Wednesday, 25th
- An Oystercatcher over the lake this morning,
- Also from this morning over 300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls flew E with at
least 3 Herring Gulls and a probable Yellow-legged Gull in amongst them
- Sudden dearth of warblers: the Sedge Warbler has stopped singing; just 1
intermittent Reed Warbler; and only 3 Blackcaps. No Chiffchaffs singing,
but 4 calling
- 4 Sand Martins flew S
(Ed Wilson)
Top
Tuesday, 24th
- The NW Great Crested Grebes have at least 2 juveniles, still hiding on Mum's back in the reeds.
- Best today were 'out of place' ie away from any nest sites and non-singing - Lesser Whitethroat, Garden Warbler and Willow Warbler (Ed Wilson) Top
Sunday, 22nd (7:30pm - 8:40pm) Evening Log
Narrative:
After a pretty wet 48 hours the rain decided to stop and I took the opportunity to visit the Lake this evening. The water level in Wesley Brook was up to the bridge and the water lying on the footpath either side was evidence enough that it had burst its banks over the weekend.
Highlight
No real highlights this evening though the sight of an adult Great Crested Grebe carrying a small fish back towards Wesley Reedbeds was a good sign and the juvenile up by the dam with an adult was proof that at least two pairs have bred here this year.
Birds seen:
Great Crested Grebe 4 - An adult with food just off Wesley Reedbeds, an adult just off the southbank and an adult with a juvenile along the dam.
Mute Swan 6 - The 2 Adults and 4 juveniles were just off the dam, They are now 10 weeks old (hatched 12 May 07)
Mallard 52 - Mostly up by the dam
Coot 31 - including a juvenile
Wood Pigeon present
Swift 1 - A single bird flew east over the northbank but didn't stop.
Great Spotted Woodpecker 1 - A single bird flew south over the lake and motorway into Stafford Park
House Martins 10 appeared over the lake at 08:20pm and another 9 arrived at 08:30pm
Pied Wagtail 1 flew west along the southbank at 8:28pm and another a minute later
Jackdaw 1 - Flew north at 8:05pm
Rook 5 - one flew south at 08:05 and 4 headed north at 08:06
Magpie present
Wren present
Dunnock present
Reed Warbler present
Sedge Warbler present including one in the RICOH hedge
Blackcap 2 - North Bank Wood and Wesley Wood
Willow Warbler 1 - One seen alongside the reeds on the northbank
Chiffchaff 1 - In Wesley Wood
Goldcrest 2 - In Wesley Wood
Robin Present
Blackbird present
Song Thrush 3 - All singing - 2 on northbank and one in the SW corner.
Blue Tit present
Great Tit present
Long-tailed Tit a small party in Wesley Wood
Goldfinch 3
Linnet 2 - a pair flew southeast
Reed Bunting Male singing from the SE Wood
Mammals:
Long-tailed Field Mouse - by the footpath gate in the NE Wood
Rabbit - By the yacht club
Fish:
Carp - A very large carp jumped out of the water by the overflow and scattered the Coot.
Plants:
Orchids 2 Species still now in flower - Bee Orchid and Common Spotted Orchid
Blackberries- A few ripe berries by the Oak tree Bridge on the northbank
Fungi - possibly Fawn Pluteus
(Martin Adlam)
Top Saturday, 21st (Morning)
At a wet lake this morning an adult summer plumage Kittiwake for c.30 minutes
The Great Crested Grebes in the NW reeds now have young - new today? Only
1 seen lurking on the parent's back, but time will tell!
Still 2 very loud Sedge Warblers singing: 1 in the Ricoh hedge. Bred here
this year
Other recent sightings
- a few Common Sandpipers - max 2
- a reasonably regular Barn Owl - but you need to be there at 04:00!
- a Tawny Owl in the copse across the Castle Farm Way
(Ed Wilson)
Top Friday, 20th
Flushed a Wheatear off the S side grass - all my previous sightings have been on the dam
(Ed Wilson)
Top
Wednesday, 18th (4:50pm)
Just arrived back from Scotland and as I passed the lake I could see the Mute Swans and their 4 offspring, so good news there. Also a Buzzard passed overhead.
Scotland trip was excellent with 92 species including:
Just click on images to enlarge . Osprey at Spey Bay (feeding on flatfish)
. a Chiloe Wigeon (escapee but been present for 5 years now at Kingston)
. and Black Guillemot on the water at Greenock (west of Glasgow) with I think a lamprey? Ugly thing whatever it was.
. and a parent bringing it to the nest in the Harbour wall.
(Martin Adlam)
Top Friday 13th
- a Hobby over the Lake
(Ed Wilson)
Top Wednesday, 11th
- 5 Shelduck that flew over this morning
(Ed Wilson)
Top Sunday, 8th (3:45pm)
A Fox ran out from the northeast corner of the lake and shot across Castle Farm Way into the fields.
Top Saturday, 7th (6:15am - 7:30am) Morning Log
Weather
At long last Summer is here!!!!!! This morning the sky was cloudless and a very pleasant 14C. There was a slight NW breeze but the main thing was it was SUNNY and how many times have we been able to say that in the past 6 to 8 weeks.
Narrative
The most noticeable sight this morning is just how green everything is, which is hardly surprising. There were plenty of birds to see with a lot of juveniles around the lake. In particular Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Blackcaps.
Highlights:
The main highlight this morning had to be the flock of 34 Long-tailed Tits that came up the embankment from Wesley Reedbeds and landed in the alders behind me. in amongst them were 8 Great Tits, 5 Blue Tits, a Chiffchaff and a Blackcap. Other highlights included a drake Ruddy Duck just off the slipway and a large count of 19 Wrens including some youngsters by the gate in the NE wood.
Species number narrative
Great Crested Grebe 4 - An adult with a juvenile in the NE bay, an adult in the SE Bay and another adult just off Wesley Reedbeds.
Mute Swan 6 - The adults and 4 cygnets were resting up by the slipway
Mallard 25 - A majority of the drake are in moult. There was a duck with 2 ducklings just off the southbank.
Ruddy Duck 1 - A drake just off the slipway
Sparrowhawk 2 - Possibly the same bird seen over Wesley Wood
Moorhen 2 - One just off the southbank and the other in the NE Bay
Coot 28 - 25 adults and 3 juveniles
Wood Pigeon - Present in small numbers around the lake
Feral Pigeons 3 - Three Racing Pigeons flew NW across the lake
Skylark 1 - Singing above Castle Farm Way
Grey Wagtail 1- One on the dam
Swallow 4 - Above Wesley Wood
House Martin 5 - Above Wesley Wood
Wren 19 - Quite a high count plus a few youngsters by the gate in the NE Wood
Dunnock 8 - mainly along the northbank
Robin 7 - All around the lake plus a couple of youngsters in the NE Wood
Blackbird 4 - All males
Song Thrush 1 - South Bank hedge
Mistle Thrush 1 - SE Hedge
Blackcap 10 - Males singing in Wesley Wood, NE Wood, Northbank and Southbank bushes. Also juveniles all along the northbank.
Garden Warbler 1 - Seen by the fallen Fir tree on the northbank
Reed Warbler - Present in Wesley Reedbeds, NE Reedbeds and Northbank Reedbeds
Sedge Warbler - Present in Wesley Reedbeds, NE Reedbeds and Northbank Reedbeds. Also seen in the Blackthorn in the NE wood
Chiffchaff 4 - 2 Northbank, 1 NE Wood and 1 in Wesley Wood
Goldcrest 2 - In Teece Drive
Long-tailed Tit 34 - On the West bank
Blue Tit 10 -
Great Tit 15 -
Magpie 6
Carrion Crow 1
Chaffinch 2
Greenfinch 3
Goldfinch 1
Bullfinch 1 - A male along the RICOH hedge
Reed Bunting 5 - Males singing from Wesley Reedbeds, Northbank and NE Bay
Butterflies
Ringlet 1 - In the NE Wood
Small Tortoiseshell1 - Seen on the Southbank
Mammals:
Rabbits 6 - 3 Adults and 3 youngsters by the yacht club
(Martin Adlam)
Top
Thursday, 5th (10:35 - 15:30)
The day started fine weather wise but
deteriorated rapidly. Despite the wet weather though, the Shropshire Wildlife Trust braved the wet and windy conditions and carried out a botanical survey of the lake. I caught up with Viv Geen, Jane, Miranda, Lou and Brian in the NE Wood and we made our way along the northbank towards Wesley Wood and then up onto the west bank.
 Shropshire Wildlife Trust - Botanical Group (Click on image to enlarge)
I wouldn't even hazard a guess at the numbers of plants they found, but these guys really know their stuff and names like Brooklyme Speedwell, Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil, False Foxes Sedge and Square-stalked St. John's-wort were just a few of the unusually named plants that we have at the lake. Highlight of the day had to go to the Bee Orchid with 5 located around the lake and the Common Spotted Orchid lived up to its name, with at least 25 found. Unfortunately we were unable to locate Southern Marsh Orchid this year. The SWT carry out botanical surveys on a regular basis and on behalf of FoPL I would just like to thank them for carrying out one on our new Wildlife Site. I learnt a great deal. The results will be out later in the year, but I did manage to photograph a few of the plants and hopefully I shall a few of them on the website soon.
On the bird front I did manage to log a few whilst I was walking around the Lake and these are a few I managed to hear or see:
Great Crested Grebe 1 - An adult just off Wesley Reedbeds
Mute Swan 6 - 2 Adults and the 4 youngsters
Mallard - Present
Coot - Present
Moorhen - Present
Buzzards 1 - Glided over Wesley Wood
Wood Pigeon - Present
House Martins - 2
Swallow - 1
Magpie - Present
Wren - Present
Dunnock - Present
Blackbird and Song Thrush
- Present
Sedge and Reed Warblers - Present in Wesley and Northbank Reedbeds.
Blackcap 1 - Calling from the NE Wood
Goldcrest - Along the northbank at two locations
Reed Bunting Male singing from the Northbank Reedbed
Insects:
Butterflies:
Ringlet - Just about everywhere
(Martin Adlam)
Top
Wednesday, 4th (19:40 - 20:15)
One of these days I will get to walk around the Lake to do a decent log, unfortunately there never ever seems to be enough hours in the day at the moment. However just standing by the layby it was possible to see and hear a few of the species on and around the lake.
Talking to one of the anglers on the Lake this evening I suddenly realised that I had made a big boo boo with a report I had made concerning the Mute Swans last month (9th June). It seems that when I was told that a Canadian had been pinned to the ground by the Cob, it was in fact a Canada Goose and not a passerby from Canada. Oh well we all make mistakes and to be honest with you the Cob has been very protective of his family this year, so I could have believed it. Made for an interesting story for a few weeks. I haven't changed it but made a reference to this page instead.
Tomorrow morning, weather permitting, Shropshire Wildlife Trust are carrying out a botanical survey around the lake. This is a unique opportunity to assess what plants we have at the lake and hopefully I will be able to photograph and have a name for them all. With at least 3 species of Orchid present, I'm really looking forward to finding out whether we have any other rare or exotic plants on our Wildlife Site.
Today's short log was:
Great Crested Grebe 2 - An adult and a juvenile in tow in the NE bay
Mute Swan 6 - 2 Adults and the 4 youngsters up on the bank by the boaters slipway
Mallard - Present and mostly in the NE Bay and along the dam
Coot - Present around the lake
Wood Pigeon present
Swift 5 - All over the dam
House Martins 2 - Over the NE Woods
Magpie present
Reed Bunting Male singing from the Northbank Reedbed (Martin Adlam)
Top
Sunday, 1st (13:50)
A quick stop at the layby this afternoon, just off Castle Farm Way. The weather wasn't too bad for a change and there were one or two birds around.
Great Crested Grebe 2 - An adult and a juvenile in tow. Didn't see any other Grebes on the lake.
Mute Swan 6 - 2 Adults and the 4 youngsters which are now 7 weeks old and doing really well.
Mallard 11 - Mostly in the NE Bay and along the dam
Coot 17 - around the lake
Moorhen 2 - In the NE Reedbeds
Buzzards 2 - A pair drifting over Wesley Wood
Wood Pigeon present
Swift 3
House Martins 3
Magpie present
Grey Wagtail - An adult flew south along the dam when I arrived
Wren present
Dunnock present
Blackcap 1 - Calling from the NE Wood
Reed Bunting Male singing from the Northbank Reedbed
Insects:
Emperor Dragonfly - One seen hawking along the dam (Click here for more info on Emperor Dragonflies)
(Martin Adlam)
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