25 Mar 16

Priorslee Lake
Location

Early Morning Sightings: 06:30

1 Cetti's Warbler calling from NE bay
5 Gadwall

(John Isherwood)


Morning Report: 07:15 – 09:25

Sunrise: 05:58

3°C > 10°C: Fine and clear; light W wind; good visibility

(48th visit of the year)

The clear weather meant rather little seen flying over

Notes
- only 1 Swan noted: I am sure the other was on /around the nest area but I did not see it
- the 2 Greylag Geese that flew over were likely the 2 that dropped in for a while later, only to be chased off by the Swan (and likely the 2 at The Flash later still)
- the additional drake Gadwall seems to have gone again
- not sure why fewer Coots today. Certainly some are now hiding on nests in the reeds, but not that many
- the only Black-headed Gull to ‘land’ did indeed unusually do just that: was seen on the rough ground in the old Celestica factory!
- the Cetti’s Warbler had relocated again and now in the main N side reed area
and
- 2 March Moths on separate lamps along the W end path

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 29 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Collared Doves
- 2 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Sky Lark
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 1 Greenfinch
- 2 Siskins

Singing warblers around the lake
- 1 Cetti’s Warbler again
- 5 Chiffchaffs

The counts from the lake area
- 1 Mute Swan (see notes)
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 5 (3♂) Gadwall
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 16 (11♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant briefly
- 9 Great Crested Grebes
- 16 Moorhens
- 53 Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull

Now in full breeding plumage even female Siskins are now quite yellow.

The cob Swan on duty: the pen was not noted this morning and seems to have moved in to the nest site. I have not seen any nest-building going on; nor any display, let-alone mating, and it would be rather early for them to start laying eggs. So perhaps she is just inspecting the site.

This is (another) March Moth – probably the best shot yet as oddly the moth was in full sunlight.

There seems to be no (white) pussy willow as yet, but this tree in the S side hedge has had these yellow flowers for about 2 weeks now. First chance to catch them in sunshine.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Priorslee Flash: 09:35 – 09:55
Location

(32nd visit of the year)

Notes
Another uninspiring morning
- not entirely sure why Tufted Duck numbers increased: birds making their way back NE to breed?
- the gulls stayed a matter of minutes

The only bird noted flying over
- 1 Buzzard

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 24 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 16 (10♂) Mallard
- 41 (24♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 2 Moorhens again
- 14 Coots
- 5 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Devil's Dingle: 07:30
Location

2 Oystercatcher
6 Teal

(John Isherwood)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

River Severn, Buildwas and Leighton: 08:30
Location

1 Red Kite
1 drake Mandarin
12 Goosander
1 Common Sandpiper, presumably over-winterer
1 Green Sandpiper
2 Oystercatcher
1 Snipe

(John Isherwood)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in .....................
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
7 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
18 Tufted Duck
1 Kittiwake
1 Sand Martin
7 Chiffchaffs
158 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1 Kittiwake
(John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
2 Little Grebes
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Tufted Ducks
2 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Middle Pool
2 Tufted Duck
2 Chiffchaffs
1 Willow Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
3 Great Crested Grebe
7 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
34 Tufted Ducks
c.450 Black-headed Gulls
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.50 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebes
7 Swans
2 Pochard
73 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebe
4 Gadwall
27 Tufted Duck
c.210 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Great Crested Grebe
36 Tufted Duck
2 Siskins
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
2 Shoveler
27 Tufted Duck
1 Green Woodpecker
29 Wren
22 Robin
21 Blackbird
5 Fieldfare
9 Redwing
6 Chiffchaff
36 Magpie
99 Jackdaw
8 Greenfinch
7 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
1 Mallard x Pintail
2 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
3 Chiffchaff
1 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Barn Ow
1 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Shoveler
26 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rail
532 Wood Pigeon
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers
2 Sky Larks
15 Pied Wagtails
26 Wrens
34 Blackbirds
6 Redwings
1 Willow Warbler
1 Chiffchaff
17 Magpies
4 Jays
1 Brambling
13 Greenfinches
4 Siskins
1 Linnets
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)