Priorslee Lake
Priorslee Lake |
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Archive News - April 2006 |
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30th April, Sunday (05:00 - 06:20; 07:35 - 08:50) - Once again I did the Priorslee Lake in two circuits with a walk to and around The Flash in between. A dull and depressing morning. Highlights at the lake today were few No mammals today. (Ed Wilson) 29th April, Saturday (12:50 - 14:00) - Despite a brisk North Westerly wind, which out in the open made it feel quite cold, the walk along the northbank was anything but. With the Sun out and the temperature at 16C it was very pleasant. Highlights were: Birds logged today were: Mammals: Fish: Insects (Butterflies): (Martin Adlam) 28th April, Friday (06:10 - 07:30) - Highlights of the morning were: - 1 pair Tufted Ducks Birds logged today were: Mammals: 3 Rabbits today (Martin Adlam) 27th April, Thursday
(05:00 - 06:00 / 07:30 - 08:50) - Highlights at the lake today were few: Same note of caution as yesterday about the totals below: My complete log of the birds today: 5 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; the 2 resident Swans with the pen still in the nest throughout; 3 Greylag Geese flew over; 6 Canada Geese flew over; 12 Mallard again ; no Tufted Ducks; 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); no Kestrel; no Pheasants; 6 Moorhens again; 37 adult Coots and 2 'cootlings'; 3 Common Sandpipers; 1 Black-headed Gull; 2 Mammals: No mammals today Insects: 26th April, Wednesday
(05:10 - 06:05; 07:40 - 09:15) - Highlights at the lake today: 2 Tufted Duck flew off SE very early but possibly returned as the number seemed to vary every time I looked. Eventually 5 gathered together and all these flew off too. No gulls seen today. A few more words about the Great Crested Grebes: back to 5 birds again today with the pair in the NW area again, though it was after 08:30 before they were both visible. But one of the pairs at The Flash has hatched three juveniles and perhaps hatching is imminent here too, though I could see nothing. A note of caution about the totals below: on the first 'lap' not all the birds were up, but other than the special species it was hard to remember which birds had been logged when I encountered them on the second 'lap' - and of course they would have moved around as well. So not easy to compare with earlier counts. My complete log of the birds today: 5 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; the 2 resident Swans with the pen still in the nest throughout; no Greylag Geese; 5 Canada Geese flew over; 12 Mallard; up to 7 Tufted Ducks (at least 5 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 1 Kestrel; no Pheasants; 7 Moorhens again; 39 adult Coots; 1 Common Sandpiper; no gulls; 6 Stock Doves; 36 Wood Pigeons; 1 Swift; no Kingfisher; no woodpeckers; no Sky Larks heard; 2 Sand Martins; 2 Swallows; no House Martins; no Meadow Pipits; 1 Yellow Wagtail heard overhead; 2 Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtail; 26 Wrens; 4 Dunnocks; 16 Robins; 26 Blackbirds; 6 Song Thrushes, all of which were in song; no Mistle Thrush; 1 Sedge Warbler; 3 Reed Warblers; 1 Lesser Whitethroat; no Common Whitethroats; 7 Blackcaps (5 males; 2 calling birds); 6 Chiffchaffs; 2 Willow Warblers; no Goldcrests; 1 party of Long-tailed Tits; 1 Coal Tit; no Willow Tits; 13 Blue Tits; 11 Great Tits; no Jays; 17 Magpies; 21 Jackdaws; 2 Rooks; 8 Crows; 1 Raven heard; no Starlings; 9 Chaffinches; 7 Greenfinches; 1 Goldfinch; no Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; no Bullfinches; and 5 Reed Buntings. Mammals: 2 Rabbits mixing it with the off-to-work cyclists along the W end path were being unusually bold. Flora: Noted the first flowers of Lady's Smock [or Cuckoo Flower - Cardamine amara] today, so perhaps the possible female Orange-tip butterfly seen en route to Wall yesterday was not so premature. (Ed Wilson) 25th April, Tuesday (05:10 - 09:10)
Highlights today My log of the birds today: 7 Great Crested Grebes; 4 Herons; the 2 resident Swans with the pen still in the nest throughout; 4 Greylag Geese flew over; 4 Canada Geese - 3 flew over and one stopped until chased away by the swan; 12 Mallard; 4 Tufted Ducks (3 drakes, one of which flew in); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 2 Kestrels; 1 Pheasant heard; 7 Moorhens; 38 adult Coots; 2 Common Sandpipers; 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls; 1 Herring Gull; 1 Stock Dove; 20 Wood Pigeons; no woodpeckers; 1 Sky Lark heard; 23 Sand Martins; 12 Swallows; no House Martins; no Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtail; 29 Wrens; 7 Dunnocks; 15 Robins; 17 Blackbirds; 9 Song Thrushes, 8 of which were in song; no Mistle Thrush; 2 Sedge Warblers; 2 Reed Warblers; no Common Whitethroats; 11 Blackcaps (7 males; 1 female; 3 calling birds); 8 Chiffchaffs; 2 Willow Warblers; 1 Goldcrest; 2 parties of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 17 Blue Tits; 8 Great Tits; 10 Magpies; 2 Jays; 32 Jackdaws; 4 Rooks; 9 Crows; no Starlings; 9 Chaffinches; 7 Greenfinches; 4 Goldfinch; no Siskins; no Linnets; 21 Redpolls; 3 Bullfinches; and 5 Reed Buntings. Mammals: No mammals (other than the bat) at the lake this morning 24th April, Monday (05:10 - 06:35 and 08:10 - 10:10) including lane to E - After the warbler-day yesterday we will start there: no sign (sound) of the Garden Warblers today, but Sedge and Reed Warblers in the same place as yesterday. A bird in the NW reed bed this morning - another Sedge Warbler rather than the expected Reed Warbler. No sign of the Lesser Whitethroat, but the small wood adjacent to the Ricoh factory car park had my first Common Whitethroat from around the lake this year. Another 'personal highlight' rather than a 'best' today: for only the second time this year the local House Sparrows ventured as far as theTeece Drive gate to the lake! As usual there were other sightings worth highlighting: the Kestrel hovering over the W end; only 1 Common Sandpiper today; now 14 Tufted Duck; 3 different Stock Doves seen; a Mistle Thrush heard; a Jay in the NW area; a Linnet, unusually, calling from the trees in the NE (usually they are just fly-overs and have been scarce recently); and a Redpoll seen feeding in the NE alders. A repeat of something I noted yesterday: there is good 'dawn chorus' at the moment, but at 05:40 this morning (about the same time as yesterday) everything went almost eerily quiet and never really regained the earlier intensity. My log of the water birds today: 5 Great Crested Grebes; usually no Heron; the 2 resident Swans with the pen still in the nest throughout; no Greylag Geese flew over; 8 Canada Geese flew over; just 10 Mallard; 14 Tufted Ducks (11 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); only 5 Moorhens; and only 30 adult Coots - perhaps all the cars and the marquees yesterday were too much for some of them? 2 immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls seemed to have roosted, but flew off before 05:30. The hirundines started to pass while I was away at The Flash. Birds feeding over the lake later were 7 Sand Martins; 14 Swallows; and anotherlone House Martin. Until the corvid passage re-starts (after the young fledge?) I'll just include the numbers in the main 'passerine' totals. Just 4 Wood Pigeons seen flying over with 20 in the trees around the lake. Again, until there is some special movement I will only include totals below in future. The 'passerines' totals were: Mammals - No mammals (or bats!) at the lake this morning. Lanes - The walk around the lanes and fields to the E was, like the weather, dull. 2 Whitethroats in song again was the best. The log of additional birds seen during the walk was: 2 Mallards; no raptors; 4 Pheasants; 5 Feral Pigeon; 6 Stock Doves; 16 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 2 Sky Larks; no Meadow Pipits; no Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtails; 7 Wrens; 5 Dunnocks; 8 Robins; 11 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 1 Song Thrush; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 2 Whitethroats; 3 Blackcaps; 3 Chiffchaffs; no Willow Warblers; 1 Goldcrest; 2 parties of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits;7 Blue Tits; 6 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; 8 Magpies; no Jays; 4 Crows; no Starlings; 9 Chaffinches; 1 Greenfinch; no Goldfinches; 4 Linnets; no Redpolls; no Bullfinches; 1 Reed Bunting; and 7 Yellowhammers (Ed Wilson) 23rd April, Sunday (05:10 - 07:40) - It was a 'warbler' day today. Sadly, either being new-in they were too exhausted to show, or they were hiding from the rain! But in addition to the previously logged Sedge Warbler which sang intermittently again there was a single Reed Warbler that sang equally briefly from the N side reed beds (nothing in the main reed-bed as yet); a Lesser Whitethroat which also gave short bursts of song very intermittently from the Ricoh hedge at the W end; and two Garden Warblers that were trying to out-compete each-other (and the Song Thrush) along the hedge between the lake and the M54. Old-time warblers were in lower numbers though. But the 'best' sighting was as I stopped off, supposedly briefly, on the way back from Nedge Hill and found a female Wheatear on the dam. So it was out with the camera and a delayed arrival back home! And there were other notables: 1 Buzzard flew low north; 5 Common Sandpipers (though a boating event complete with marquees had shifted these!). And another 'one that got away': I heard what seemed to be a Swift screaming overhead, but failed to find it to confirm. My log of the water birds today: 6 Great Crested Grebes; the usual Heron with distinctive missing primaries; the 2 resident Swans with the pen in the nest throughout and the cob raising his wings at two over-flying adults; no Greylag Geese today; 6 Canada Geese overhead; 18 Mallard; 6 Tufted Ducks (4 drakes), though some seemed to have left before me - and the others probably did too; 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 9 Moorhens; 36 adult Coots; and the 5 Common Sandpipers. No gulls seen here today. Unusual behaviour from Sand Martins and I am not at all sure about numbers - at least 100, but possibly double that number. I logged 3 just before 07:00, but they did not stay. But within 5 minutes a party of c.70 appeared, swirled around and climbed high in the sky and disappeared from view. Within another minute there were c.25 over the SW grass and these too then climbed high and disappeared. A few minutes later a Wood Pigeon flew over high up and started circling and when I looked it was amongst at least 100 hirundines! These all seemed to move off NW and I saw no more. But when I stopped on the way back from Nedge there were c.70 Sand Martins; 5 Swallows; and 1 House Martin feeding over the lake. Only 4 Wood Pigeons noted flying over ; and just 20 in the trees around the lake. Apart from the species noted above the warblers logged were 7 Blackcaps (6 males in song; and an unseen bird calling); 5 Chiffchaffs; and 3 Willow Warblers. Corvids all scarce - Jackdaws at just 9; a lone Rook; only 8 Magpies but a reasonable log of 10 Crows. No Jays. The 'passerines' totals were: no Feral Pigeons; no Stock Doves; 24 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky Larks; no Meadow Pipits; 1 Grey Wagtail; no Pied Wagtails; 23 Wrens; 8 Dunnocks; 19 Robins; 19 Blackbirds; 6 Song Thrushes, 5 of which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 1 Sedge Warbler; 1 Reed Warbler; 1 Lesser Whitethroat; 2 Garden Warblers; 7 Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; 3 Willow Warblers; 1 Goldcrest; 1 party of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; 1 Willow Tit; 9 Blue Tits; 10 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; 8 Magpies; no Jay; 9 Jackdaws; 1 Rook; 10 Crows; no Starlings; 10 Chaffinches; 3 Greenfinches; 1 Goldfinch; no Linnets; 3 Bullfinches; and 2 Reed Buntings Mammal Report: For anyone keeping count a log I missed yesterday: there was a Lapwing over the fields to the NE yesterday. (Ed Wilson) 22nd April, Saturday (05:10 - 08:50) - No real 'best of' today at the lake, but my personal highlight was a Coot that flew from the W and straight over to the E: in all my years of watching the lake I have never seen a Coot fly more than from one end to the other and this proves that they don't walk here! As usual there were some sightings worth highlighting: a Kestrel to the N; only 1 Common Sandpiper today; now up to 12 Tufted Duck; the Sedge Warbler calling sporadically along the N side again; and single Siskin and Redpoll over showed that winter still not finally gone! My log of the water birds today: 6 Great Crested Grebes; the usual Heron; the 2 resident Swans with the pen still in the nest throughout; 5 Greylag Geese flew over; 11 Canada Geese flew over, one apparently landing in one of the fields to the NE; 17 Mallard; 12 Tufted Ducks (7 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 7 Moorhens; and now only 38 adult Coots with no juveniles on the lake (plus the fly-over!) Adult Black-headed Gull present for about 30 minutes prior to 06:00 First hirundine was a Swallow passing though at 05:50. 2 more Swallows noted flying through before birds started to stay and feed with eventually at least 27 Sand Martins; 11 Swallows and 5 House Martins present when I left. Perhaps these were feeding on the midges that were very evident this morning - managed to get some photographs of what seem to be male and female specimens, though identifying them will be a challenge! 13 Wood Pigeons seen flying over with 19 in the trees around the lake: 32 a better total. Warblers logged were 1 Sedge Warbler; 8 Blackcaps (all males); 7 Chiffchaffs; and 4 Willow Warblers. I gave the corvids a good shot today and while the dull conditions did not help I think that the 'flocks' are largely absent at the moment - due to breeding activity? There was a small movement of Jackdaws but only 30 birds noted in the 2 hour period. There were 18 Rooks, almost all singles and many with bulging crops. A word about Dunnocks. These seem to be strangely quiet at the moment: normally one of the early birds calling and singing it was almost 07:00 before I heard one today: but I recorded about half the usual number for several days now - and it is not just at the lake, but has been true elsewhere. The 'passerines' totals were: no Feral Pigeons; no Stock Doves; 32 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky Larks; no Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtails, unusually; 25 Wrens; 5 Dunnocks; 17 Robins; 23 Blackbirds; 5 Song Thrushes, all of which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 1 Sedge Warbler; 8 Blackcaps; 7 Chiffchaffs; 4 Willow Warblers; 1 Goldcrest; 1 party of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 11 Blue Tits; 11 Great Tits; 10 Magpies; no Jays; 8 Crows; no Starlings; 7 Chaffinches; 5 Greenfinches; 1 Goldfinch; 1 Siskin over; 1 Redpoll over; 1 Bullfinch; and 3 Reed Buntings. Mammals: No mammals at the lake this morning. Lanes - I did a walk around the lanes and fields to the E again. Best here were 2 Whitethroats in song - missed these last trip. For such a grey day I eventually amassed a reasonable total though, Whitethroat apart, warblers were in short supply. The log from the walk was no raptors; 6 Pheasants; 3 Feral Pigeon; no Stock Doves; just 13 more Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 8 Sky Larks; no Meadow Pipits; no Grey Wagtails; the only Pied Wagtail of the morning; 13 Wrens; 7 Dunnocks; 11 Robins; 8 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 1 Song Thrush; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 2 Whitethroats; 4 Blackcaps; 2 Chiffchaffs; no Willow Warblers; no Goldcrest; 1 party of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 10 Blue Tits; 9 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; at least 3 more Magpies; no Jays; 2 additional Crows; no Starlings; 10 Chaffinches; 1 Greenfinch; 4 Goldfinches; 7 Linnets; no Redpolls; no Bullfinches; no Reed Buntings; and 6 Yellowhammers. (Ed Wilson). 21st April, Friday (05:15 - 08:15) - There are compensations to the wet weather: I was able to get some decent pictures of 4 different species of slug! Better visibility above than yesterday, but not much. No wind again. Best was the / a Sedge Warbler present along the N side, but moved from the reeds deep within the scrub from where it called very intermittently. Otherwise the pick were: now 5 Tufted Duck; a male Kestrel perching on the trees at the W end; 4, perhaps 6, Common Sandpipers - hard to keep track of in the misty conditions; a fly-over Sky Lark as well as a singing bird to the E; and a fly-over Yellow Wagtail fly-over. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 4 Great Crested Grebes; the usual Heron with distinctive missing primaries in flight; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans with the pen in the nest throughout; 6 Greylag Geese flew over together with 2 of them the birds in wing-moult; 1 Canada Goose, one chased off by the Swan; 15 Mallard; 5 Tufted Ducks (3 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); just 4 Moorhens; 45 adult Coots with no juveniles; and the 4 (or 6) Common Sandpipers. A 1st summer Black-headed Gull present again but flew off SW at 05:45 - the head-pattern looked as if it were a different bird from that logged yesterday. Hirundines were scarce again with just 2 Sand Martins and 3 Swallows noted. Again just 3 Wood Pigeons flying over in the mist; but 27 in the trees around the lake: at 30 a slightly better total. Warblers logged were 1 Sedge Warbler; 6 Blackcaps (5 males; and an unseen bird calling); 6 Chiffchaffs; and 6 Willow Warblers. Conditions were poor for seeing corvids again, but at least there were some to see - 15 Jackdaws and 4 Rooks overhead. But again fewer Magpies (8) and Crows (2) than usual. The 'passerines' totals were: 2 Feral Pigeons; no Stock Doves; 30 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 2 Sky Larks; no Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; 4 Pied Wagtail; 31 Wrens; 5 Dunnocks; 28 Robins; 29 Blackbirds; 7 Song Thrushes, 6 of which were in song; no Redwing; no Mistle Thrushes; 1 Sedge Warbler; 6 Blackcaps; 6 Chiffchaffs; 6 Willow Warblers; 2 Goldcrests; 2 parties of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 17 Blue Tits; 8 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; 8 Magpies; no Jay; just 2 Crows; no Starlings; 9 Chaffinches; 5 Greenfinches; 3 Goldfinches; no Linnets; no Bullfinches; 2 Reed Buntings; and no Yellowhammers. Mammals: No mammals at the lake this morning. (Ed Wilson) 20th April, Thursday (08:45 - 10:45) - On my way from the layby (off Castle Farm Way) to the reed beds on the northbank I logged: 20 April, Thursday (05:20 - 08:35) - At the lake it was initially dry with a 'hole' in the low cloud overhead and to the SW and mist all around, but that soon filled in and it became dull and misty making fly-overs difficult to see. Light drizzle from time to time; eventually heavy at times. No wind though. Best today was the Sedge Warbler singing in the N side reeds. Otherwise 3 Common Sandpipers best. 3 Tufted Duck back after the blank day yesterday. A Pheasant calling from the Celestica grounds again. 2 Stock Doves seen to the NE in the mist. A single Jay along the N shore. Had a good look for the 'cootlings' today - the nest-site was right where the Sedge Warbler was, but failed to see any. However what I assume to be the parents seemed to be collecting food, so perhaps they were hiding? My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 6 Great Crested Grebes;
1 Heron flying over; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans with the pen in
the nest throughout; 3 Greylag Geese chased off by the Swan; 3 separate
Canada Geese, one chased off by the Swan; 12 Mallard; 3 Tufted Ducks (2
drakes); back to 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 8 Moorhens; and 46 adult Coots A 1st summer Black-headed Gull present at 05:30 stayed for a while: it or another appeared at 06:00 but had gone by 06:30. First hirundines were not noted until after 08:30 when 2 Sand Martins and eventually 15 Swallows were hunting over the lake. Very few Wood Pigeons again: just 3 flying over in the mist and 16 in the trees around the lake: at 19 a very low total. Warblers logged were 1 Sedge Warbler; 9 Blackcaps (6 males; 2 females; and an unseen bird calling); 9 Chiffchaffs; and 7 Willow Warblers. While the conditions were poor for seeing corvids there was a 'hole' overhead at about the right time, but not a single Jackdaw or Rook was seen or heard! And the other corvids were in short supply with just 5 Magpies and 2 Crows noted and these well-after 06:00. Bit of surprise was a calling Redwing: good to see the bird for confirmation and see the brighter, rarely seen, summer plumage. One at the other end of the lake some 30 minutes later seems likely to have been another bird. The 'passerines' totals were: no Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 19 Wood
Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky Larks; no
Meadow Pipits; no Grey Wagtails; 1 Pied Wagtail; 26 Wrens; 5 Dunnocks; 19
Robins; 20 Blackbirds; 10 Song Thrushes, 8 of which were in song; 1
Redwing; no Mistle Thrushes; 9 Blackcaps; 9 Chiffchaffs; 7 Willow Mammals: No mammals at the lake this morning. Lanes - I did a walk around the lanes and fields to the E again in what was by then persistent drizzle. No sign of previously reported Whitethroat. By the day's standards then 26 Wood Pigeons was a high count! Was surprised that the Reed Buntings were 'across the road': have seen then here on occasions, but there were 2 today. Also seen scrambling about in the wooded area was a Moorhen which I guess must be nesting alongside the Wesley Brook - not a species I have seen there before. The log from the walk was no raptors; 4 Pheasants; no Feral Pigeon; no Stock Doves; 26 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 1 Sky Lark; 1 Meadow Pipit; no Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtails; 14 Wrens; 3 Dunnocks; 10 Robins; 7 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 1 Song Thrush; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 4 Blackcaps (1 female); 3 Chiffchaffs; 1 Willow Warblers; no Goldcrest; no Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 7 Blue Tits; 4 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; at least 2 more Magpies; no Jays; 2 additional Crows; no Starlings; 10 Chaffinches; 2 Greenfinches; 3 Goldfinches; 2 Linnets; no Redpolls; no Bullfinches; 2 Reed Buntings; and 8 Yellowhammers. (Ed Wilson) 19th April, Wednesday (05:15 - 08:10) - Rain set in c.07:30 after spots began at 06:45 and depressed me and the numbers. The highlights of the day were the Common Sandpiper with what seemed to be the same bird was seen all around the lake; both Buzzard and Kestrel were to the NE with the Kestrel (or another) also hunting over the lake surrounds; Stock Doves also to the NE. Sky Lark singing away to the NE; and Jays in the trees along the N shore. But generally rather quiet. Did not see the 'cootlings' today, but I forgot to look when I was in the best position to see. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 6 Great Crested Grebes;
1 different Heron; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans with the pen in the
nest throughout; 3 Greylag Geese overhead with 2 birds showing active wing
moult (already!); 2 Canada Geese overhead; 13 Mallard using all manner of
strange places to rest; no Tufted Ducks; now 3 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 7 No gulls seen here this morning. First hirundine was a Sand Martin at 06:20: but it was, as usual, after 08:00 before birds stayed. I logged 12 Sand Martins; 8 Swallows and 4 House Martins. Very few Wood Pigeons now with just 8 flying over and a meagre 15 in the trees around the lake: at 23 my lowest total for many many months. Warblers logged were 6 Blackcap; 11 Chiffchaffs; and 12 Willow Warblers though as usual with early arrivals / migrants they are mobile and it is hard to avoid some duplication. The Jackdaws were all in small groups - almost all in pairs actually: and flew low and scattered with many unusually W of the lake. So I had to work hard for the total of 72. 2 birds were seen flying 'back' N with sticks - but later 1 flew out on the normal line also carrying a stick. Rooks scarce with just 6 logged. No signs of 'winter' this morning with no Fieldfares, Redwings, Siskins or Redpolls. The 'passerines' totals were: no Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 23 Wood
Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 1 Sky Lark; no
Meadow Pipits; 1 Grey Wagtail; 1 Pied Wagtail; 30 Wrens; 8 Dunnocks; 18
Robins; 26 Blackbirds; 6 Song Thrushes, all of which were in song; no
Mistle Thrushes; 6 Blackcaps; 11 Chiffchaffs; 12 Willow Warblers; no Mammals: No mammals at the lake this morning. (Ed Wilson) 18th April, Tuesday (05:45 - 07:05) - A cloudy start to the day and still that biting westerly wind blowing. No highlights today. The Common Whitethroat had moved on and the 9 Common Sandpiper from yesterday were down to 5. Warblers logged 9 [11] Chiffchaff; 10 [8] Willow Warbler; 4 (1 female) [4] Blackcaps and 0 [1] Common Whitethroat. 1 Swallow and 1 Sand Martin flew west together at 6:45. No Gulls seen. My log of the water birds today: 4 [4] Great Crested Grebes; 1 [1] Heron; 1 [2] Canada Geese flew north; 0 [2] Greylag Geese; 11 [11] Mallard; 3 (1 duck) [4] Tufted Duck; 1pr [3] Ruddy Duck; 9 [7] Moorhen; 43 + 2 Cootlings[35] Coots. 5 [9] Common Sandpiper (3 on the Slip way and 2 on the Dam). 1 [0] Kestrel flew north at 5:55 and a male was seen on the southbank at 6:57. A Buzzard circled the lake at 6:45. Still plenty of Woodpigeon's around the lake but flocks have mostly broken up. Largest flock was 6 birds flying west. Corvids logged this morning were 9 [4] Jackdaws (2 flying north again); Rooks still flying about in all directions; 2 [3] Carrion Crow; no Jay; 11 [11] Magpie. Other 'passerines' totals today were: 1 [1] Sky Lark; 2 [0] Grey Wagtail; 1 [1] Pied Wagtail; 0 [1] Meadow Pipit; 16 [14] Wrens; 10 [7] Dunnocks; 9 [12] Robins; 11 [13] Blackbirds; 5 [3] Song Thrushes; 2 [0] Goldcrest's; 4 [2] Long-tailed Tits; 0 [1] Coal Tits; 1 [1] Willow Tit; 7 [8] Blue Tits; 5 [7] Great Tits; 3 [9] Chaffinches; 5 [5] Greenfinch; 1 [2] Goldfinches; 3 (1 female) [4] Bullfinch; 1 [1] Linnet; 0 [1] Redpoll and 3 (1 female) [4] Reed Bunting. Mammals: No Mammals seen today. [yesterday's totals in brackets] Lanes: Along the lanes and fields to the east and up towards Woodgreen Farm: 17th April, Monday (05:40 - 07:15) - Temp 7C and still chilly with that westerly wind blowing. Highlight on this cloudless morning was a Common Whitethroat in the "lane" across the road from the dam, Unfortunately no sign of Sedge Warbler. The 7 Common Sandpiper from yesterday are now 9. The drake Ruddy Duck had competition for his mate this morning, with another drake trying to win her attention and a Redpoll flew over the dam at 6:15am Warblers logged 11 [9] Chiffchaff; 8 [4] Willow Warbler; 4 [5] Blackcaps; 1 Common Whitethroat and 0 [1] Sedge Warbler. Only the 1 Swallow seen this time at 6:30. The resident Mute Swan are still present and also what look like the same young Cob from yesterday trying his luck again. The only reason it looked the same is that it was ringless and the orange around the bill quite pale. After much frantic chasing he was driven off again. 4 Lesser-black backed Gulls seen again flying west, this time at 6:30.. My log of the water birds today: 4 [4] Great Crested Grebes; 0 [1] Dabchick; 1 [2] Heron; 2 [0] Canada Geese; 2 [2] Greylag Geese flew south; 11 [11] Mallard; 3 (1 duck) [4] Tufted Ducks; 3 (1female) [1pr] Ruddy Duck; 7 [5] Moorhen; 35 [40] adult Coots and no Water Rail today. 9 [7] Common Sandpiper (6 on the Slip way and 3 on the Dam) No Kestrel today. Still plenty of Woodpigeon's around the lake but flocks have mostly broken up. Corvids logged this morning were 4 [2] Jackdaws (2 flying north); Rooks still flying about in all directions; 3 [3] Carrion Crow; 0 [2] Jay; 11 [10] Magpie and 0 [1] Raven. Other 'passerines' totals today were: 0 [1] Feral Pigeon; 1 [2] Sky Lark; 0 [2] Grey Wagtail; 1 [0] Pied Wagtail; 1 [1] Meadow Pipit; 14 [15] Wrens; 7 [10] Dunnocks; 12 [8] Robins; 13 [16] Blackbirds; 3 [2] Song Thrushes; 0 [1] Mistle Thrush; 0 [2] Goldcrest's; 2 [7] Long-tailed Tits; 1 [3] Coal Tits; 1 [0] Willow Tit; 8 [6] Blue Tits; 7 [4] Great Tits; 9 [8] Chaffinches; 5 [5] Greenfinch; 2 [7] Goldfinches; 0 [2] Siskin; 2 pair Bullfinches again; 1 [1] Linnet; 1 [0] Redpoll and 4 (1 female) [5] Reed Bunting. Mammals: Mammals seen: Grey Squirrel and Rabbit. [yesterday's totals in brackets] (Martin Adlam) 16th April, Sunday 08:30am - Female Wheatear on the Dam. (John Isherwood) 16th April, Sunday (06:05 - 08:05) - A colder morning with a chilly westerly. Highlight of the morning was a Sedge Warbler in the Blackthorn in the Northeast corner of the Lake. Also about were 7 Common Sandpiper and a Heron that managed to swallow a large Perch of about a pound. Warblers logged 9 [12] Chiffchaff; 4 [7] Willow Warbler; 5 [6] Blackcaps and 1 Sedge Warbler. Early Swallow seen at 6:10 and later there were 3 Sand Martin and a further 4 Swallows. The resident Mute Swan are still present and a young Cob tried his luck by landing on the lake but was driven off by the resident Cob after a good 30 minute chase.. 4 Lesser-black backed Gulls seen at 7:30. My log of the water birds today: 4 [4] Great Crested Grebes; 1 [0] Dabchick; 2 [1] Heron; 0 [5] Canada Geese; 2 [3] Greylag Geese flew north; 11 [10] Mallard; 4 (1 duck) [3] Tufted Ducks; Pair of Ruddy Duck; 5 [10] Moorhen; 40 [45] adult Coots and no Water Rail today. 7 [3] Common Sandpiper (3 on the Slip way and 4 on the Dam) 1 Kestrel towards the west. Still plenty of Woodpigeon's around the lake but flocks have mostly broken up. No visible passage of Corvids this morning with only 2 [4] Jackdaws seen; Rooks still flying about in all directions; 3 [4] Carrion Crow; 2 [2] Jay; 10 [10] Magpie and 1 [0] Raven heading north over the lake. Other 'passerines' totals today were: 1 [0] Feral Pigeon; 2 [1] Sky Lark; 2 [2] Grey Wagtail; 0 [1] Pied Wagtail; 2 [0] Meadow Pipit; 15 [14] Wrens; 10 [7] Dunnocks; 8 [12] Robins; 16 [12] Blackbirds; 2 [6] Song Thrushes; 1 [2] Mistle Thrush; 2 [2] Goldcrest's; 7 [7] Long-tailed Tits in three parties; 3 [1] Coal Tits; 0 [1] Willow Tit; 6 [6] Blue Tits; 4 [3] Great Tits; 8 [6] Chaffinches; 5 [4] Greenfinch; 7 [2] Goldfinches; 2 [0] Siskin; 2 pair [4 pair] Bullfinches; 1 [3] Linnet and 5 (1 female) [5] Reed Bunting. Mammals: No mammals seen today. [yesterday's totals in brackets] (Martin Adlam and John Isherwood) 15th April, Saturday (11:00am) - Ringed Plover flew north over the dam. (John Isherwood) 15th April, Saturday (05:40 - 07:35) - Very still morning with a slight southerly wind. Temp 6C. The lake was like a mill pond. No highlights but plenty of Migrants about. Warblers logged 12 [8] Chiffchaff; 7 [5] Willow Warbler; 6 (2 Female) [5] Blackcaps; no Garden Warbler seen today. No hirundine seen this morning. Ducks numbers really dropping off now with only 3 Tufted and 10 Mallard. The resident Mute Swan were still present. 2 Black-headed Gulls seen at 6:15am. My log of the water birds today: 4 [5] Great Crested Grebes; 1 [1] Heron; 5 [8] Canada Geese flew over; 3 [0] Greylag Geese flew east; 10 [18] Mallard; 3 [7] Tufted Ducks; Pair of Ruddy Duck; 10 [11] Moorhen; 45 [40] adult Coots and the Water Rail heard in Wesley Brook. 3 Common Sandpiper (1 on the Slip way and 2 on the Dam) No birds of prey this morning. A few Woodpigeon's around the lake. Only saw one passage of Corvids this morning with only 4 [33] Jackdaws; Rooks were flying in all directions with no passage visible 12 [33]; 4 [6] Carrion Crow; 2 [2] Jay and 10 [9] Magpie. Other 'passerines' totals today were: 0 [3] Feral Pigeon; 0 [2] Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 [1] Sky Lark; 2 [3] Grey Wagtail; 1 Pied Wagtail again; 14 [12] Wrens; 7 [8] Dunnocks; 12 [11] Robins; 12 [11] Blackbirds; 6 [8] Song Thrushes; 2 [0] Mistle Thrush; 2 [6] Goldcrest's; 7 Long-tailed Tits in three parties; 1 [0] Coal Tits; 1 [1] Willow Tit; 6 [12] Blue Tits; 3 [11] Great Tits; 6 [13] Chaffinches; 4 [1] Greenfinch; 2 [6] Goldfinches; 0 [2] Siskin; 4 pairs [3] Bullfinches; 3 [1] Linnet and 5 (1 female) [5] Reed Bunting. Mammals: Mammals seen today were: [yesterday's totals in brackets] (Martin Adlam) 14th April, Friday (05:40 - 08:35) - Most people would have woken up today to a bright sunny start. Unfortunately the sun and dry weather didn't arrive until about 8:00am. Up until then it was overcast with drizzle. At least the birding was excellent and a Garden Warbler in the scrub on the Northeast bank behind the No Swimming sign was a great find and a single Common Sandpiper on the slip-way, later teamed with two more on the dam. I also spooked the Water Rail by Wesley Bridge at 8:15am despite my best efforts to tread quietly across the bridge, but at least I got a good look at it before it disappeared into the brambles. Other Warblers were 8 [5] Chiffchaff; 5 [6] Willow Warbler and 5 [3] Blackcaps. Because it was so early in the morning, I didn't expect to see any hirundine, so 3 fly-by Swallows was a bonus. The 3 drake Tufted's from yesterday were joined by 2 more drakes and 2 ducks. The Mallard numbers were up slightly to 18. The resident Mute Swan were still present. 3 Lesser-black backed Gulls seen drifting over the lake. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; 1 [0] Heron; 8 [2] Canada Geese flew over; 18 [15] Mallard; 7 [3] Tufted Ducks; A pair of Ruddy Duck again; 11 [6] Moorhen; 40 [42] adult Coots and the Water Rail again by Wesley Brook bridge. 3 Common Sandpiper (1 on the Slip way and 2 on the Dam) A female Kestrel settled on one of the Alders on the South Bank behind the Boat shelter for a short while at 6:00am. Quite a few Woodpigeon's in the area with approx. 40. Corvid's seen were 33 [4] Jackdaws; 33 [3] Rooks; 6 [1] Carrion Crow; 2 [0] Jay and 9 [7] Magpie. Other 'passerines' totals today were: 3 [1] Feral Pigeon; 2 [1] Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 [0] Sky Lark; 0 [4] Meadow Pipit; 3 Grey Wagtail again; 1 Pied Wagtail again; 12 [7] Wrens; 8 [2] Dunnocks; 11 [8] Robins; 11 [6] Blackbirds; 0 [2] Fieldfare; 8 [2] Song Thrushes; 6 [4] Goldcrest's; 3 [2] parties of Long-tailed Tits; 0 [2] Coal Tits; 1 [0] Willow Tit; 12 [2] Blue Tits; 11 [7] Great Tits; 13 [5] Chaffinches; 1 [2] Greenfinch; 6 [3] Goldfinches; 2 [1] Siskin; 3 (1 Female) [5] Bullfinches; 1 [0] Linnet and 5 (2 female) [1] Reed Bunting. Mammals: Mammals seen today were: Fish: Fish seen: [yesterday's totals in brackets] (Martin Adlam) 13th April, Thursday (08:35 - 10:15) - A very wet but mild morning at the Lake today. Highlight was a Common Sandpiper on the Northwest shore between Wesley Brook and the anglers jetty. Its nice to know my sense of hearing hasn't gone yet, as I heard it first and then saw it land on the mud. Other highlights were the arrival of more Willow Warblers with 6 singing around the lake. Other Warblers were 5 Chiffchaff and 3 Blackcaps (1 female). Hirundines were 8 Swallow, 4 Sand Martin and 1 House Martin when I arrived at 08:35. By 10:00 the numbers had increased with 12 Swallows, 23 Sand Martins and no House Martins. At one stage the weather was so bad that 12 Swallows and a Sand Martin took refuge on one of the 12ft Alder saplings on the North bank. Not many Ducks left with only 3 drake Tufted's and 15 Mallard. The pen Mute Swan looked very fed up as she sat on her nest in the pouring rain, whilst the cob patrolled the lake. Not a single Gull seen! My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; no Heron; 2 Canada Geese flew over; 15 Mallard, 3 drake Tufted Ducks; A pair of Ruddy Ducks; 6 Moorhens; 42 adult Coots and a Water Rail at the mouth of Wesley Brook (Last heard on the 27 Mar 06. I wonder if they are breeding here!) 12 Wood Pigeons logged flying over the lake and 10 more in the trees. Corvids seen were 4 Jackdaws; 3 Rooks and 1 Carrion Crow. The 'passerines' totals today were: 1 Feral Pigeon; 22 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker; no Sky Lark; 4 Meadow Pipit; 3 Grey Wagtails; 1 Pied Wagtails; 7 Wrens; 2 Dunnocks; 8 Robins; 6 Blackbirds; 2 Fieldfares (heading north); 2 Song Thrushes, no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 3 Blackcaps (1 Female); 5 Chiffchaffs; 6 Willow Warblers; 4 Goldcrests; 2 parties of Long-tailed Tits; 2 Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 2 Blue Tits; 7 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; 7 Magpies; no Jays; 1 Carrion Crow; no Starlings; 5 Chaffinches; 2 Greenfinches; 3 Goldfinches; 1 Siskin; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 5 Bullfinches (2 female); 1 Reed Bunting; and no Yellowhammers. Also seen were thousands of tadpoles in the Wesley Reedbeds and quite a few Bumble bees feeding on the Pussy Willows. (Martin Adlam) 12th April, Wednesday - Priorslee this morning was very quiet but with the usual crop of interesting sightings. Best today was a Common Sandpiper on the SW shore before 06:00. Probably the same bird was on the dam-wall shortly before 07:00, but I could not find it / them later. Also going missing while I was present were the only 2 Tufted Duck - both drakes. Warblers today were 3 Blackcaps; 6 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers. One of the Blackcaps was along the S side in the bushes between the lake and the M54 exactly where a Garden Warbler held territory last year. Did not see the bird, but don't think it was a Garden Warbler, though they can be tricky sometimes: check it out if you are there. Only hirundines were 2 Sand Martins that flew through A few gulls: 2 adult Black-headed Gulls on the lake for a while: a 1st summer flew over. Also 14 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew over. Other sightings: Lanes: Walked the lanes and fields to the east: added the following species / records: 11th April, Tuesday (18:30 - 18:45) - A
quick visit and was pleased to have done so with the site year-tick of
Wheatear!: 11th April, Tuesday (05:45 - 08:45) - In theory the medium-level overcast skies should have been ideal for seeing fly-over birds: but it was rather dull and there seemed to be rather few around. But some items of interest even if there were no 'new' migrants. 2 Kestrels spent well over an hour over the erstwhile Barn Owl fields to the NE; Stock Doves flying over again; a Sky Lark audible and visible from the E end; 1 Meadow Pipit flushed from the SW grass; and a Raven heading S and carrying food over the W end of the lake. No Barn Owl or Jays again today. I logged 6 Sand Martins and 7 Swallows flying through prior to 08:00 after which 2 more Sand Martins and 2 more Swallows started to feed over the lake. Much the same warblers again: I logged 4 Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; and 2 Willow Warblers. Most of the 'winter' birds seem to have gone now - just a few Tufted Duck left; and the Siskins seen recently have all be small parties flying over. More gulls today: single 1st summer and later 2 adult Black-headed Gulls paused westbound. Then after 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls seen passing to the N, suddenly at 08:15 a party of 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, accompanied by 2 Herring Gulls came in for a wash. Mostly adults / near adults, though one of the Herring Gulls was a 1st summer bird. These headed off NW. Only spotted 1 of the 'cootlings' were in the N side reeds today, but it was rather dull. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; 1 Greylag Goose flew over; 14 Canada Geese also flew over; 20 Mallard, though 7 of these seen flying in the distance; just 4 Tufted Ducks (3 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks again (1 drake); 10 Moorhens; and 48 adult Coots with 1 juvenile. 55 Wood Pigeons logged flying over the lake; 22 more in the trees; and 13 noted flushed out of a field to the NE. 90 in the log this morning. With the dark dawn and heavy clouds I was never going to see the Jackdaws to the NE, but perhaps I missed the start of the local birds as I logged just 47 [387] Jackdaws at first light. Rather more Rooks - 10 [2] - almost all singles flying over much later and almost all carrying food in the bill as well as full crops [yesterday's totals in brackets]. The 'passerines' totals today were: 15 Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 90
Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 1 Sky Lark;
1 Meadow Pipit; 4 Grey Wagtails; 6 Pied Wagtails; 24 Wrens; 10 Dunnocks
again; 15 Robins; 24 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 8 Song Thrushes, 7 of
which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 4 Blackcaps; 5 Mammals: No mammals today. (Ed Wilson) 10th April, Monday (05:40 - 09:05) -
I probably solved both of yesterday's problem birds this morning! Firstly
there was certainly a Tree Pipit that flew W over the dam this morning -
the normal flight call and accompanying Meadow Pipit allowed me to add Another crop of interesting log entries as well: a Buzzard over the fields to the NE; 2 Lapwings over here as well; Stock Doves only on the wires to the NE; two fly-over Collared Doves this morning; a Sky Lark audible from the E end; just the 1 Meadow Pipit (with the Tree Pipit); a Mistle Thrush at the W end. No Barn Owl or Jays today. None of the hirundines stayed again and I logged 8 Sand Martins and 4 Swallows. Much the same warblers today: I logged 4 Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; and 3 Willow Warblers. 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flying W was the only gull noted. At least 2 'cootlings' were in the N side reeds today. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; 2 Herons, unusually together for a while; 30 Canada Geese, 3 of which landed but the cob Swan took just 90 seconds to see them off; 17 Mallard; 11 Tufted Ducks (8 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); only 4 Moorhens; and 43 adult Coots with 2 juveniles. No obvious movement of Wood Pigeons again and as yesterday 51 logged flying over the lake; today 20 more in the trees. So 71 in the log this morning. Clear view to the NE of the departing Jackdaws, so a big log today. The Jackdaw total was 387 [259] birds (250 of these were far to the NE). Just 2 [6] Rooks [yesterday's totals in brackets]. The 'passerines' totals today were: no Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 71
Wood Pigeons; 2 Collared Doves; 1 female Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 1 Sky
Lark; 1 Tree Pipit; 1 Meadow Pipit; 2 Grey Wagtails; 2 Pied Wagtails; 17
Wrens; 10 Dunnocks; 17 Robins; 18 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 9 Song
Thrushes, 7 of which were in song; no Redwings; 1 Mistle Thrush; 4
Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; 3 Willow Warblers; no Goldcrests; 2 parties of
Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 10 Blue Tits; 7 Great Mammals: 1 Grey Squirrel was the only mammal again. (Ed Wilson) 9th April, Sunday (05:45 - 09:30) - There were several patches of cloud at the lake to hinder some of the observations, but good visibility and slightly lighter winds tempted me to the lanes and fields to the E as well. But first the lake - where there was one of those records that might (or might not) have been - a very brief drum from a woodpecker sounded unlike a Great Spotted Woodpecker, but was far too brief and indistinct to claim as a site-tick Lesser Spot. There was a calling Great Spotted Woodpecker about 20 minutes later, but I am not sure that is entirely relevant. The usual crop of interesting log entries: a single Cormorants flew W to the N today; no Buzzard calling today - it was that Jay again; Stock Doves yet again in the NW trees as well as two flying over; another fly-over Collared Dove; at least 13 Meadow Pipits seen and heard with a party of 8 on the wires (there seemed to be a lot more small 'struggling' passerines to the N which were probably also this species); a late fly-over Redwing; a Mistle Thrush sitting silently in the trees around the Wesley Brook; and 4 Jays. None of the hirundines stayed: fewer today. I logged 7 Sand Martins and 5 Swallows all flying west. Warblers logged were 3 Blackcap; 8 Chiffchaffs; and 2 Willow Warblers. Gulls were very sporadic! A 1st summer Lesser Black-backed Gull flew low W over the lake; then 2 1st summer Black-headed Gulls flew NW low also over the lake. Finally what seemed to be an adult Herring Gull appeared from the W and then disappeared. To my surprise the 'cootlings' reappeared in the N side reeds today. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; 3 different Herons; the Cormorant flying over; the 2 resident Swans; no Greylag Geese; 10 Canada Geese, 2 of which landed again and took the cob Swan over 90 minutes to dislodge; 16 Mallard; 7 Tufted Ducks (5 drakes); 1 drake Ruddy Duck; 9 Moorhens; and 42 adult Coots with 3 juveniles. No obvious movement of Wood Pigeons again and lower counts with 51 seen over the lake and 29 more in the trees. So 80 in the log this morning. The skies to the NE had patches of cloud so I never got a clear silhouette of the large Jackdaw exodus to the E - but there were at least 140 birds in the main group. Today's day total was 259 [334] birds. Only 6 [7] Rooks. The 'passerines' totals were: 5 Feral Pigeons; 4 Stock Doves; 80 Wood
Pigeons; 1 Collared Dove; 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker; no Sky Larks; 13
Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; 7 Pied Wagtails; 21 Wrens; 6 Dunnocks; 18
Robins; 22 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 7 Song Thrushes, 6 of which were in
song; 1 Redwing; 1 Mistle Thrush; 3 Blackcaps; 7 Chiffchaffs; 3 Willow Mammals: 1 Grey Squirrel was the only mammals at the lake this morning. Lanes: The walk around the lanes and fields to the E was slightly more successful this morning with the return of the Linnets! Rather disappointed to find that after sighting from the lake area many apparent Meadow Pipits over the area there were just 2 logged in the walk. Again there was a potential site-tick for me that got away: I flushed a passerine from the concrete farm track and it took off and gave a rather hoarse call and I suspect it was a Tree Pipit, but I am not 100% confident of the calls without visual confirmation: bother! The other notable feature of the walk was the absence of Wood Pigeons - just 19 logged, whereas there were 100s a few weeks ago. Some warblers seen, mostly in song: but no new species. The log from the walk was no raptors; 4 Pheasants; 1 Feral Pigeon; 1 Stock
Dove; 19 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 3
Sky Larks; 2 Meadow Pipits; no Grey Wagtails; 2 Pied Wagtails; 15 Wrens; 6
Dunnocks; 12 Robins; 8 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; no Song Thrushes; no
Redwings; no Mistle Thrushes; 2 Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; 4 Willow 8th April, Saturday (13:00 - 14:00) - Mild 12 degrees Centigrade, but with the strong westerly wind I'm afraid I stayed in the comfort of my car, in the lay-by for an hour. Using binoculars through the front windscreen is a little awkward with the distortion it gives but overall it was very rewarding. Waited 15 minutes for the first hirundine arrived and the arrivals were logged at: Also about were 5 Lesser-black backed Gulls, 31 Coot, 30 Woodpigeon, 12 Magpie, 5 Carrion Crow, 2 Rook, 1 Buzzard, 7 Canada Geese, 1 Skylark, 2 Goldfinch and a Reed Bunting which was feeding on bread by the Dam overflow. (Martin Adlam) 8th April, Saturday (05:35am - 09:20am) - A clear morning at the lake, almost cloudless: but that wind! And the laying snow!! No real 'star' items but the usual crop of interesting log entries: another party of 3 Cormorants flew W to the N; a Buzzard calling (and it was not a Jay!); a female Kestrel along the N side; Stock Doves both seen and heard in the NW trees as well as on the wires to the NE again; another fly-over Collared Dove; the Barn Owl very briefly over the snowy fields to the NE; a party of 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers flying together far to the N shortly after a lone bird flew the other way - probably one of the same group; a Mistle Thrush in the trees around the Wesley Brook; 4 single Meadow Pipits overhead; and at least 1 Jay. In the breezy conditions none of the hirundines stayed. I logged 33 Sand Martins and 11 Swallow (mostly singles) flying west. Warblers logged were 1 Blackcap; 8 Chiffchaffs; and 4 Willow Warblers. Single 1st summer Black-headed Gull and adult Lesser Black-backed Gull were logged flying W to the N of lake. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 6 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; the 3 Cormorants flying over; the 2 resident Swans; no Greylag Geese; 14 Canada Geese, 2 of which landed before being chased off smartly by the cob Swan; 21 Mallard, though 7 of these flew off before sun-up; 6 Tufted Ducks (5 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 8 Moorhens; and 43 adult Coots but no juveniles. No obvious movement of groups of Wood Pigeons high up, but most of those flying over the lake were heading W this morning. With 77 seen over the lake and 28 more in the trees just 105 in the log this morning. The clear skies enabled me to see the large Jackdaw exodus to the E - the group was at least 240 birds today! This helped me to a day total of 334 [118] birds. Just 7 [11] Rooks. The only Starling logged was over the Priorslee houses and I assume a local bird. The 'passerines' totals were: no Feral Pigeons; 5 Stock Doves; 105 Wood
Pigeons; 1 Collared Dove; 3 (or 4) Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky
Larks; 4 Meadow Pipits; 3 Grey Wagtail; 2 Pied Wagtails; 20 Wrens; 8
Dunnocks; 21 Robins; 23 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; only 4 Song Thrushes, 3
of which were in song; no Redwings; 1 Mistle Thrush; 1 Blackcap; 8 Mammals: Mammals had more sense than to venture out - well not entirely true as there were rabbit tracks in the snow. (Ed Wilson) 7th April, Friday
(05:40am - 09:00am) -
A strange morning at the lake: after some breaks in the cloud these filled
in and it became rather dull, overcast and chill. It was only after I
analysed the log I realised that there had been several interesting
sightings! I did try an early walk to the east around the lanes, but that
was exceptionally dull and quiet: and when the farmer appeared with his The best two records were the VERY distant Peregrine to the NW; and what I think was my first-ever Stock Dove around the lake itself - they are not unusual flying over and I noted recently that they seem to be nesting around Woodhouse Farm to the NE this year, but today I flushed one from the trees around the Wesley Brook. The rest of the more interesting records in the log: a party of 3 Cormorants flew W over; 3 Greylag Geese overhead again; 3 sightings of perhaps the same Kestrel; Stock Doves on the wires to the NE again - as well as the flushed bird; a fly-over Collared Dove; 2 Sky Larks singing to the E, and another flying over; 3 single Meadow Pipits overhead - none in the trees today; a Redwing at the W end; and at least 3 Jays. Again checked for the 'cootlings' without success. No Barn Owl noted. With the dull conditions the hirundines did not stay until after 08:30 by which time I had logged 39 Sand Martins and 2 single Swallows flying west. The subsequent build-up reached 9 Sand Martins and 1 more Swallow by the time I left. Warblers comprised 1 Blackcap; 7 Chiffchaffs; and 4 Willow Warblers. 1 1st summer Black-headed Gull stopped briefly: a group of 2 flew through SE. Just 1 adult Lesser Black-backed Gull flew W. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 6 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; the 3 Cormorants flying over; the 2 resident Swans; 3 Greylag Geese overhead; just 3 Canada Geese overhead; a higher count of 19 Mallard; just 4 Tufted Ducks (3 drakes - one of which flew in); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); just 5 Moorhens; and 46 adult Coots but no juveniles. There was no movement of Wood Pigeons at all today and just one party of 5 high-flying birds. Otherwise there were 70 birds flying over the lake: and 25 in the trees around the lake giving a day-total of exactly 100 birds. Once again there was cloud to the NE obscuring the bulk of the main corvid roost dispersal, but I logged 118 [53] Jackdaws over the lake: and 11 [13] Rooks [yesterday's figures in brackets]. 3 Starlings on distant wires logged this morning - obviously not from any lakeside roost: I guess birds are mostly on territory now. The 'passerines' totals were: 5 Feral Pigeons; 4 Stock Doves; 100 Wood
Pigeons; 1 Collared Dove; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 3 Sky Larks; 3
Meadow Pipits; 1 Grey Wagtail; 4 Pied Wagtails; 24 Wrens; 10 Dunnocks; 19
Robins; 27 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 7 Song Thrushes, 4 of which were in
song again; 1 Redwing; no Mistle Thrushes; 1 Blackcap; 7 Chiffchaffs; 4
Willow Warblers; no Goldcrests; 1 party of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits;
no Willow Tits; 8 Blue Tits; 11 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; at least 17
Magpies; 3 Jays; 13 Crows; 3 Starlings; 4 Chaffinches; 8 Greenfinches; 4
Goldfinches; 10 Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 6 Bullfinches; 5 Reed
Buntings, one of which was singing rather unusually in SE bushes; and no Mammals: Both Rabbit and Grey Squirrel seen this morning. (Ed Wilson) 6th April, Thursday - Back to the old routine at the lake. Whilst weather was fine there was a layer of high cloud that should have made fly-overs easy to see - except there did not seem to be that many! There was also a freshening and rather chilly W wind that required shelter. Nothing spectacular today but a steady stream of interesting records in
the log: Greylag Geese overhead pre-dawn; Buzzard in place of the Barn Owl
over the fields to the NE, unlike the owl attracting the attention of the
Crows, though later it was joined by a 2nd bird and as they displayed it
seemed to give the Crows second thoughts; 2 Kestrels met and sparred over
the N shore of the lake; a Lapwing which was seen high over the W end was
only spotted because I was checking a passing party of Wood Pigeons that
happened to fly below it; several Stock Doves again - there seem to be
birds resident near Woodhouse Farm this year; I had three sightings of
Great Spotted Woodpeckers, with 2 birds flying in circles over the Teece
Drive approach - one identified as a male when it landed on a distant
tree; there were Meadow Pipits in the trees at the W end yet again - No sign of the 'cootlings' today despite checking several times. An adult in the area seemed busy collecting food, but what for was hard to judge and it may have been a bird from a different nest. As ever the early hirundines seemed not to stay, but later there was the usual build up. I logged 21 early Sand Martins: and then later 22 Sand Martins and again just 1 Swallow. Warblers comprised 2 Blackcaps; 5 Chiffchaffs; and 3 Willow Warblers all in song today with the Chiffchaffs especially mobile. 1 adult Black-headed Gull stopped briefly: a group of 6 flew through SE. There were 2 small groups of Lesser Black-backed Gulls with just 7 birds in total, all flying W. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; no Herons; 2 Cormorants both flying over; the 2 resident Swans with the cob chasing the Canada Geese; a party of 3 Greylag Geese overhead; 19 Canada Geese overhead and 6 on the lake at first light, all chased off; 12 Mallard flying about; now just 6 Tufted Ducks (4 drakes); 1 Ruddy Duck (a drake); 12 Moorhens; and 43 adult Coots but no juveniles. There was certainly no movement of Wood Pigeons SE to the N today, but there was an obvious movement of groups of birds N / NW with 152 birds logged. Another 55 flew over the lake: and 28 in the trees around the lake giving a day-total of 235. One of those days where I wonder where the corvids went! There was an especially dark area of cloud to the NE and I was not surprised when I recorded no big groups in the distance, but there were many fewer than usual over the lake as well - just 53 [418] logged. But a few more Rooks - 13 [7], almost all singles [yesterday's figures in brackets]. No Starlings logged this morning. The 'passerines' totals were: 8 Feral Pigeons; 7 Stock Doves; 235 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky Larks; 7
Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtail; 3 Pied Wagtails again; 20 Wrens; 8
Dunnocks; 18 Robins; 21 Blackbirds; 2 Fieldfares again; 7 Song Thrushes, 4
of which were in song; no Redwings; 1 Mistle Thrush; 2 Blackcaps; 5 Mammals: No mammals today (Ed Wilson) 5th April, Wednesday (Evening update 7:30pm - 7:55pm) - Stopped for a quick look on my way to Shifnal. On the water as the sun was setting (which made it extremely difficult to see anything) there were 6 Great Crested Grebe and a drake Ruddy Duck. Overhead was easier to see and I logged 86 Jackdaw and 3 Rooks heading north and strangeley enough 5 Rook heading south. At 7:45pm a Great Spotted Woodpecker flew southeast across the lake and headed off towards the Motorway Services. Only 2 Starling were seen and they landed somewhere in the east end of Stafford Park. Over the dam a Meadow Pipit and a Pied Wagtail flew north. (In the field to the northeast 1 Hare) (Martin Adlam) 5th April, Wednesday - Tried something different spending the sunrise time on the N shore looking
for different picture opportunities - not entirely successful, though the
cloudless morning did not help with no real 'sunrise'. Thus I was somewhat Firstly around the lake itself. I was surprised to find at least 3 'cootlings' - very newly hatched individuals - with one of the pairs amongst the N side reeds. While adult numbers have declined in recent weeks and days, there are clearly birds yet to move out and yet here we are with juveniles already! An unusual sighting today was a party of 4 Herons flying high N over the lake before sun-up: much later 1 flew equally high S. None seen around the lakeside today. As usual the early hirundines seemed not to stay, but once the sun gets on the lake they stay and the numbers usually build up. I logged 11 early Sand Martins: and then later 36 Sand Martins and 1 Swallow. Warblers comprised 2 Blackcaps; 6 Chiffchaffs; and 5 Willow Warblers seen or heard today. I noted that several of the Chiffchaffs were neither singing nor calling, so I assume the females have begun to arrive? I logged 2 single Fieldfares, though when the first flew over it sounded as if there were more somewhere. The only winter thrushes around the lake. 2 single Siskins. Other records of interest were another sighting of what I assume is a local Kestrel; a Pheasant back calling from the Celestica factory; 3 Lapwings chasing the crows over the fields to the NE again; here too there was the Barn Owl again - briefly; a female Great Spotted Woodpecker was uncharacteristically silent in the NW trees; 4 Meadow Pipits flew off from the SE area; a Mistle Thrush flew over the W end calling; and 2 Jays along the N side. 1 immature Black-headed Gull stayed about 45 minutes at the lake, but left before 07:00. Again just one party of Lesser Black-backed Gulls over-flying today - 7 in today's group. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; the 5 Herons; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans left in peace again; 2 single Greylag Geese overhead; 19 Canada Geese also overhead; 15 Mallard flying about; 7 Tufted Ducks (5 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); just 5 Moorhens; and 39 adults Coots and 3 juveniles. The Wood Pigeon count was probably most affected by my change of routine: that said there were very few around to the E when I walked the lanes and the numbers do seem to have declined quickly. I logged 31 flying over the lake; and 30 in the trees around the lake. Just 61 birds. None of those seen seemed to me on passage. Looked from the same place as yesterday for the corvids against the early morning pale sky to the NE and again logged a large party of light at least 180 birds to the far E. Today's log was 418 [318] Jackdaws - yes: exactly 100 more than yesterday! Just 7 [4] Rooks [yesterday's figures in brackets]. No Starlings logged from the lake this morning. The 'passerines' totals from around the lake were: no Feral Pigeons; no Stock Doves; 61 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; 1 female Great Spotted Woodpeckers; no Sky Larks; 4 Meadow Pipits; 1 Grey Wagtail; 3 Pied Wagtails; 27 Wrens; 10 Dunnocks; only 14 Robins; 26 Blackbirds; 2 Fieldfares; 7 Song Thrushes, just 3 of which were in song; no Redwings; 1 Mistle Thrush; 2 Blackcaps; 6 Chiffchaffs; 5 Willow Warblers; 2 Goldcrests; just 1 'party' of Long-tailed Tits again; 1 Coal Tit; 1 Willow Tit heard; only 8 Blue Tits; 10 Great Tits again; no Tree Creepers; at least 17 Magpies; 2 Jays; at least 10 Crows; no Starlings; 6 Chaffinches; 9 Greenfinches; 2 Goldfinches; 2 Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 3 Bullfinches; 7 Reed Buntings; and no Yellowhammers. Lanes: The walk around the lanes and fields to the E / SE was not very productive. The sightings of note were: the only party of Wood Pigeons with just 37 flushed from the trees; a party of 4 silent Song Thrushes flushed from the stream-side alders - they did not call even when flushed and were all together in exactly the same spot as 2 weeks ago. A fine male Blackcap at point-blank range. I really thought he was going to land on me at one stage: while I was fumbling for the camera of course! And a Raven flying W - a site year-tick for me. The log from the lanes and fields was: 3 drake Mallard along the stream;
no Buzzard; no Kestrel; no Feral Pigeons; 1 Stock Dove; 55 Wood Pigeons;
no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 3 Sky Larks; 1 Meadow
Pipit; no Grey Wagtails; no Pied Wagtails; 20 Wrens; 7 Dunnocks; 12
Robins; 8 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 5 Song Thrushes, none of which was in Mammals: A rabbit in the fields to the NE (Ed Wilson) 4th April, Tuesday - Another absorbing morning at Priorslee Lake, though nothing outstanding. Fine with a hint of frost before the sun chased it away. The drive from Newport gave me a record count for the year-to-date - indeed in some areas there are so many birds it would be hard to distinguish any more songsters. The log was no [0] Wood Pigeons; 2 [2] Wrens; no [0] Dunnocks; 103 [79] Robins; 58 [55] Blackbirds; 16 [8] Song Thrushes; 1 [0] Blue Tit; 7 [8] Great Tits; and no [0] Magpies; and no [1] Rooks [yesterday's totals in brackets]. The number of hirundines at the lake this morning was lower: a small early party of Sand Martins and a fly-through Swallow was followed over an hour later by birds that stayed to feed. Sand Martins heard high overhead as well - but how many? where? At least 24 Sand Martins and 3 Swallows. Warblers comprised 6 Chiffchaffs; 3 Willow Warblers; but no Blackcaps seen or heard today. A party of at least 58 Fieldfare flew high W - the only winter thrushes here today. A lone Siskin and 2 Redpolls in the W end trees. Other records of interest were another sighting of what I assume is a local Kestrel; a Pheasant calling to the E - the bird that was calling from the Celestica factory seems to have moved on; a Kingfisher again; a Sky Lark in song to the NE; 5 Meadow Pipits together and yet again in the trees at the W end of the lake; and at least 1 Jay once more, today sitting in a tree-top calling. Two immature Black-headed Gulls spent about 5 minutes at the lake. Just one party of 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls over-flying today. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebe; 6 Great Crested Grebes; 2 Herons, one flying over very high; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans left in peace today; no Greylag Geese; 10 Canada Geese flew over; 12 Mallard all flying about; only 6 Tufted Ducks (4 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 9 Moorhens; and 47 Coots. Wood Pigeons apparently on lower numbers today, though I was distracted by the splendid sunrise and spent a while taking photographs and perhaps missed some. Just 19 logged on passage this morning flying E / SE to the N. 56 other birds flying over the lake. And 30 in the trees around the lake. A total of 105 birds. Changed position for the Corvids this morning and was rewarded with the passage of a large party of at least 150 birds to the far E as well as those over the lake, giving me a log of 318 [146] Jackdaws. But just 4 [4] Rooks [yesterday's figures in brackets]. 1 Starling flew over this morning, but had not roosted around the lake. The 'passerines' totals from around the lake were: no Feral Pigeons; no
Stock Doves; 105 Wood Pigeons; no Collared Doves; no Great Spotted
Woodpeckers; 1 Sky Lark; 5 Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; 2 Pied
Wagtails; 22 Wrens; 9 Dunnocks; 24 Robins; 25 Blackbirds; 58 Fieldfares; 7
Song Thrushes, 4 of which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrush; no
Blackcaps; 3 Willow Warblers; 6 Chiffchaffs; 3 Goldcrests; just 1 'party'
of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; 2 Willow Tits again; 16 Blue Tits; 10 3rd April, Monday (Midday) - Only 1 Sand Martin but Warbler numbers better with 3 male Blackcap, 3 Willow Warblers, 6 Chiffchaff, 2 pairs Long-tailed Tit building nest + another pair seen, pair Grey Wagtail in Wesley Brook, pair Bullfinch's + female, male Reed Bunting, 2 Song Thrush singing. The resident Mute Swans were relaxing on the nest after seeing off the pair + adult male that tried to settle on the lake yesterday. All for now (Martin Grant) 3rd April, Monday - Rather 'Monday-ish' (me or the birds?) at the lake this morning with nothing too exciting - bored with the Barn Owl and the migrants already! Started rather dull after overnight rain, but cleared later and some blue skies. The strange 'purring' noise from the local cypress trees started the day in Newport again - no nearer resolving it, but I think it can only be a Collared Dove. The log of the drive on wet roads and with weekday traffic gave me no [0] Wood Pigeons; 2 [2] Wrens; no [0] Dunnocks; 79 [91] Robins; 55 [55] Blackbirds; 8 [9] Song Thrushes; no [1] Blue Tit; 8 [8] Great Tits; no [0] Magpies; and no [1] Rooks [yesterday's totals in brackets]. The number of hirundines at the lake this morning was hard to judge: a flock of 8 what seems likely to have been Sand Martins flew low across the lake while the street light were still on at 06:25! A party of 29 appeared some 30 minutes later and for the next hour small flocks of birds would appear and after a few minutes disappear. Whether these were different flocks or not is conjecture - I rather think they were: the number of birds was always different and one of the parties held a lone House Martin. At least 51 birds, perhaps as many as 168. No Swallows though Warblers comprised 1 Blackcap; 4 Willow Warblers; and 4 Chiffchaffs. No winter thrushes today, but 4 fly-over Siskins. Other records of interest were several sightings of Kestrel all around the lake and to the N / NE; the Barn Owl over the fields to the NE for over 15 minutes and ranging more widely than previously - strangely not attracting any attention from the local Crows; 2 Stock Doves on the wires to the NE; a Collared Dove flying W; 2 Sky Larks seen in aerial combat to the E as well as in song; a Great Spotted Woodpecker calling in the NW area; 3 Meadow Pipits, 2 of which were in the trees at the W end of the lake; and at least 1 Jay again. No gulls at the lake this morning: two separate groups of 5 Black-headed Gulls paused overhead, but moved on. Rather more Lesser Black-backed Gulls over-flying south and west today: I logged 24, and an immature Herring Gull with one of the groups . My log of the water birds today: 1 Little Grebe; 5 Great Crested Grebes; no Heron; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans seeing off yet another adult interloper; no Greylag Geese; 8 Canada Geese flew over as well as the dam-resident who got his comeuppance from the Swan today and left; 17 Mallard, though they were hard to total as they were all flying about; 12 Tufted Ducks (9 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 10 Moorhens; and exactly 50 Coots. More Wood Pigeons on passage this morning flying E / SE to the N - a log of 71. Possible return migrants were 2 groups totalling just 11 birds flying high north. There were only 59 other birds flying over the lake. And just 15 in the trees around the lake. A total of 178 birds. No idea where the Jackdaws were this morning: I am sure I was in place in time but failed to see any until well after daylight when a small group went over high up. I logged just 11 [146] Jackdaws and 4 [5] Rooks. 1 Starling recorded in the distance. The 'passerines' totals from around the lake were: no Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 178 Wood Pigeons; 1 Collared Dove; 1 Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 2 Sky Larks; 3 Meadow Pipits; 2 Grey Wagtails; 2 Pied Wagtails; 28 Wrens; 12 Dunnocks; 16 Robins; 29 Blackbirds; no Fieldfares; 7 Song Thrushes, 5 of which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrush; 1 Blackcap; 4 Willow Warblers; 4 Chiffchaffs; 1 Goldcrest; 3 'parties' of Long-tailed Tits; no Coal Tits; 2 Willow Tits; 8 Blue Tits; 10 Great Tits; 1 Tree Creeper; at least 16 Magpies; at least 1 Jay; at least 15 Crows; 1 Starling; 17 Chaffinches; 8 Greenfinches; 1 Goldfinch; 4 Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 6 Bullfinches; only 5 Reed Buntings; and no Yellowhammers. Mammals: A Rabbit again today (Ed Wilson) 2nd April, Sunday (Mid-day) - 3 Swallows, 27 Sand Martins, Willow Warbler, 4 Chiffchaffs, the resident male Mute Swan attacking an un-ringed male that was paired with female Blue 7DJF and also an immature male Blue 7DFE. (Martin Grant) 2nd April, Sunday - Not so breezy to start with at Priorslee Lake this morning and a touch of frost before the cloud brought some remnant light showers. Nothing new but an interesting visit again. The journey from Newport produced the highlight of the day with a Barn Owl hunting around the Blackberry Bank O-about [GR: 736171]. As I was leaving home there was a strange 'purring' noise from the local cypress trees which sounded dove-like though nothing like any calls I can recall from Collared Doves - perhaps it was a cat? The log: no [0] Wood Pigeons; 2 [1] Wrens; no [0] Dunnocks; 91 [92] Robins; 55 [65] Blackbirds; 9 [10] Song Thrushes; 1 [0] Blue Tit; 8 [8] Great Tits; no [0] Magpies; and 1 [0] Rook [yesterday's totals in brackets]. Summer at the lake was indicated by Sand Martins and Swallow. 3 Swallow and then 4 Sand Martins flew straight over but after 08:30 a few Sand Martins started to feed over the water and by 10:00 as I was passing back from Nedge Hill there were 22 Sand Martins and 1 Swallow. Warblers comprised 3 Blackcaps; 2 Willow Warblers; and 4 Chiffchaffs. Winter visitors today included a party of 31 Fieldfare heading E. Just 2 fly-over Siskins again. Other records of interest were several sightings of both Buzzard and Kestrel to the N / NE; 2 Lapwings displaying over the fields to the NE and then encroaching over the lake for a while; 1 Stock Doves flying W; 1 Collared Dove flying N; a Sky Lark heard and then another seen in song high over the dam; 1 Meadow Pipit heard over which spiralled down to perch in a tree at the W end, right next to a male Blackcap that I had not previously noted; and the now usual sightings. Jays - at least 2 today. Very few gulls at the lake again: an 1st summer Black-headed Gull was present by 06:00 and stayed until after 08:00. 2 different adults paused over the lake briefly much later. Very few Lesser Black-backed Gulls today and those I did see were much later in passing than on previous days. Just 7 noted - all adults. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebes; 5 Great Crested Grebes; 1 Heron; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans trying to cope with simultaneous arrivals of 3 adults from the NE and W! 4 Greylag Geese flew over; 16 Canada Geese flew over as well as the dam-resident bird; 19 Mallard, though again 4 of these seemed to fly off; 7 Tufted Ducks (5 drakes); 2 Ruddy Ducks (1 drake); 9 Moorhens; and 45 Coots - have declined sharply this last week. I logged even fewer Wood Pigeons on passage this morning flying E / SE to the N - just 17. Possible return migrants were 7 groups totalling 34 birds flying high west and north. There were another 104 birds flying over the lake. And 37 in the trees around the lake. A total of 192 birds. The Jackdaws went out in many small groups this morning and there was less of a protracted passage. I logged a respectable 146 [45] birds. Rooks still scarce: just 5 [9] noted [yesterday's totals in brackets]. 7 Starlings recorded; all singles, and 2 of which could perhaps have come from the reeds around the lake. The roost dispersal of Pied Wagtails seems to have stopped: most of the birds logged are singles flying over well after dawn. Conversely the Grey Wagtails are very vocal from a very early time: they also seem to be very mobile - else there are lots of them! The 'passerines' totals from around the lake were: 5 Feral Pigeons; 1 Stock Dove; 192 Wood Pigeons; 1 Collared Dove; no Great Spotted Woodpeckers; 2 Sky Larks; 1 Meadow Pipit; up to 3 Grey Wagtails; 3 Pied Wagtails; 29 Wrens; 9 Dunnocks; 19 Robins; 27 Blackbirds; 31 Fieldfares; 5 Song Thrushes, 4 of which were in song; no Redwings; no Mistle Thrush; 3 Blackcaps; 2 Willow Warblers; 4 Chiffchaffs; 1 Goldcrest; just 2 'parties' of Long-tailed Tits with one bird carrying nesting material - a feather; no Coal Tits; no Willow Tits; 11 Blue Tits; 10 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; at least 12 Magpies; at least 2 Jays; at least 13 Crows; 7 Starlings; 10 Chaffinches; 22 Greenfinches; 3 Goldfinches; 2 Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 2 Bullfinches (both seen flying across the lake); only 3 Reed Buntings; and no Yellowhammers. Mammals: Several Rabbits seen at the lake today (Ed Wilson) 1st April, Saturday - Yet another breezy morning at Priorslee today which nevertheless provided me with a year tick; and then later a site tick. The journey from Newport was on wet roads but still gave me a good log: no [0] Wood Pigeons; 1 [5] Wrens; no [0] Dunnocks; 92 [83] Robins; 65 [57] Blackbirds; 10 [10] Song Thrushes; 0 [1] Blue Tit; 8 [5] Great Tits; and no [0] Magpies [yesterday's totals in brackets]. So the highlight: well the site-tick! Not that exciting but a calling and then running Red-legged Partridge at the W end. And the year-tick: a rather early lone House Martin Summer was indicated by 5 Sand Martins as well as the House Martin; 3 Chiffchaffs and 2 Willow Warblers. Winter visitors still around now restricted to a lone Redwings rather unusually sitting on the top wire of the power lines. Just 2 distant Siskins. Other records of interest were a fly-over Curlew; both Buzzard and Kestrel seen to the NE; 2 Stock Doves flying over; 2 Collared Doves as well; a Kingfisher dashing across the lake and apparently away to the SW; a distant flight view of Great Spotted Woodpecker; a Sky Lark heard and then seen high over the fields to the NE; 2 Meadow Pipits, one of which perched on a tree at the W end allowing examination of its very long 'claws'; and the now usual sightings of what seems to be the same gang of 4 Jays. Very few gulls at the lake: a lone Black-headed Gull at 07:45 for a while. As yesterday there was a good number of Lesser Black-backed Gulls around and I logged exactly 100, mostly flying W to N. Once again none stopped at the lake. And this morning there were at least 14 Black-headed Gulls that flew straight over. My log of the water birds today: no Little Grebes; 6, perhaps 7, Great Crested Grebes; no Heron; no Cormorants; the 2 resident Swans; no Greylag Geese; 8 Canada Geese flying over as well as the dam-resident bird; 18 Mallard, though 4 of them flew off; 9 Tufted Ducks (6 drakes); 1 Ruddy Duck (1 drake); only 5 Moorhens again; 51 Coots. I logged only 52 Wood Pigeons on passage this morning flying E / SE to the N. Possible return migrants were 2 groups totalling just 8 birds flying high west and north. There were another 108 birds flying over the lake. And 16 in the trees around the lake. A total of only 184 birds. The Jackdaws were mainly in a single group, though as that contained only 28 birds I suspect I missed some of the birds. Even with the stragglers I logged just 45 [91] birds. Rooks scarce again with 9 [5] noted [yesterday's totals in brackets]. No Starlings recorded at all. The 'passerines' totals from around the lake were: no Feral Pigeons; 2 Stock Doves; 184 Wood Pigeons; 2 Collared Doves; 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker; 1 Sky Lark; 2 Meadow Pipits; 1 Grey Wagtail; 6 Pied Wagtails; 25 Wrens; 11 Dunnocks; 20 Robins; 27 Blackbirds; no Fieldfare; 7 Song Thrushes,5 of which were in song; 1 Redwing; no Mistle Thrush; no Blackcaps; 2 Willow Warblers; 3 Chiffchaffs (though one was still practising and was a Chiffchiff!); 1 Goldcrest; 4 'parties' of Long-tailed Tits; 1 Coal Tit; 1 Willow Tit; 10 Blue Tits; 6 Great Tits; no Tree Creepers; at least 13 Magpies again; at least 4 Jays; at least 12 Crows; no Starlings; 9 Chaffinches; 10 Greenfinches; 5 Goldfinches; 2 Siskins; no Linnets; no Redpolls; 3 Bullfinches; 5 Reed Buntings; and no Yellowhammers. Mammals: Both Rabbit and Grey Squirrel seen at the lake today. (Ed Wilson) |
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