
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 hybrid Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull
1 Mediterranean Gull
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gulls.
(Tom Lowe, Martin Grant)

Nedge Hill
2 Lapwing
(Martin Grant)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Glaucous Gull
Iceland Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull.
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
10 Chiffchaffs singing
4 Blackcaps singing
1 Skylark
1 Willow Tit
1 Raven flew over
3 Great Crested Grebes
11 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
38 Tufted Duck
5 Chiffchaffs singing
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Gadwall
c.15 Tufted Duck
1 Fieldfare
11 Linnets
5 Chiffchaffs
c.40 Sand Martins
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebes
30 Tufted Ducks
Siskins
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
10 Meadow Pipits
Linnets
Skylarks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
2 Cormorants
14 Tufted Ducks
3 Ruddy Ducks
1 Kittiwake
242 Wood Pigeons
4 Stock Doves
2 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
3 Meadow Pipits
3 Grey Wagtails
9 Pied Wagtails
26 Wrens
3 Fieldfare
94 Redwings
2 Swallow
13 Sand Martins
1 Blackcap
1 Willow Warbler
7 Chiffchaffs
18 Magpies
4 Jays
127 Jackdaws
13 Greenfinches
7 Siskins
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)