Tuesday, 19th

At the lake this morning there were:
- Great Crested Grebes in NW area with their 2nd brood of juveniles on the parent's back
- duck Teal with the Mallard
- 2 Common Sandpipers
- 4 Buzzards including a very scruffy and long-tailed juvenile that seemed like a lot of other things!
- male Peregrine (on size) over

(Ed Wilson)

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Monday, 18th

Today
- a big mixed tit and warbler party in the trees in the NW area of the lake with Long-tailed, Coal, Willow, Blue and Great Tits, at least 3 Reed Warblers, a Whitethroat, a juvenile Blackcap and 3 Chiffchaffs (2 in song)
- a total of 11 Chiffchaffs recorded at the lake and The Flash and the pools between
- Willow Warbler in song at The Flash (and at the lake on Sunday)

Up to 6 Reed Warblers have been regular at the lake this last week, mostly away from the reeds themselves and in the bushes around. On Saturday there were 3 working the bushes on the dam-face. On Friday they were working the umbellifers at the W end

Also at the lake recently
- year-tick of Comma butterfly

(Ed Wilson)

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Monday, 11th

- A lone Wheatear

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Saturday, 9th

A visit to the lake and the fields to the E this morning before the rain and wind - indeed not only was there a great fiery sunrise but for a while the lake was wreathed in mist!

Best today was the Peregrine over the lake at 05:35: my 95th species for the year

Other things of interest
- no exodus of gulls from Ricoh this morning, but there were c.70 Black-headed Gulls on the water later
- c.40 House Martins high to the W at 06:40 with a late Swift. Perhaps local birds (16 seen later); but also 14 seen flying purposefully S ahead of the rain
- 1 Song Thrush in full song - rather late?
- 3 Reed Warblers seen
- 4 Common Whitethroats in the lane and copse to the E / SE
- 1 of the 5 Chiffchaffs logged was calling so loudly I wondered what it was until it started to splutter a few song-phrases
- 1 Yellowhammer still in song: I reckon 15 August as my last song date for this species

also
- a Swallow Prominent moth has been on the same light for 4 days now! There were 7 moths on the lights this morning and I am seriously behind in getting these identified from photos taken!
- 'noises off' at the lake suggested fighting Bank Voles - a new mammal for me here

(Ed Wilson)

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Friday, 8th

Rather uninspiring morning at the lake this morning after the overnight rain

- Right at the end as I was leaving a Wheatear flew off the SW grass and on to the hut

- Otherwise the most interesting were the c.350 large gulls that seemed to have roosted in the Ricoh grounds with c.150 Black-headed Gulls and started to leave before 05:00

- At least 6 Chiffchaffs

- No Willow Warblers

- A Blackcap calling at the lake: and at least 3 Reed Warblers remain

(Ed Wilson)

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Tuesday, 5th

Little Grebe and Common Sandpiper at Priorslee Lake.

General
- Geese now flying again - over 200 outbound at the lake this morning, 25 of these Greylags
- Tufted Duck odd birds come and go at the lake
- Lots of Wood Pigeons around - up to 350 over the lake
- No Swifts this week
- Possible migrant party of House Martins over the lake this morning
- Willow Tits heard
- Kingfisher at the lake
- Up to 6 Reed Warblers in the bushes around the lake
- Chiffchaffs calling at both lake

(Ed Wilson)

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Monday, 4th

Little Grebe and Black-tailed Godwit

(Ed Wilson)