Archive News - June 2009

Priorslee Lake

Archive News - June 2009

Monday, 29th

Highlights

- first big roost dispersal of corvids since breeding: >120 Jackdaws and>150 Rooks
- another Siskin over
- Yellowhammer in the fields to the E audible from the dam - my first this season

and
- a large bat (almost fruit-bat sized is seemed) just after sun-up
- Ringlet and Large Skipper were new for me this year
- Cinnabar Moth on one of the lamps and then at least 10 over the grass looking for the Ragwort for their off-spring
- plenty of blue damselflies in the grassy areas to the S
- go and look at the flowers on the dam before the strimmers arrive - Ragwort, Valerian, Ox-eye daisies all looking great

(Ed Wilson)

Sunday, 28th

The Lake, The Flash and Woodhouse Lane area this morning

Highlights
- party of 17 Black-headed Gulls through the lake in the mist before 05:00
- Yellow Wagtail over the fields to the E: my first in the area for some years since they were regular in very small numbers on Spring passage

Otherwise
- the 5 ducklings with their pale mother visible today. She was out of the water and showed some signs of Indian Runner in the structure!
- misty again, but as it lifted c.40 Wood Pigeons visible on the wires to the NE
- Sky Lark heard from over the fields to the E: you can tell it is the weekend and lack of traffic to drown the song (but it was loud and close when I walked the lane)
- Willow Warbler singing here on my first lap and mobile: not heard later. First for several weeks

in the lanes
- 3 Common Whitethroats in song: no calling birds so assume first brood all fledged and birds getting on with 2nd brood
- 3 Redpolls over

Ed Wilson

Saturday, 27th

Highlights this morning
- 2 Redshank flushed from the dam at the lake
- small influx of Tufted Duck: 2(1) at the lake
- Nuthatch again at the lake - seen in flight along the S side today
but
- none of the Mallard ducklings was seen at the lake

Otherwise
- a first-year Swan caused the residents to swing in to action to see it off
- after several days with reduced numbers all 7 extant juvenile Coots seen at once
- 78 Wood Pigeons counted on the wires to the NE of the lake: visibility too poor to see any movement out of Wards Rough
- very few hirundines etc. - in fact a single Swallow!
- 2 Common Whitethroats in song again, but in very different locations: new site for second brood?
and
- still more Spotted Orchid spikes appearing: searched without success for the Bee Orchids
- 3 moths on the lamps: a Willow Beauty and 2 Scoparia-type micro moths that defy my identification powers
- apart from the usual grass moths flushed what seemed to be a Codling Moth flew off - unable to get a photo of it to confirm
- a Meadow Brown butterfly flying in rather unlikely dull and damp conditions, though they don't need sun to fly like most butterflies

en route to The Flash
- another Willow Beauty moth: sheltering in the footpath tunnel
- a grass moth resting on one of the lamps: infrequently seen at light

(Ed Wilson)

Friday, 26th

After 2 days off doing other things back to the lake and The Flash this morning

Highlights
- some movement of Tufted Ducks: 2 flew W low across the lake at 05:12; and then a pair flew in from the E at 07:06. In addition to the pair at The Flash a single drake already in eclipse plumage flew in at 06:25
- at least 174 Wood Pigeons flew out of the Wards Rough area to the E of the lake: early for parties of this species?
- at least 11 and possibly as many as 17 Mistle Thrushes flew out of the trees in the Ricoh grounds: this seems rather early for the post-breeding gatherings and only a few days after I heard one singing. Also my first 'gathering' at the lake

Otherwise
at the lake where there is now some extensive areas of weed on the surface
- juvenile Reed Warblers seen
- Chiffchaffs started calling as well as singing - juveniles?
- Willow Tits been very noticeable recently and today bird(s) heard at both ends of the lake
- first decent early passage of Jackdaws since breeding season: counted 66 including a group of 23
- finches suddenly stopped singing: neither Chaffinch or Greenfinch in song and Greenfinch not recorded here at all (there were 2 Chaffinches at The Flash though)
and
- carp spawning again

walking between the lake and Priorslee Flash
- juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker by the Priorslee Avenue bridge
- >20 male Blackbirds noted all busy collecting food: no accurate counts made recently but seemed much higher than usual
and
- another May Highflyer moth on one of the lamps

(Ed Wilson)

Tuesday, 23rd

The lake, Woodhouse Lane area, The Flash and Trench Lock on a warm, humid and latterly cloudy morning

Unusual were records of Great Spotted Woodpeckers at the lake; between the lake and The Flash and in the lanes to the W - all on the same day

Notably not seen (for some days) are the Swallows that seem to nest close to both the lake and The Flash and usually commute to feed: perhaps the first brood has fledged and they are away teaching hunting skills elsewhere?

Otherwise
at the lake
- 6 Great Crested Grebes, perhaps even a 7th. The pair with the rapidly-growing juvenile were teaching it how to fish by dropping their catch just short of the juvenile and forcing it to give chase
- 18 Mallard: the strange-coloured duck with the 5 almost-grown juveniles (duckling seems inappropriate!) saw off a threatened attack from one of the Coots!
- 3 drake Tufted Ducks throughout: these stayed very much together but already have failed the 'bread test'!
- 2 single Black-headed Gulls with one adult pausing for a while; 3 single Lesser Black-backed gulls over
- a party of >60 Wood Pigeons flushed from Wards Rough at 05:15: by what
- just 2 Swifts seen: one far to the E behaving most oddly repeatedly apparently stooping on something such that I thought initially it was a Hobby (or even a Merlin). But Swift it was: what was it doing?
- very few Robins in song now but when I did my tally more than usual - the juveniles now calling
- male Blackbird seen carrying nesting material - late?
- Lesser Whitethroat seen carrying food - 2nd brood?
- Common Whitethroat again in full display flight at W end
- smashing views of family party of just-fledged Blackcaps with yellow gapes

and
- 3 moths this morning: well 2 really as yesterday's Grey Pug was an empty shell! A fine specimen of Figure of Eighty moth - a poplar feeder - was my first here. The other another May Highflyer

between the lake and The Flash
- 3 Mistle Thrushes in flight, apparently sparring and making a rather strangulated version of the 'rattle' call
- juvenile Bullfinch seen by the upper pool, apparently on its own

in the Woodhouse Lane area: very quiet
- Jackdaw flushed out of the same tree in the lane again: still cannot decide if there is a nest here
- 1 Linnet in flight

and
- the only damselfly of the morning over the fields!

(Ed Wilson)

Monday, 22nd

Drizzle and some mist at the lake and The Flash: better by the time I got to Trench

Two unexpected sightings
- a rather tatty (moulting?) drake Pochard on the lake from 07:00 at least is another unseasonal record
- a Nuthatch working its way down the Teece Drive trees past the gate was only my second-ever record of this species around the lake - Tree Creeper much more common

Otherwise
at the Lake
- 5 adult Great Crested Grebes for a while, though 1 then disappeared to leave the 2 pairs in a territorial dispute with the juvenile (now capable of diving) watching
- 3 Black-headed Gulls present on buoys by 04:45. All looked like adults at rest but at least one was a 2nd year bird when they left at 04:55.
Another(?) adult at 07:25
- a scruffy and faded immature gull over at 04:55 seemed to be an immature Herring Gull, but hard to be certain
- the Buzzard on the road-sign in the Ricoh grounds again
- after several weeks of almost no sightings at least 7 Greenfinches this morning

and
- several Straw Dot moths amongst the hordes of grass moths flushed
- most of the lamps guarded by spiders but a Grey Pug on one surround was new for the year

between the lake and The Flash
- 3 Great Spotted Woodpeckers in formation down Teece Drive
and
- a swarm of bees near the lower pool was the first I have seen for years

(Ed Wilson)

Sunday, 21st

- Buzzard sitting on different road-sign in the Ricoh grounds this morning
- 2 Common Whitethroats in song at W end - 1 even doing song-flights (as well as the singing Lesser Whitethroat)

and
- more moths at the lights: another(?) Common Marbled Carpet and a Light-brown Apple Moth
- lots of grass-moths of at least 2 species being flushed as I walked through the long (wet!) SW grass

(Ed Wilson)

Saturday, 20th

after just 1 lap of the lake I was off elsewhere (bus spotting in deepest Herefordshire - Red Kite too)

Today two laps of the lake

Best of the 2 days were the 3 very unseasonal Siskins that flew over the lake this morning - suggests breeding nearby?

Otherwise
- 2 different drake Tufted Ducks, briefly
- 4 Black-headed Gulls with 2 adults low W over the lake; and then a first-year bird on the water briefly. How soon before the first juvenile?
- single House Martin: seem scarce this year perhaps because very few over the main Priorslee estate. I suspect that as the gardens mature, trees and bushes are blocking their upward swoop to their nest-sites rather than, necessarily, indicating a population fall
- a Pied Wagtail heard in flight: they are very scarce at the lake at the moment (though at The Flash most days)
- a Mistle Thrush singing in the distance: first song here for some weeks
- the Garden Warbler in the copse to the E was singing so loudly it could be clearly heard from the dam-top (but the light weekend traffic would have helped)
- one of the 8 singing Blackcaps was emitting unusually long and flowing song-segments without ever sounding quite like a Garden Warbler: but prompted me to eyeball it to check it out

and
- several moths on the lights: a Common Marbled Carpet and a Scoparia-type
(part of a very confusing group)

(Ed Wilson)

Friday, 19th

Not much to report again: the bird-song is fading away rapidly now. A 'fresh-feeling' morning with brisk NW wind

Did the usual 2 laps of the lake and walk to The Flash and back: and also walked down Woodhouse Lane to the E

Notes from the day
At the lake
- 5 adult and 1 juveniles Great Crested Grebe: not quite sure where the 'extra' adult came from - or went, as later there were some swimmers that seemed to disperse some of the birds
- 1 Cormorant appeared low over the lake and circled once before leaving to the N
- 2 Canada Geese thoughout resisting very half-hearted attempts to chase them off by the cob Swan
- only 5 juvenile coots (from 3 broods) evident this morning: may be the windy conditions
- almost 50 Wood Pigeons counted leaving the Wards Rough area to the NE at 04:50 was an unseasonal sight
- 2 Swifts had arrived by 04:45 to feed in the lee of the N-side poplars: these were joined by c.20 others at 04:55, but they all sped off W soon after. Later several groups of 1 - 3 birds appeared briefly

and
- the main collection of orchid spikes in the NE area is now visible, though this year they are very overgrown with brambles and rather weak and faded
- 2 of the larger spotted orchid spikes seem to have been cut

in Woodhouse Lane area
- a just-about fledged Pheasant (I think) flushed from under my feet
- several juvenile Whitethroats

but
- no singing Sky Larks; and no Linnets seen either

and
- several very attractive Yellow Shell moths disturbed from day-roosts along the road-side hedges
- good collection of wild flowers in these hedges

(Ed Wilson)

Thursday, 18th

After a few days away in Paris watching the silver birds at the Airshow it was back to the lake (2 laps); The Flash; and Trench Lock

Nothing of stunning import
- loose group of 10 large gulls over largest number for a while
- 10 Reed Warblers heard in song with 2 birds in very different locations - 1 on S side; and 1 in NE area
- Lesser Whitethroat singing away at the W end: assume this is between broods?
- Common Whitethroat adult scolding in the same hedge less than 20' away
- 2 Garden Warblers singing away
- 7 Blackcaps logged: 6 in song

also
- a fox
- 4 more orchid spikes: some very photogenic now
- a very cooperative Robber Fly allowed a very close-up photo to be taken
- an equally cooperative toad
- a Painted Lady butterfly flying before 06:00

on the way to the Flash
- a Heart & Dart moth in the tunnel
- what looked rather like Koi Carp in the lower pool taking the bird-food
from the Coots (2 adults and 4 juveniles)

(Ed Wilson)

Thursday, 11th

Nothing of stunning import and nothing directly attributable to the storm yesterday. Small passage of Lesser Black-backed Gulls (10); and many more Wood Pigeons (81 logged), but hardly the sort of numbers seen in winter

Best was another 'out-of-season' Sand Martin (with rather few other hirundines) at 08:20. Not aware of any local breeding that would account for this record

Otherwise

- 7 Greylag Geese flew W at 07:15: my first for some weeks
- 2 Canada Geese landed but the Swan saw them off quickly; 23 more over so not all moulting
- the Buzzard sitting on the give way to oncoming vehicles sign in the Ricoh grounds again: when a tug appeared it flew off and sat in the poplars alongside the M54
- after weeks of very few records at least 3 Kestrels today with male and female hovering over the grass at each end of the lake; and then a juvenile female (on size) chasing the adult male
- a Magpie still attacking the ever-expanding dead fish - suspected carp and
- one the fishermen landed a fine 16lb specimen of carp which I photographed before he returned it to the lake

in the Woodhouse Lane area
- what I assume were very young Pheasants almost ran over my feet when I stopped at a rustling noise in the grass verge. Not sure I know how to tell very small pheasant and partridge apart and no adults noted! Scurried off as I raised the camera ...
- Lesser Whitethroat singing in the hedge along the lane for a while: went back toward Wards Rough later
- Common Whitethroat seen carrying food
- the Garden Warbler still loudly and persistently singing by the sluice exit: quiet / gone around the lake

and
- several Painted Lady butterflies drying out after the deluge
- a few Silver-ground Carpet moths flushed

(Ed Wilson)

Wednesday, 10th

Another rather dull day both weather- and bird-wise in the area this morning. 2 early laps of the lake with the customary walk to The Flash and back. And then Trench Lock

Only thing to pull out for special note was the amazing 'Chiffchiff' at the lake: sufficiently bored that I counted the 'chiffs' - after I started the count there were 53 consecutive 'chiffs' before it stopped for breath!

- a Wood Pigeon seen carrying a stick for the second day: the whole nest done!
- 12 Swifts flew through during a brief gap in the lowest cloud at 07:15 - they were cloud-hopping just in and out of the bases and moving fast W
- Lesser Whitethroat heard in song - but perhaps a different bird as it was some way to the SW of the usual location and deep within the Ricoh grounds. Hard to hear at all above even the limited traffic at 05:30
- Willow Warbler still singing intermittently

and
- a May Highflyer moth on one of the lamps: suspect the poor numbers recently are in part due to the new bulbs with a different colour spectrum

en route to The Flash
- the Moorhens on the lower pool seem to be feeding exclusively on the grass between the pool and the road: the juveniles will wander off and get run-over - not for the first time!
- one of the local Blackbirds seems to like being flushed through the tunnel so it cam make a nice loud alarm call: like a small child!

and
- a Silver-ground Carpet on one of the lamps: this moth is easy to disturb during the day and does not readily come to light

(Ed Wilson)

Tuesday, 9th

Hard work this morning to dig much of interest out as we head for the 'dead' time of year. 2 laps of the lake with The Flash in between and the second extended to Woodhouse Lane area

Best this morning was a mammal: a rather scratty-looking presumed juvenile fox seen crossing Teece Drive. Had a long thin tail - not a Basil Brush relative! - and seemed confused as to whether he should chase the Wood Pigeons on the ground, deal with the annoying mobbing Magpies or worry about this rather close human. In the end it ran off!

Otherwise
At the lake
- after 6 days 2 now well-grown Coot juveniles have re-appeared at the W end: now 8 juveniles from 4 broods
- Reed Warblers suddenly become very visible with some of the 7 singing birds on tops of the reeds; and at least 3 others feeding in the (relatively) open
- Willow Warbler singing from 2 different locations this morning: presumed a male trying to find a mate!
- juvenile tits seem to be growing fast - reached the 'teenage' stage and late getting up!
- still low numbers of Greenfinches: none at the lake! (1 family party at The Flash; and 2 singing birds in the lanes)
and
- the dead fish swelling nicely and had a Magpie standing on it pecking away: I hope it gets a faceful!
- the orchid that was missing yesterday refound: trampled. A quite splendid new specimen located in another new area. But cannot see any Bee Orchids at the moment

(Ed Wilson)

Monday, 8th

Another day; damp and cool and breezy.

Best of a rather uninteresting day were the 9 Swifts which, together with a single House Martin(!), powered through W juts before 05:00. No more hirundines etc. seen until after 07:00

Another 'one that got away': what seemed to be a small pigeon/dove flushed out of the large ash tree in the NW corner of the lake. This is where my last 2 records of Turtle Dove were seen (but also where Stock Dove has bred)

Otherwise

- at last the Great Crested Grebe juvenile seen in the water, but just the one and not until after 10:00 on my way back from town
- resident cob Swan quickly saw off the immature bird that arrived at 07:00
- another new-to-me brood of Coot with just 2 juveniles some days old along the N side. The 5th brood here so far? 7 extant juveniles
- Buzzard seen perched on a road sign in the Ricoh grounds: often seen just W / NW I suspect nesting alongside Teece Drive
- 4 Chiffchaffs singing: one almost exclusively a 'chiffing' bird; another more 'chaff' than 'chiff'!

and
- I found yet another location with a Spotted Orchid: but one of the original spikes has vanished - both the spike and the plant apparently, but no obvious sign of removal

(Ed Wilson)

Sunday, 7th

Another, eventually, wet morning in the Priorslee area; breezy and chilly too

The only really interesting observation was one or more parties of House Martins: 7 seen over the lake at the unusually early time of 05:03; then at 05:18 8 birds were flying high E with 4 Swifts all looking as if they were going somewhere (Africa?!); but at 05:37 9 birds were high over the NE end; up to 15 were feeding low over the water in the shelter of the NE trees at 07:15 were more typical. Most odd

Otherwise
at the lake
- the pair of Great Crested Grebes returned to the NW area after some days in the SW area: stayed asleep throughout. The N side pair have yet to put their juvenile(s) in the water - can only see 1 now
- 3 cygnets and 5 ducklings all doing well
- only 5 juvenile Coots this morning (2 broods)
- 2 Chiffchaffs singing - both 'normal' birds
- Willow Warbler again in song: in a different place to the bird(s) heard yesterday

and
- a dead fish in the water: too far out to wade out and investigate but one of the fishermen suspected a carp. After the spawning (last week) there are usually a few deaths
- found another Spotted Orchid in quite a new location

between the lake and The Flash
- pair of Mallard seen mating on the lower pool: rather late? many of the drakes are going in to eclipse now
- family party of Blackcaps around the bridge under Priorslee Avenue again

(Ed Wilson)

Saturday, 6th

As a concession to the rain I started later, but did the usual 2 laps and walk to The Flash. A very brief stop later at Trench all to see what the rain had brought down

I have heard it said that there is no such thing as the wrong kind of weather only the wrong kind of clothes: I had the wrong kind of clothes!

There were a few things
- 2 Common Terns at the lake by 08:15 still present at 08:50 but as the local water-skiing club were in the water in their wet suits for the annual 'dip' to put all the buoys back where they belong I doubt they stayed much longer!

but
- very few hirundines and no Swifts

Otherwise
at the lake
- 2 Willow Warblers in song this morning - or one bird that flew across the lake? (but no Chiffchaffs heard at all here)
- Willow Tits in with the big N side tit party again

(Ed Wilson)

Friday, 5th

Back to more normal watching: 2 laps of the lake with The Flash in between; and then Trench as a postscript

Highlight was a Common Sandpiper at the lake: a very strange date and one is tempted to ask whether it was going N or S! Perhaps a wandering local bird from the Severn? Flew off high SE 07:35

Otherwise
At the lake
- now just 2 broods of Coot with just 6 juveniles; 28 adults suggest a start to the post-breeding influx
- Lapwing seen over again, briefly
- something odd with the Wood Pigeons: parties of 13 and 23 flushed by something to the E and flew over W-bound; then 31 seen on the wires to the NE. Seemed to be all adults
- the strange Whitethroat continues to bemuse, starting its typical song with an extended series of rich notes more typical of Garden Warbler - but only at first light. Later sang normally!
- after days with only 1 or 2 Chiffchaffs in intermittent song there were 4 singing most of the while today. 2 of these very distinctive: one appears only to know half its name and is a chiff-chiff-chiff-chiff; the other has a hic-cup in the 'chaff' and also spends some of the time singing at double-speed
- a Willow Warbler new / back: singing in the SW area
- better than recent Corvid passage (though many probably pass before I arrive): 37 Jackdaws and 43 Rooks. Some very scruffy as they moult with 1 bird in such heavy wing-moult it was having to flap at twice speed to keep up!

and
- what appeared to have been a dog wandering about at 04:30 - glimpsed, but did not look like a fox
- moles have been busy in NW / W area: unusual in this part of the lake

(Ed Wilson)

Thursday, 4th

A short update from my brief visit to Priorslee Lake only this morning

- 5 ducklings with the rather wayward-looking Mallard duck still doing well
- single drake Tufted Duck took off at 04:55 and circled around and headed off to the SE
- at least 12 Swifts feeding around the N side Poplar trees when I arrived at 04:30, but gone by 05:00
- noisy Willow Tits with juveniles in a large mixed tit party
- 3 different male Bullfinches

(Ed Wilson)

Wednesday, 3rd

Priorslee update mainly covering today (with a few notes about Sunday, Monday and Tuesday: no visit Saturday)

Overall the volume of song has declined markedly and many juveniles are now evident - tits of course, but Lesser Whitethroat and Blackcap as well

Today it was the usual 2 laps of the lake; and The Flash; then Trench

Highlight was the 2 species of wader at the lake
- a Lapwing flushed from the SW grass at 04:45 - flew off towards the NE where they were displaying last month
- a/the Oystercatcher flushed from the dam at 05:15 - it circled, calling and then flew off high E

With the first cloud for some days there were many more 'hirundines' about
- Swifts: c.10
- Swallows: local birds seen
- House Martins: 2 at the lake

Otherwise
- the Great Crested Grebe pair in the NE area have at least 2 juveniles riding on Mum's back. The pair from the NW area are not evident early and then presumably the birds that appear later near the 'pier'. No sign of young
- another rather unseasonal record of a Cormorant over (one visited on Sunday when another flew over)
- (Tufted Duck drake seen in flight on Sunday: seemed to be repositioning on the water, but not seen again)
- 3 broods of Coot: at least 2 others still sitting
- (on Monday a 1st summer Black-headed Gull was the first on the lake for a while - in fact it was sitting on one of the 'Deep Water' signs and when flushed only flew around until it could return)
- a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls over - as there have been most days
- Wood Pigeons have suddenly started to sit on the wires to the E / NE: why? Does not look suitable for feeding
- at least 1 Reed Warbler moved out of the reeds and singing from the woodland: but 8 seems to be the number of singing males
- the strange Whitethroat has now added calls of Swift and Yellow Wagtail to its list of immitations
- noisy tit-parties include Willow Tits in the NW area
- the sparrow-like calls (need these for the site year-list) turned out to be juvenile Chaffinches begging!
- several moths on the lamps. Generally few this year, I wonder if an effect of the new low-energy bulbs being used? (a fine Buff Ermine on Tuesday and a scatter of day-flying Silver-ground Carpet moths flushed most days)

(Ed Wilson)