Friday, 30th

Priorslee Flash -

Afternoon
No sign of the Wryneck at 12:19 (Paul King)

Morning
*** Highlight was the Wryneck seen - a Shropshire and Year-tick for me***
An adult Wryneck, popped up on a wall while I was walking along the footpath along the West side of The Flash at c.09:45. I managed a quick record shot and when I looked up from the camera the bird had gone - probably dropped in to the garden the other side. The gardens are higher than the path so looking over the wall is not
possible. Hung around for some 10 minutes but nothing appeared. Could still be in area? (Ed Wilson) For further information on Wrynecks Click Here

Wryneck (Ed Wilson) 

Otherwise at The Flash
- 3 Great Crested Grebe juveniles growing fast: an additional immature today cygnets in formation flight again, lake and island heaving with geese: at least 84 Greylags and 338 Canadas, but probably more in the island. Where would the rest of the Greylag flock have gone?, very low count of Mallard: just 13 logged (ignoring the obvious feral birds), 42 Tufted Duck, perhaps the number of geese deters the gulls: just 1 Black-headed Gull, Grey Wagtails back here now, 4 Chiffchaffs here, one in song

Priorslee Lake - immature Little Grebe was new in, another large count of Greylag Geese: 156 logged outbound; the single inbound party was estimated at c.170, very scattered Canada Geese outbound and inbound flights and some seen arriving back towards The Flash from the North, immature / eclipse drake Shoveler still here, 2 Pochard and 24 Tufted Duck, another good passage of Pied Wagtails with at least 26 logged: most of these flying S in small groups - an usual direction as typically roost dispersal is from the WSW (the Town Centre?) or SE (the M-way services?), small decline in Chiffchaff numbers: 8 only this morning (3 in song). No other warblers, high number of Rooks again: 273 logged. Jackdaws must be using alternative flight paths at the moment with just 69 logged
but
no moths at all on the lamps not that surprising after a clear night (Ed Wilson)

Thursday 29th

Priorslee Lake - today's diurnal migration totals affected by the clear blue sky above a haze layer making sight difficult; and the light S wind bringing M-way vehicle noise making sound equally challenging: I managed 5 Swallows (the first for nearly a week); 4 Sky Larks; 8 Meadow Pipits; 41 Pied Wagtails; 1 Siskin and 4 Redpolls (though these were in the alders along Teece Drive)
otherwise
now 4 Great Crested Grebe immatures: are these the local birds returned? if so where have they been!, the immature / eclipse drake Shoveler seen Tuesday here again: seems to be the same bird, 2 Pochard and 32 Tufted Duck, though 8 of these left well before dawn, a female Kestrel seen: the first since the pylons and wires to the E were removed, [Common Sandpiper seems to have gone], better corvid passage with 269 Rooks (but only 85 Jackdaws)
and
another single moth only (still to be identified), several Lacewings on the lamps: the first I can recall this year (Ed Wilson)

Wednesday, 28th

Priorslee Lake - another misty start: as the weather cleared some diurnal movement logged: 2 Sky Larks, 3 Meadow Pipits, 26 Pied Wagtails flying S, 2 Siskins and 2 Redpolls (at least 5 more Siskins in a mixed party with Goldfinches that were probably not actively migrating)
otherwise
an additional immature Great Crested Grebe, just about able to make out most of outbound geese - a new record 142 Greylags; and at least 320 Canadas (the inbound figures were 134 and c.380 respectively), Common Sandpiper still here [its last day], low number of gulls still: just c.40 Black-headed Gulls and 16 larger gulls, mostly over, 45 Robins noted in song this morning: an exceptional count, 33 Greenfinches: the roost seems to have moved to the E side of the football field and I may have missed some
and
at least one bat: not affected by the mist, provided its food is flying! and another new moth for the year-list on the lamps - Sallow (Ed Wilson)

Tuesday, 27th

Priorslee Lake - rather little seen today with a very foggy start. As the cloud started to break after 08:30 a small movement of 13 Meadow Pipits, 3 Redpoll and a Siskin over
otherwise
2 Cormorants over as the cloud lifted: did not visit, all 5 cygnets present again, though one does wander off, geese lost in the fog and flying to and fro when they should have been outbound: nevertheless 90 Greylags and c.323 Canada Geese made it inbound later, 33 Tufted Duck the best count of the season, Common Sandpiper still present
and
another new moth for the site year list - Red-green Carpet (Ed Wilson)

Monday 26th

Damp, even wet start, but cleared to a splendid autumn day. Almost no migration noted with no hirundines, pipits etc. logged over the lake or The Flash

Priorslee Lake - 3 adults and 1 juvenile Great Crested Grebes, one of the cygnets went AWOL during the visit, very few Mallard though flying birds made accurate totals hard: 11?, records parties of geese with 115 Greylag and >420 Canada Geese noted inbound, Shoveler eclipse / immature drake: a site year-tick for me, 15 Tufted Ducks (though 3 flew off), Common Sandpiper still here, Kingfisher again: very noisy this morning, 3 Blackcaps with a male and a juvenile seen near the football field, 12 Chiffchaffs, only 1 in song this morning, 4 Starlings on the football field rather unusual
and
Asda shopping trolley a site tick

The Flash - 2 + 3 Great Crested Grebes, the 6 cygnets seen in formation flight today: still not mastered the turn though, many of the geese settled here: 11 Greylags and 356 Canadas counted but more inside the island, low Mallard numbers here too - just 36: but hard to count anything accurately among all the geese, 52 Tufted Duck was fewer than at the end of last week, 10 Moorhens included a rather late small juvenile on the island and 13 Coots only: fewer at the lake this morning too (Ed Wilson)

Saturday, 24th

Priorslee Lake - 1 Common Sandpiper

Nedge Hill - 1 Wheatear and a Yellow Wagtail on the airfield (John Isherwood)

Wednesday, 14th

Trench Pool - 1 juvenile Arctic Tern

Nedge Hill - 2 Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail on the airfield (John Isherwood)

Friday, 23rd

Priorslee Lake - rather less visible migration this morning: just 4 Swallows and 11 Meadow Pipits, large numbers of geese with 124 Greylags outbound (a new high count here); and 394 Canadas inbound (after only(!) 266 outbound), only 9 Mallards logged, though some seen flying around (as well?), 7 Tufted Ducks: no Pochard today, Common Sandpiper still present, Pheasant female in the grass in the SW area, good count of common birds today: 12 Dunnocks, 37 Robins, 19 Blackbirds. But only 12 Wrens
and
3 moths with 2 new species for the year-list: Acleris variegana; and Pink-bordered Sallow

The Flash - all 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes doing well: a 3rd adult as well today, Heron flew off from the island, Sparrowhawk being chased by Jackdaws, small Swallow passage with 1 stopping to drink, 4 House Martins over the only ones of the day [and the last in the area?], Jays giving mew calls, which they usually only seem to do in breeding season
and
first butterfly of the year here (I am usually here too early): a Small Tortoiseshell (Ed Wilson)

Wednesday, 21st

Priorslee Lake - Main interest today was the visible migration that kept me at the lake throughout. Some numbers 52 Swallows, many in small groups of 1 - 3 and heading SE until the wind got up when they were heading SW, 1 Sky Lark: the first of autumn, 10 Meadow Pipits all heading SW, one of which flushed off the SW grass, 1 Siskin: also the first of autumn, probably part of this movement 7 Song Thrushes flew across the football field, 1 Mistle Thrush calling as it flew S was the first for some weeks
other notables
6 Cormorants in a party overhead: about the largest party over the lake this year, though not sure any landed, 2 visiting adult Swans had to be dealt with by the residents: both cob and pen involved in the battle, 1 drake Pochard (though it flew off);, 10 Tufted Ducks, Common Sandpiper still present, 20 Feral Pigeons over was a high count considering none of them seemed to be parties of racing pigeons, Grey Wagtails around for the 3rd day: this species disappeared after last winter's freeze and apart from a few visits of a male collecting food during early summer have been strangely absent, Kingfisher was noisily about its duties again this morning, 2 Goldcrests at least still near the Teece Drive gate, both Nuthatch and Treecreeper were heard and seen in Teece Drive, more finches around the roost area - 9 Chaffinches and 53 Greenfinches, 7 Goldfinches in a party already setting about the Alder cones: most of these birds immatures yet to get red-faces
and
3 moths on the lamps two of them new species for the year - Acleris rhombana; and Cabbage Moth (Ed Wilson)

Tuesday, 20th

Priorslee Lake - at the lake in poor weather. Same low count of Great Crested Grebes - 2 adults and 1 juvenile, Common Sandpiper again, 1 Pochard only, but 15 Tufted Ducks, Willow Warbler reported (Ed Wilson)

Monday 19th

Priorslee Lake - 66 outbound but just 1 inbound Greylag Geese, 141 outbound but >250 inbound Canada Geese, 2 Pochard - drake and duck now, 8 Tufted Duck, Common Sandpiper still(?) present, up to 60 Lesser Black-backed Gulls visited - more then Black-headed Gulls, 3 Grey Wagtails around most of the time, 5 Pied Wagtails only logged, but 1 looked as if it came from a roost in the SW bushes: odd 2 Goldcrests at least, Willow Warbler in song - late! other warblers this morning: 1 Blackcap; 15 Chiffchaffs, 7 in song!, large mixed species party included Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, Treecreeper and Chiffchaffs as well as Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits, good corvid passage with 246 Jackdaws and 107 Rooks logged
and
2 new moths for the year-list: Heart & Dart; Centre-barred Sallow

The Flash - 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes doing well, [one of the residents reported 4 Pochard present over the weekend - disturbance at the lake?], 63 Tufted Ducks, 3 House Martins over - the only ones of the morning, Redpoll over - a rather early bird for here (Ed Wilson)

Monday, 12th

Priorslee Lake - 1 immature Peregrine flew over at 0930. Also present 1 Common Sandpiper

Trench Pool - 1 juvenile Arctic Tern

Nedge Hill- 3 Wheatear 2 on the lower horse fields and 1 on the airfield. Also on the airfield a Yellow Wagtail (John Isherwood)

Saturday, 10th

Priorslee Lake - 1 Wheatear, 1 Common Sandpiper

Nedge Hill - 2 Wheatear and 2 Yellow Wagtail on the airfield. 1 Raven (John Isherwood)

Friday, 9th

Priorslee Lake - another large Greylag Goose count - 104 outbound: also 289 Canada Geese, 2 drake Pochard still present: 8 Tufted Duck, though 3 flew off pre-dawn, Common Sandpiper yet again, strange first-winter gull: might be a Yellow-legged Gull - or a 'funny' Herring?, first Meadow Pipit of the autumn heard over and **my first Wheatear of the year here

The Flash - 3 juvenile Great Crested Grebes seem to be doing well, **my first Teal of the year here: a duck?, 44 Tufted Duck, large party of hirundines high to the S seemed to move away: another party later. Seemed to be all House Martins, party of at least 6 Bullfinches at the S end of squirrel alley: at least 2 juveniles

Between the lake and The Flash - the upper pool now drying up and as a result adult and juvenile Moorhen easily visible

Trench Pool - no cygnets this year - but at least last year's have finally gone, only 4 Tufted Ducks here, very few gulls - just 3 Black-heads!, **Common Tern - my first here this year, a late Willow Warbler calling at the W end, **my first Treecreeper here (Ed Wilson)

Thursday, 8th

Priorslee Lake - many geese too far away to specifically ID, but c.420 birds at least, now 2 drake Pochards with 6 Tufted Ducks, Common Sandpiper (still?) present, several parties of >50 hirundines, but were they all different birds? whatever, all 3 species seen with >20 Sand Martins a high autumn count, Whitethroat seen at W end again - perhaps 2 birds, 19 Chiffchaffs seen / heard this morning: highest count of the year!, Willow Warbler singing and then adult seen flying off from W end and Nuthatch again (Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

In the lanes - c.50 Linnets adapted to the bushes now the wires have gone (Ed Wilson)

East Priorslee - 1 Wheatear

Nedge Hill - 2 Raven (John Isherwood)

Wednesday, 7th

Priorslee Lake - only 4 Great Crested Grebes located today: apparently single adult and juvenile from the NW and N families, Common Sandpiper again / still here, Pochard and 7 Tufted Ducks, all 3 hirundines (Sand & House Martins and Swallows) in swirling feeding party around the poplar trees along this N shore: this after some early mainly unidentified birds seemed to be leaving roosts, 2 or 3 Grey Wagtails at their old haunts: 2 at the dam; 1 (of these?) on SW grass, everything very late starting this morning: first Robin heard at 05:56!, Goldcrest in Teece Drive again, still plenty of Chiffchaffs (14 with 3 of these in song) and 1 Blackcap the only other warbler logged on a rather windy day (Ed Wilson)

Tuesday, 6th

Nedge Hill - 2 Yellow Wagtail on the airfield

Priorslee Lake - 1 Common Sandpiper (John Isherwood)

Monday, 5th

Priorslee Lake - one of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes missing, another large outbound goose passage this morning with 295 Canada Geese (but only 28 Greylags; also a hybrid), drake Pochard new in - but no Tufted Ducks today, Common Sandpiper again - same bird?, small early arrival of c.25 Black-headed Gulls but slightly better count of birds loafing later - 37 party of 15 Swallows through early and a few later, scatter of House Martins some of them apparently roosted nearby, Whitethroat seen at W end, juvenile Blackcap seen - mostly just heard at the moment, Raven tumbling over, larger corvid passage outbound than for some days: 92 Jackdaws and 76 Rooks logged

and
unidentified moth

The Flash - pair of Great Crested Grebes: one brooding on the nest so number of juveniles unclear, only 30 Mallard logged - where are they today?, 39 Tufted Ducks, Sparrowhawk over being harassed by Jackdaw

and
wasp on lamps here today - my first here

Between the lake and The Flash - usual collection but Nuthatch in flight near tunnel (Ed Wilson)

Sunday, 4th

Nedge Hill - 2 Hobby's chasing Swallows and martins over upper horse fields - unsuccessful but impressive, 1 Common Redstart in lower horse field and 2 Meadow Pipits at the airfield - first autumn birds

Priorslee Lake - 1 Common Sandpiper back again - same as Friday's bird? (John Isherwood/Ed Wilson), only 3 Great Crested Grebes noted: probably the damp and breezy conditions, 6 Tufted Ducks today, 3 Herring Gulls flew high over on a morning without many other gulls, rather few Wood Pigeons - only 49 logged, Goldcrest calling: first for 10 days or so, Nuthatch heard calling in Teece Drive, juvenile Bullfinches in party in Teece Drive and 2 Reed Buntings heard - the first for several weeks (Ed Wilson)

Saturday, 3rd

Priorslee Lake - record number of outbound geese with 103 Greylags and 314 Canadas logged, at least 14 Tufted Ducks: 9 had flown off earlier but may have returned, an adult Herring Gull visited briefly: the first for a while, Kingfisher heard again, only 1 Dunnock heard this morning, Mistle Thrush seen sitting on lamp in Castle Farm Way, 5 Blackcaps and 13 Chiffchaffs seems to be a consistent count at the moment, small Greenfinch roost departure around the football field- 28 logged, but probably more while I was elsewhere, at least 40 Linnets seen to the E - but where will they go now there are no wires?

and
again there were wasps around the lamps: what is the attraction for them? (Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Lake - party of 7 Herons flew E overhead (one around the lake earlier), large count of outbound geese - 85 Greylags and 317 Canadas, 2 Tufted Ducks new in, 70 Coots logged today: highest count this year: at least 3 immatures but all now independent, 1 Common Sandpiper - rather late date for autumn passage here, small group of Lesser Black-back Gulls paused on the lake for >30 minutes: first of autumn at this time, small movement of Swallows South - 10 birds logged, large party of c.65 House Martins high over estate to W: local birds - see notes from The Flash also. 29 Greenfinches, most leaving the roost around the football field

The Flash - new brood of Great Crested Grebes - 3 juveniles seen with pair off S end of island, very few geese did not fly away to feed - just 4 Canadas left (and the surviving all-white bird), 37 Tufted Duck, large party of House Martins swirling low over the water - at least 70 birds: others(?) seen to N and SW. Was this the same party seen high over from the lake? (Ed Wilson)

Thursday, 1st

Main thing to note about Priorslee Lake is that the wires and the pylons to the E / NE were removed last weekend. It is quite bare and where will the Buzzards and Kestrels sit now?

Priorslee Lake - 3 Cormorants seen far to E were the first for a while, 4 Tufted Ducks new in, 17 Chiffchaffs heard - only 1 in song though, Willow Warbler singing in Teece Drive, 2 different groups of Willow Tits this morning: in Teece Drive as well as the usual birds in NW area today

and
3 new moths for the lake this year: as yet unidentified tortix; a July Highflyer; and a Sallow

In the lanes - late light passage of Jackdaws, Grey Wagtail heard over, another Willow Tit heard calling around the sluice, big party of at least 150 Linnets to the far N and 9 Yellowhammers another good count with a mixed party of warblers near the sluice containing 2 Whitethroats; 2 Chiffchaffs and a bright yellow juvenile Willow Warbler (Ed Wilson)

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Welcome to the Priorslee Lake and Local Area latest bird sightings. Please send any of your bird sightings to priorslee_lake@live.co.uk