5.0°C > 9.0°C: A few early breaks then c.07:00 low cloud with a short spell of drizzle. Cloud lifted and broke c.08:00 with some sunny intervals. Keen easterly breeze. Very good visibility.
Sunrise: 05:59 BST
* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:30 – 06:35 // 07:30 – 09:50
(97th visit of the year)
New bird species:
Yet another addition to my 2026 bird species list for here. At least two *Swifts were high over the West part of the water c.09:00. Bird species #81 this year. This equals my earliest-ever date.
Other bird notes:
- the cob Mute Swan had *a pair of visiting adult Mute Swans that took much chasing to dislodge (initially with the help of the pen). A few minutes later a single adult appeared and was quickly dispatched.
- *two duck Mallard with ducklings today: a group of two and another of three. Only seen around dawn.
- a small group Tufted Duck taking cover from the chasing swans.
- seven adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls visited briefly c.05:35.
- two Willow Warblers at least.
- three Sedge Warblers yet again, including another new location.
- only three Reed Warblers heard.
- what I assume was yesterday's Lesser Whitethroat was already singing from the Ricoh hedge by 05:25 and still singing at 09:10. Another was singing along the South side between the lake and the M54 at 08:50. I cannot recall noting two singing birds on the same day.
- a Mistle Thrush was singing alongside Teece Drive at c.06:20. This might suggest this early breeding species is re-establishing its territory between broods though I have not seen any sign of juveniles.
- no Lesser Redpoll or Siskins heard today.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: a single and a pair flew West
- 3 Greylag Geese: one circled over and left to the West; a pair flew West
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- no Jackdaws (I started earlier and saw fewer!)
Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese: two pairs and a single noted at various times,
- *5 Mute Swans: see notes
- *13 (9♂) + 5 (2 broods) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 21 Coots again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults, briefly
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
Hirundines etc. noted:
- *2+ Swifts
- *>30 Sand Martins
- *>15 Barn Swallows
->2 House Martins
many only present during and shortly after the drizzle
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- *1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 2 (2) Willow Warblers
- 13 (11) Chiffchaffs
- 3 (3) Sedge Warblers still
- 3 (3) Reed Warblers
- 18 (16) Blackcaps
- 2 (2) Lesser Whitethroats
- 1 (1) Common Whitethroat
On the West end street lamp poles post-dawn:
Almost nothing in chilly and breezy conditions
Flies:
- 1 midge only
Noted around the area later:
[numbers only given for moths and butterflies unless exceptional counts noted]
The easterly breeze meant that no insects were motivated to sit in the sun.
- 1 midge only
Noted around the area later:
[numbers only given for moths and butterflies unless exceptional counts noted]
The easterly breeze meant that no insects were motivated to sit in the sun.
Bees, wasps, etc.:
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee Bombus terrestris
Hoverflies:
- *Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
- *Meadow Field Syrph Eupeodes latifasciatus [Broad-banded Aphideater]
Lacewings and allies:
- *Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
- *Alder Fly Sialis lutaria
Other flies:
- only a few unidentified flies.
- only a few unidentified flies.
Plants:
- *first flowers of Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana
- *first flowers of Wayfaring-tree Viburnum lantana
Other things:
- unidentified caterpillar or larvae
- unidentified caterpillar or larvae
Not a sunrise to get out of bed for. Sadly I did..
The two visiting Mute Swans arrive.
Very much early morning a duck Mallard with three (look carefully!) very small ducklings.
Another duck Mallard with two slightly larger ducklings. Probably those I saw on Sunday.
Record shot: my first Swift of the year!
One of the local Common Buzzards goes for a fly over Teece Drive...
...and is about to be dive-bombed by one of the many, too many, Magpies.
There were more Barn Swallows in range of the camera. A pleasing plan view with the tail spread.
Some of the plumage on adults of this species is glossy.
My best effort to show the colour on the throat.
One more.
A Long-tailed Tit going for a snack.
It knows I am talking about it and is giving me a stare.
I failed to get a photo of the whole of a male Reed Bunting two days ago. Better luck today.
The chestnut in the plumage is a rich tone when the bird is in breeding condition.
An unidentified hairy, all black caterpillar or larvae of I know not what. A trawl through both the NatureSpot and eakringbirds photo galleries leaves me none the wiser.
(Ed Wilson)
Noted in the Priorslee Avenue tunnel:
(Ed Wilson)
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Flies:
- 2 midges only
(Ed Wilson)
The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
- 2 midges only
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 06:40 – 07:25
(93rd visit of the year)
I was here when the cloud was at its lowest and while it was drizzling. Not much was motivated to sing.
Bird notes:
- a pair of visiting adult Mute Swans had to be seen off (I am not sure whether these were the same two seen at the Balancing Lake later: those from here departed to the West; the visitors at the lake arrived from the East). The pen was not seen on the nest at any time.
- just one pair of Tufted Duck.
- one Willow Warbler heard briefly.
- *a very active party of Long-tailed Tits close to where I noted a nest being built led me to wonder it included fledged juveniles. It was too dull to obtain a good-enough view of all of them to be sure. A few photos were good-enough (after editing) to show only adults.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adults
Noted on / around the water:
- 14 Canada Geese: of these, as yesterday, a pair departed
- 5 Greylag Geese
- *4 Mute Swans: see notes
- 16 (13♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 Moorhens only
- 19 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Willow Warbler
- 3 (3) Chiffchaffs only
- 4 (2) Blackcaps only
Noted around the area:
Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge
- 1 male plumed midge
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 harvestman Platybunus triangularis (also known as Rilaena triangularis)
A Great Crested Grebe looks upset that I disturbed it fishing underneath one of the footbridges. It looks wet too.
(Ed Wilson)
2012
The Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
(Sandy Hill)
2011
Wrekin
1 Ring Ouzel
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Common Sandpiper
6 Swallow
4 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
2 Stock Dove
2 Greylag Geese
(Mike Cooper)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
2 Common Sandpiper
3 House Martin
2 Swallow
1 Skylark
5 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam, Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Greylag Geese
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers.
2 Skylarks
28 Robins
29 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 harvestman Platybunus triangularis (also known as Rilaena triangularis)
One of the two visiting Mute Swans departs.
One of the Long-tailed Tit party. This one, at least, is an adult.
As is this. There were many I did not manage to photograph.
Only my third-ever harvestman Platybunus triangularis and my first at this site.
(Ed Wilson)
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2012
The Wrekin
1 Wood Warbler
(Sandy Hill)
2011
Wrekin
1 Ring Ouzel
(Observer Unknown)
2010
Priorslee Lake
6 Common Sandpiper
6 Swallow
4 Sand Martin
3 Blackcap
6+ Chiffchaff
1 Willow Warbler
2 Stock Dove
2 Greylag Geese
(Mike Cooper)
2008
Priorslee Lake
1 Swallow
(Martin Adlam)
2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebe
1 Pintail x Mallard
2 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Buzzard
2 Common Sandpiper
3 House Martin
2 Swallow
1 Skylark
5 Blackcap
1 Lesser Whitethroat
1 Reed Warbler
5 Chiffchaff
4 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam, Ed Wilson)
Nedge Hill
1 Redstart
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
6 Greylag Geese
5 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
2 Sand Martins
3 Swallows
1 Sedge Warbler
6 Blackcaps
6 Chiffchaffs
6 Willow Warblers.
2 Skylarks
28 Robins
29 Blackbirds
5 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)