4 Sep 15

Priorslee Lake:   05:32 – 08:35
Location

Telford sunrise: 06:24

9.5°C > 11.0°C. Variable often large amounts of cloud with heavy shower by 07:15. Moderate NW wind fell away after shower. Very good visibility except in rain

Nothing to highlight apart from the un-forecast and very sharp shower

(106th visit of the year)

Notes
- rather few Mallard counted this morning but a lot of flying about pre-dawn when impossible to work out exactly whether the birds were leaving or arriving: so the later count may be an under-recording
- the ‘additional’ 9th juvenile Great Crested Grebe seen again and still unable to work out its parentage: the ‘additional’ adult not located
- 2 Kingfishers again
- a few Swallows and House Martins over early as singles / twos: after the rain shower some 50 gathered in a mixed group over the water
- more Pied Wagtails over this morning and for the first time this seemed to be a roost dispersal with most flying NE – previously the direction of fly overs had been random
- 9 Chiffchaffs (2 in song) and 4 Blackcaps noted. No Reed Warbler located today
and
- no dragonfly, butterfly or moth species recorded

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Greylag Geese (1 group)
- 109 Canada Geese (14 groups)
- 3 Cormorants
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull again
- 138 Jackdaws
- 103 Rooks
- 10 Pied Wagtails

Count of hirundines etc
- c.30 Barn Swallows
- c.35 House Martins

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 15 Canada Geese (2 groups)
- 13? Mallard
- 4 (0♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 6 + 9 (3? broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 9 + 17 Moorhens
- 164 Coots
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

A slightly different take on the sunrise – before the rain shower.

And this is what it looked like even while it was pouring with rain.

This rather pale-looking wagtail raised my hopes it might be a migrant White Wagtail – the mainland equivalent of our Pied Wagtail. But we can see between the closed wings that it has a dark rump so ‘just’ a Pied Wagtail, probably an immature. White Wagtail is less likely on Autumn migration than in Spring for some reason.

Here it is side-on when it shows white flanks rather than grey-toned flanks. That would be a good feature for White Wagtail than emphasises the importance of looking at all the characteristics.

Ever the opportunist this adult Black-headed Gull spotted the adult Great Crested Grebe with a fish for its brood and decided to try its luck at stealing. The adult has just dived with its catch.

Adult Black-headed Gulls are no longer black-hooded as they are in summer. It seems only a few weeks ago that while scruffy the black was still present. All gone now apart from the spot behind the eye and the smudge over the crown – features that will be present all winter.

Although this is a different individual with this angle of light we can see the ‘hood’ as a ghost.

And here is the same effect on which, from the extent of the dark feathering in the wing must be juvenile moulting in to 1st winter plumage – and that it strange as it will never have had a black hood and won’t have until March / April 2016.

(Ed Wilson)

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Devil's Dingle: 07:30
Location

1 Hobby - flew west, 08151 Tree Pipit - flew east, 0800
1 Redstart
1 Green Sandpiper
1 Teal

Also
12 Siskin

(John Isherwood)

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River Severn, Buildwas: 09:00
Location

1 Little Egret
1 Redstart
1 Common Sandpiper
7 Goosander

Also
2 Meadow Pipit

(John Isherwood)

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On this day in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2014
2014
Priorslee Lake
Location
Today's Report Here
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Location
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Location
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson/ John Isherwood)

 Nedge Hill
Location
2 Hobby's chasing Swallows and martins
1 Common Redstart
2 Meadow Pipits - first autumn birds
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

 2010
Priorslee Lake
Location
Teal
14 Cormorants
(John Isherwood)
Nedge Hill
Location
Hobby chasing Swallows
1 Wheatear
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Location
Little Egret
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

 2006
Priorslee Lake
Location
Kingfisher
2 Swifts
1 Meadow Pipit - first autumn bird
(Ed Wilson)