30 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........

2011
The Flash
Location

This morning 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. (Ed Wilson)

Wryneck - 2011 (Ed Wilson)

29 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
2 Sparrowhawks
24 Swallows
Peregrine Falcon
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
Siskin
105 Greenfinches
Swallow
House Martin
3 Chiffchaffs
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

28 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2011
Priorslee Lake

2 Sky Larks
3 Meadow Pipits
26 Pied Wagtails
7 Siskins
2 Redpolls
142 Greylag Geese
320 Canada Geese
Common Sandpiper
45 Robins
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Cormorant
A pair of Wigeon
220 Coots
Blackcap
Chiffchaff
(Ed Wilson)

2007
RAF Cosford

Juvenile Gannet flew over RAF Cosford at about 100ft
(Martin R Adlam)

2005
Priorslee Lake

3 Redpoll
Siskin
5 Chiffchaffs
Blackcap
Kingfisher
Buzzard
2 Kestrel
Meadow Pipit
(Ed Wilson).

27 Sep 16

Priorslee Lake: 08:00
Location

1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Randlay Wood: 12:00
Location

2 Willow Tit

(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
Location

Nothing of note, construction has started on new aluminium castings plant.

(John Isherwood)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Teal
3 Wigeon
1 Kingfisher
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake

13 Meadow Pipits
3 Redpoll
Siskin
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Juvenile Common Scoter
3 Little Grebes
Drake Pintail x Mallard
(Ed Wilson/Andy Latham)

26 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2011
Priorslee Lake

115 Greylag Geese
420+ Canada Geese
Shoveler
Common Sandpiper
Kingfisher
3 Blackcaps
12 Chiffchaffs
(Ed Wilson)

25 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

24 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2011
Priorslee Lake

1 Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
1 Wheatear
1 Yellow Wagtail
(John Isherwood)

23 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2013
Priorslee Lake

2 Whinchat
3 Snipe
1 Wigeon
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake

Water Rail
(Ed Wilson)



2007
Priorslee Lake

Ruddy Duck
Kingfisher
696 Swallows, House Martins and Sand Martin
55 Meadow Pipit
(Ed Wilson)

22 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2008
Priorslee Lake

Water Rail
Common Redstart
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
The drake Mallard x Pintail has returned for the 5th year at least
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Gadwall
Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

21 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2011
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake

Wigeon
Water Rail
(Ed Wilson)


2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

20 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here


2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Scaup
(Richard Vernon)



The Flash
Scaup
(Stuart Edmunds)


2008
Priorslee Lake

Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)


2005
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

19 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2011
Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake

Water Rail
129 Greenfinches leaving roost
(Ed Wilson)


2007
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
2 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
4 Black-tailed Godwit
(Martin Adlam)

18 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Common Gull
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

17 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake

2 Ravens
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
6 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake

1 Snipe
3 Common Sandpipers
149 Greenfinch roost
89 Pied Wagtails
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lak
e
Pintail
(Ed Wilson)

16 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake

Ringed Plover
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Nuthatch
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

15 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake

Green Sandpiper
9 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Mallard x Pintail
Raven
2 Sand Martin
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake

100+ hirundines
31 Pied Wagtails
Redwing
14 Chiffchaffs
7 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

14 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

Water Rail
Hobby
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
Snipe
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Sandwich Tern
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Green Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)


13 Sep 16

No Sightings today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2007
Priorslee Lake

Shoveler
Redwing
(Ed Wilson)

12 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
9 Ravens
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
1 immature Peregrine Falcon
Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

Nedge Hill
3 Wheatear
Yellow Wagtail
(John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
1 Arctic Tern
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Albino Wood Pigeon
3 Swifts
1 Sedge Warbler
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

11 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Snipe
Wheatear
3 Raven
(John Isherwood/Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake

1 Hobby
1 Sedge Warbler
3 Swift
2 Teal
1 Meadow Pipit
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake

Black Tern
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

10 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2011
Nedge Hill
2 Wheatear
2 Yellow Wagtail
1 Raven
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Lake
Common Sandpiper
Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
The Flash

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake

2 Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Pochard
Common Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake

A juvenile Arctic Tern
(Ed Wilson)

9 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

3 Shovelers
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
Possible Yellow-legged Gull
Wheatear
(Ed Wilson)


2010
Priorslee Lake

3 Teal
4 Swifts
1 Sedge Warbler
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

8 Sep 16

No Sightings today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

Adult winter Mediterranean Gull
(J Reeves)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)


2007
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

2 juvenile Ruddy Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

7 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

Little Grebe
3 Shoveler
Green Sandpiper
Tawny Owl
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Wrekin

Firecrest
(J Shutt)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake

Snipe
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

6 Sep 16

The Flash: 07:05 – 07:30
Location

Sunrise: 06:29 BST

19°C > 21°C: Broken cloud largely cleared away to E and sunny for a while. Calm / light S wind. Excellent visibility. Humid

(93rd visit of the year)

Notes
- part-way through my logging somebody arrived and started feeding the ducks the other side of the island making it difficult to be certain about the numbers!
- the 3rd adult Great Crested Grebe present this morning: still only one adult feeding the juvenile
- all the Black-headed Gulls flew straight over towards the lake without stopping
- party of 16 House Martins very high overhead moving S when I arrived: none seen or heard later around the houses

Very few birds noted flying over under the low cloud
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon again

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 16 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs yet again

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 32 (24♂) Mallard
- 28 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 15 + 3 (2 broods) Coots

(Ed Wilson)

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

Priorslee Lake: 07:35 – 09:55
Location

(128th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- the 2 Canada Geese remain
- 3 of the Tufted Ducks flew off, perhaps to The Flash
- 6 Buzzards overhead together was unusual
- again the large gulls mostly dropped in to drink and bathe. Some perhaps straight over though they mostly seemed to then circle back and drop in. Significant proportion of Herring Gulls this morning. Single adults of both species, vast majority being juveniles moulting in to 1st winter plumage
- looking at some photos I took this morning I am reasonably confident there were perhaps two juvenile / 1st winter Yellow-legged Gulls present
- rather few Wood Pigeons around at the moment with very few over flying
- three parties of Barn Swallows over
- apart from Chiffchaffs a single call from a Blackcap was the only warbler noted today
- a Reed Bunting seen and also heard: my first record since 21 July when the last song was heard
and
- 5 Speckled Wood and 1 Green-veined White butterflies
- surprised not to find any Common Darter dragonflies in apparently suitable conditions
- very many Crane Flies / Daddy Long-legs (Tipula sp.)
- usual wasps about the blackberries attracted to the sugar now that nectar is getting harder to find

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 3 Feral Pigeon (1 group)
- 6 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Jackdaw
- 2 Rooks
- 4 Ravens
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 11 Barn Swallows (3 groups)

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 9 (3) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 9 (5♂) Mallard
- 8 (4♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 6 + 6 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 + 1 juvenile Moorhens
- 58 + 6 juvenile Coots
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- >80 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- >35 Herring Gulls
- 2 Yellow-legged Gulls (see notes)

At one stage there were no fewer than 6 Buzzards together over the W end of the lake. Here is one of them.

And in dramatic pose. Glad I am not potential prey.

Pulling away and calling.

And getting ready to power away.

A slightly less scruffy bird.

Bit of an altercation here: a juvenile Herring Gull lands on top of another while a third shouts encouragement.

Seemed to be a lot of quarrelling going on this morning. Most of the lake was empty but they all wanted the same spots.

Compare and contrast time: a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.

While this is a 1st winter Black-headed Gull.

And an adult from below.

Need to concentrate hard on where you are landing when many of your feathers are a mess. This adult Black-headed Gull does just that.

This seems a good candidate for a 1st year Yellow-legged Gull. Darker than any Herring Gull but the greater coverts much paler than the secondary tips and with quite a prominent ‘window’ made by the paler inner primaries. Many, but not all, immatures of this species would show a whiter head than is typical immature Lesser Black-backed or Herring Gulls.

The same bird showing typically coarsely-marked flanks, though ....

... that effect is rather light-dependent.

The upperwing of a typical same-age Lesser Black-backed Gull. On the better lit left wing we see the dark greater coverts and the lack of ‘window’.

This is a different bird and I would like to have seen it in flight. The very coarse markings and the prominent pale edging is unusual. The large all-black bill shows a very obvious gonydeal angle (on the underside of the lower mandible). And here we can see straight through the nostril! My vote would again be Yellow-legged Gull, a juvenile yet to moult to 1st winter.

The nearest we got to an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull this morning. Note the dark in the tail, black on the bill and slight contrast between the inner wing and the mantle. None of these would feature in a full adult.

As a ‘now for something completely different’: just a Speckled Wood butterfly.

More work on the school grounds: here the ‘open’ playing field used for football, cricket and a running track by the Academy. Open for the public use to exercise dogs as well outside school use. Not sure what this is all about – draining the water has always been a problem here and during the building work they had to redo the drainage. Time will tell.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Spotted Flycatcher
(Ed Wilson)

5 Sep 16

The Flash: 07:05 – 07:25
Location

Sunrise: 06:27 BST

14°C > 15°C: Very low cloud lifted only slightly; light drizzle ‘in the air’. Light SSE wind. Very good visibility underneath the cloud but poor elsewhere

Best toady were two Wheatears on the dam at the lake. I was only musing earlier as to why we never seem to see any on Autumn passage – and there they were. Initially both very flighty but one bird, I think a juvenile, let itself be stalked and eventually gave walk-away photographs. My first-ever Autumn record here and also I am sure my first-ever multiple sighting here

(92nd visit of the year)

Notes
- nothing of real interest this morning

Very few birds noted flying over under the low cloud
- 2 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Hirundines etc. seen here today
None

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 2 (1) Chiffchaffs again

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 5 Greylag Geese
- 8 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 24 (18?) Mallard
- 18 (??) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron once more
- 2 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 1 juvenile Moorhens
- 14 + 2 juvenile Coots
- 1 Black-headed Gull only

(Ed Wilson)

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

Priorslee Lake: 07:30 – 09:25
Location

(127th visit of the year)
Notes from today
- the 2 Canada Geese again left alone by the Swans. If they are the same two they seem to survive the weekend boating
- all the juvenile Great Crested Grebes are sometime separated from their parents and matching the adults and their offspring is not easy. All are now using the whole of the lake which does not help. Did not notice any ‘extra’ adults but really hard to be sure
- some of the more obvious and younger juvenile Coots seemed to be missing this morning: the dull weather?
- almost all the Black-headed Gulls flew in from the Ricoh fields in one mass: many only stayed briefly
- all the large gulls only dropped in for a few minutes to drink and bathe – do you drink your bathwater?
- a lone Barn Swallow flew SE – as well it might on this dull and grey day: must be better in Africa
and
- no insects seen at all

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Pied Wagtails again

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 Barn Swallow again
- 3 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 6 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 2 (0) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 8 (5?) Mallard
- 9 (4?) Tufted Ducks
- 6 + 6 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 5 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 55 + 5 juvenile Coots
- c.210 Black-headed Gulls
- 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

This partly shows why I have trouble sexing Tufted Ducks at this time of year. The brown flanks and the white at the base of the bill = ‘duck’: the length of the tuft suggests ‘drake’. Probably a first year bird.

This has to be a drake with the white in the flanks – when they come in to breeding plumage the white extends from the front all along the flank. But there is almost no ‘tuft’ here.

The juvenile Great Crested Grebe was begging loudly to no avail this morning.

The first chance I got to snap one of the two Wheatears this morning.

A bit more cooperative.

Moving closer.

And head-turned.

Eventually giving close views and seemingly unconcerned. I had to walk away.

From a different angle we see more of the wing markings and the white at the base of the tail. ‘Wheatear’ is supposed to derive from ‘white arse’ – what you see of this bird when it flies away ahead of you.

This is the other bird: less warm-toned. I think this is likely a female and the other, more confiding bird, was a juvenile. From the literature it seems there is considerable individual variation at this time of year when all birds are moulting. A male should look brighter than either of these birds, even on a dull day.

And from the rear.

And the right side! This one was less cooperative but patience won out.

I have no idea what this is a feather from: but aren’t feathers amazing.

A fallen tree more or less blocks the path here.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake

Green Sandpiper
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson))

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

4 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
(Ed Wilson/ John Isherwood)

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

2010
Priorslee Lake

Teal
14 Cormorants
(John Isherwood)

Nedge Hill
Hobby chasing Swallows
1 Wheatear
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)

2009
Priorslee Lake

Little Egret
Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
2 Swifts
1 Meadow Pipit - first autumn bird
(Ed Wilson)

3 Sep 16

The Flash:  06:55 – 07:20
Location

Sunrise: 06:24 BST

12°C > 14°C: Mainly clear start; clouded by 08:00 and rain started by 08:20. Light S wind. Very good visibility reduced somewhat at onset of rain

(91st visit of the year)

No more work on the trees. The felled trunks have been reduced to chippings and used to dress some of the areas used as fishing platforms. So no chance of natural rotting of the wood and the nutrients returning to the soil

Notes
- all three adult Great Crested Grebes seen; still only 1 adult with the juvenile
- no idea why so few adult Coots seen
and
- I found my first-ever moth in the tunnel under Telford Way (the A5): was not resting at the best of angles but I think a Garden Dart

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 5 Wood Pigeon
- 4 Starlings
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 6 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs again

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 8 Greylag Geese
- 2 Canada Geese again
- 1 all white feral goose
- 30 (23♂) Mallard
- 16 (5?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron yet again
- 3 + 1 Great Crested Grebes
- 2 + 4 (3 broods) Moorhens
- 9 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 6 Black-headed Gulls (2 juveniles)

This moth was resting in the tunnel under Telford Way (the A5): I think a Garden Dart, a common-enough moth and one of the few that is regularly so dark in tone as this specimen.
(Ed Wilson)

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

Priorslee Lake: 07:25 – 08:55
Location

(126th visit of the year)

A somewhat abbreviated visit. The clear sky when I left home and the forecast of rain by 11:00 left me unprepared for the rain at 08:20 and I decided that discretion was the better part of valour

Notes from today
- the 2 Canada Geese left alone by the Swans; no sign of the bird with the broken wing seen on Wednesday
- no sign of the Little Grebes this morning
- 2 Kingfishers seen together and several more single sightings: suspect some were juveniles from the local breeding birds
- a lone Barn Swallow flew NE
- no Reed Warblers noted – possibly more to do with the wet conditions than anything else
and
- 3 moths on the lamps: all Pearl Veneer (Agriphila straminella) moths
- no butterflies or dragonflies
- a dead shrew sp. seen: I think a Pygmy Shrew. Shortly afterwards one of the local Buzzards flew off with a (different) prey item in its talons

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 14 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 4 Greenfinches
- 3 Goldfinches

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 Barn Swallow only
- 15 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 9 (0) Chiffchaffs
- 4 (0) Blackcaps

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese
- 9 (5♂) Mallard
- 11 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- 7 + 6 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 1 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 47 + 10 juvenile Coots
- 127 Black-headed Gulls
- 38 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls

A portrait of one of the juvenile Great Crested Grebes

This dead shrew is, I think, a Pygmy Shrew. This I have identified by its hairy tail. This species is also noted as having a domed head which this seems to lack. However Common Shrew should show paler flanks which this seems to lack. Need to take a ruler with me in future!
This is the underside.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2013
Nedge Hill

2 Yellow Wagtails
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
(Ed Wilson)

2 Sep 16

No Sightings in today.

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On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2011
Priorslee Lake

Common Sandpiper
c.65 House Martins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Kingfisher
Swifts
(Ed Wilson)

1 Sep 16

The Flash: 07:00 – 07:25
Location

Sunrise: 06:20 BST
11°C > 15°C: Just some high cloud taking the edge off the sun. Light SW wind. Very good visibility

(90th visit of the year)

More work on the trees – at least they are not felling them all. One has a severe pruning since yesterday

Notes
- Mallards mainly tucked up under the W side vegetation and very hard to sex – so I didn’t
- Stock Doves most unusual here: only my second record this year
- not entirely sure what the Jackdaws logged were up to: this morning many more than usual seemed to be gathering in the trees around St. Georges church as I walked past: it may have been some of these that I saw fly away
- 2 Grey Wagtails flying around: seemed to be an adult and a juvenile but did not get the best of views

Birds noted flying over
- 2 Stock Doves
- 2 Wood Pigeon
- c.25 Jackdaws

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 7 House Martins

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 2 (0) Chiffchaffs

The counts from the water
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese only
- 1 all white feral goose
- 24 (?♂) Mallard
- 23 (?♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 + 1 Great Crested Grebes once more
- 4 + 2 (2 broods) Moorhens
- 14 + 4 (3 broods) Coots
- 12 Black-headed Gull (9 juveniles)
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

The latest on the willows here: this one gets a severe pruning. Not sure why – the Health & Safety Police again. And as a PS to yesterday’s two felled trees – all trees reach the end of their life sometime. In these enlightened days where are their replacements being planted?

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake
Location

Evening Update: 4:30pm

Probable juvenile Caspian Gull. Via BirdGuides here

Morning Report: 07:30 – 09:55

(125th visit of the year)

Best today was probably the two (perhaps three) Little Grebes. First noted while I was doing my sweep-count of the Coots I originally thought there were three birds. When I went back to check these out I could find only 1 adult and 1 juvenile – quite a well-grown juvenile that had lost all trace of head-stripes. One or more adults were present here throughout the Spring. I last heard a bird on 14 June. It seems unlikely that this often secretive species had been here all that while and only just shown itself. I would suspect that the juvenile was fledged and that they were new arrivals

Other notes from today
- the Canada Goose with the broken wing not seen today
- the Tufted Duck here were all obligingly close and easy to sex for a change
- two Common Whitethroats at the W end were my first here since 22 July and seem likely to have been a migrant passing (to add credence to this I heard another Common Whitethroat scolding as I waited for my bus at the Priorslee O-about: there have been none here for several weeks either)
- 4 of the Reed Warblers were together in the main N-side reed bed. The 5th was, unusually, in bushes at the S end of the dam some way from any nest site
and
- no moths on the lamps this morning
- at least 4 Speckled Wood butterflies
- more Common Darter dragonflies
- a Brown Hawker dragonfly: strangely my first confirmed sighting here this year
- three species of hoverfly: nothing unusual
- a new-to-me plant: Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris) – I think

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 3 Stock Doves (1 group)
- 9 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Rook yet again
- 1 Raven
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Hirundines etc. seen here today
- 1 House Martin only

Warblers seen / heard around the water: numbers in brackets are singing birds: song very sporadic now
- 10 (1) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (0) Willow Warbler again
- 2 (0) Blackcaps
- 2 (0) Common Whitethroats
- 5 (0) Reed Warblers

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 10 (?♂) Mallard
- 9 (2♂) Tufted Ducks again
- 1 + 1 juvenile Little Grebe
- 6 + 6 (3 broods) Great Crested Grebes
- 4 + 5 (4 broods) Moorhens
- 55 + 10 juvenile Coots
- 20 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

A bit over-exposed, deliberately, to show the progress of the moult to white plumage in the cygnet here. The white feathers provoke the cob to make sure that his offspring is moved on. As yet this bird shows no inclination to fly.

Here we see an adult Little Grebe with the rufous neck with the yellow spot at the base of the bill: and a juvenile in the water – no real colour but the distinctive ‘powder-puff’ tail.

Coal Tit is not an easy species to photograph – usually hyperactive. The best chance is normally in Spring when they sing from exposed perches. But this was a cooperative bird today.

And Long-tailed Tits are hard too. There are usually a whole gang – which should I choose? And they too are hyperactive and even more acrobatic.

This a more typical result.

A record shot only here: the brown in the wing and the grey head identify this warbler as a Common Whitethroat. My first here for a while and likely a migrant on its way south to winter the other side of the Sahara – amazing.

This seems to be a different Common Whitethroat with much less obvious brown on the wings.

This an instructive, if poor shot, of a warbler working its was through the vegetation. At the time I thought it was a Reed Warbler and I still believe it is – just look at the sloping head and the long pale bill. But the back? Reed Warblers are ‘warm brown’ but this seems rather dark brown and the dark edges of the tertials are a puzzle. Only a Common Whitethroat would show this but the head-shape is all wrong.

A female Blackbird combines preening an sunning – a female rather than a juvenile because of the yellow bill.

Are you photographing me?

A juvenile Goldfinch. The adult red face may not be acquired before November.

A front view of the same bird. The wings are partly open as it was begging to be fed – this must be a late brood as I saw juveniles here at least three weeks ago.

This angle shows why Eristalis pertinax is called the Tapered Drone-fly.

When feeding – here on the stigma of a convolvulus flower – it is easy to see the marks of the Episyrphus balteatus (aka Marmalade hoverfly. But ....

When resting the wings cover the marks and make separation from other similar species difficult. Here at a slight angle we can in fact see the marks.

I have been struggling to identify this flower for some days now: I think it is Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). If you know differently please tell! These are the small flowers.

Here is the straggling plant. I have never knowingly seen this plant before but it is not rare so I have obviously overlooked it.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2015
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2014
Priorslee Lake

Today's Sightings Here

2012
Nedge Hill
1 Hobby
1 Wheatear
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake

Tawny Owl
5 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake

Common Tern
2 Swifts
(Ed Wilson)