6.0°C > 9.0°C: Early showers gave way to a few sunny periods. Moderate southerly wind, gusting fresh to strong. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 06:19 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
A significant passage of Willow Warblers this morning.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 07:00 // 07:55 – 09:45
(87th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Canada Geese: a pair flew East and five flew North together
- 4 Greylag Geese: flew South together
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: together
- 5 Wood Pigeons only
- 42 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
Counts from the lake area:
- 10 Canada Geese: at various times
- 2 Mute Swans
- 12 (9♂) Mallard: of these 4 (3♂) were on the football field: no ducklings seen
- 5 (4♂) Tufted Duck: departed together
- 3 Moorhens only again
- 25 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Common Sandpipers
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all adults; one of these was on the football field
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 05:56
Hirundines etc. noted:
fewer today:
- >30 Sand Martins
- ? Barn Swallows
- >1 House Martins: calls heard but none identified
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 8 (8) Willow Warblers
- 15 (13) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Sedge Warblers
- 1 (1) Reed Warbler
- 19 (16) Blackcaps: perhaps my highest-ever count here
On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
in rain so very little noted
Butterfly / Moth:
- 1 unidentified caterpillar
- 1 unidentified caterpillar
Flies:
- 1 unidentified fly
Noted around the area later:
- 1 unidentified fly
Noted around the area later:
Bees, wasps etc.:
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- wasp Vespula sp.
- Honey Bee Apis mellifera
- wasp Vespula sp.
Hoverflies:
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
- Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax
- Syrphus sp. S. ribesii / S. vitripennis
Flies:
- 1 Lucilia species of "greenbottle"
- 1 Muscid fly of the genus Phaonia
- many other unidentified flies
- 1 Lucilia species of "greenbottle"
- 1 Muscid fly of the genus Phaonia
- many other unidentified flies
The early rain shower beginning to ease – for a while.
A Robin in contemplation.
A Blue Tit looks for a morsel to eat.
Successfully. Not sure what it has found.
Here it seems to be peeling off lichen from the twig.
"Perhaps this will be more nutritious"
Another caterpillar, unidentified so far. Obsidentify's suggestion was one of the "whites" but their caterpillars are green.
This male Tapered Dronefly Eristalis pertinax has the decency to have the abdomen looking "tapered".
And a female.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
Flies
- 3 unidentified midges of at least two species
- 3 unidentified midges of at least two species
Springtails:
- 1 springtail: have I ever seen a springtail here before?
- 1 springtail: have I ever seen a springtail here before?
What I believe to be the first springtail I have found in the tunnel. Not one I can identify, sadly.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 07:05 – 07:50
(85th visit of the year)
New bird species:
An addition to my 2026 bird list for this site: a Sedge Warbler sang twice, briefly from waterside vegetation along the East side. My earliest date for this species here though as I only ever record occasional one-day birds each year that is not too significant. Bird species #61 for me here.
Bird notes:
- the cob Mute Swan was chasing away an interloper as I arrived.
- two days ago the eight Tufted Duck were nearly paired: yesterday five of the six birds were drakes: today there were four pairs again!
- as at the Balancing Lake a good passage of Willow Warblers. There were perhaps more as along the East side they seemed wing-tip to wing-tip and hard to separate.
- a Siskin was heard leaving trees at the top end.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese: of these two pairs departed separately
- 3 Greylag Geese: departed together
- 3 Mute Swans: one being chased away
- 19 (16♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 24 Coots still
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: seen on nest
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 9 (9) Willow Warblers at least
- 12 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (7) Blackcaps
Of note around the area:
Noted on / around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese: of these two pairs departed separately
- 3 Greylag Geese: departed together
- 3 Mute Swans: one being chased away
- 19 (16♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 24 Coots still
- 1 Great Crested Grebe: seen on nest
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 9 (9) Willow Warblers at least
- 12 (10) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Sedge Warbler
- 7 (7) Blackcaps
Of note around the area:
Moths:
- 1 caterpillar of a Geometer moth to be identified: same pole for third day
- 1 caterpillar of a Geometer moth to be identified: same pole for third day
Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 Root-maggot fly from the genus Leucophora.
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus plumosus
- 1 Root-maggot fly from the genus Leucophora.
Springtails:
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
- 1 springtail Orchesella cincta
Flowers:
- Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana
- Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica
Coots are inveterate nest-builders. Most nests are "complete" with the eggs being brooded. That will not stop the males (I assume) bringing more and more material.
This looks to be one of the Root-maggot flies. The banded abdomen suggests it is from the genus Leucophora. Further identification needs expertise!
I will have to recheck this bluebell when it is further developed. It is likely a Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana. Until recently the choice was between "our" Bluebell H. non-scripta and the introduced / garden escape Spanish Bluebell H hispanica. However I read that DNA analysis has shown that the "pure" Spanish Bluebell is very uncommon and almost all non-native Bluebells are hybrids.
These are certainly NOT "our" Bluebells on which all the flowers on a stem hang drooping on one side only.
Usual caveat that I do not pretend to be a biologist. I believe these are Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica. They certainly a Forget-me-not species as the blue flowers have five petals, whereas the blueish flowers of speedwells have only four petals.
(Ed Wilson)
- Hybrid Bluebell Hyacinthoides x massartiana
- Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica
The resident cob Mute Swan splashes back down having just seen off the interloper.
Neither are these (though white form of "our" Bluebells do occasionally occur).
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
1 Greylag Goose
2 Common Sandpipers
c.6 Sand Martins
2 Barn Swallows
1 Grasshopper Warbler
10 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows flew through
2 Meadow Pipits
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Duck
9 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Swallow
1 Reed Bunting
3 Great Crested Grebes
33 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
6 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Swallow
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Skylarks
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Common Redstart
13 Wheatear
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
East Priorslee
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
2 Sand Martins
2 Greylag Geese
3 Stock Doves
1 Lapwing
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Grey Herons
1 Greylag Goose
2 Common Sandpipers
c.6 Sand Martins
2 Barn Swallows
1 Grasshopper Warbler
10 Blackcaps
5 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Swallows flew through
2 Meadow Pipits
4 Great Crested Grebes
3 Tufted Duck
9 Blackcaps
4 Willow Warblers
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash
1 Swallow
1 Reed Bunting
3 Great Crested Grebes
33 Tufted Duck
5 Blackcaps
6 Willow Warblers
3 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
5 Lapwings
1 Swallow
1 Green Woodpecker
8 Skylarks
3 Willow Warblers
4 Chiffchaffs
1 Common Redstart
13 Wheatear
1 Raven
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
East Priorslee
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)
2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
2 Willow Warblers
2 Sand Martins
2 Greylag Geese
3 Stock Doves
1 Lapwing
(Ed Wilson)