30 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present (Via BirdGuides)

Images of the Long-tailed Duck can be found on David Barnes's Gallery Here

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On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Map
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
(John Isherwood/Martin Grant)

29 Nov 14

No Sightings in today.

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On this day in 2005
Priorslee Lake
Map
8000 Black-headed Gulls
3500 Lesser Black-backed Gull
25 Golden Plover
(Ed Wilson)

28 Nov 14

No sightings in today.

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On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Map
2 Woodcock
(Ed Wilson)

27 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 12:30pm
Map

1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
7 Gadwall
6 Pochard
1 Shoveler

(John Isherwood)

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Priorslee Flash: 1:15pm
Map

1 Goosander

(John Isherwood)

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On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Duck Goldeneye still present
2 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

26 Nov 14

No sightings in today.


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On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Map
Woodcock
(Ed Wilson)

25 Nov 14

No sightings in today.


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On this day in 2013
Priorslee Lake
Map
Woodcock
(Ed Wilson)

24 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present. (Dave Tromans)

Long-tailed Duck. (Dave Tromans)

Long-tailed Duck. (Dave Tromans)

Long-tailed Duck. (Dave Tromans)

Long-tailed Duck. (Dave Tromans)

Long-tailed Duck. (Dave Tromans)

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On this day in 2007
Priorslee Lake
Map
Stonechat
(John Isherwood)

23 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present (Via BirdGuides)

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Devil's Dingle:
Map

38 Snipe
1 Water Rail

(Glenn Bishton)


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On this day in 2011 and 2013
Priorslee Lake
Map
2013
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
2 adult hybrid Lesser Black-backed x Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)

-----------------------------------
2011
5 possibly 6 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
(Andy Latham)

22 Nov 14

No Sightings in today.


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On this day in 2013
Priorslee Lake
Map
4+ Yellow-legged gulls (1+ 1st-winter, 3+ adults)
1 Great Black-backed Gull
A Ring-billed x Lesser Black-backed Gull hybrid
(JW Reeves)

21 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

Long-tailed Duck still present at 11:00am, viewable from the Blue Pig pub.

(Terry Cripps)

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On this day in 2011
Priorslee Lake
Map
2 Adult Yellow legged Gulls
A 1st winter Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)

20 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 11:00am
Map

6 Gadwall
8 Pochard

(John Isherwood)

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Devil's Dingle: 9:30am

1 Goldeneye
3 Teal
10 Snipe

(John Isherwood)

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On this day in 2005
Priorslee Lake
C.471 Starlings in roost
3 Ruddy Duck
(Martin Adlam)

19 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present this afternoon, plus 1st winter Yellow-legged Gull. (Ian Grant).

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On this day in 2005
Priorslee Lake 754 Starlings in roost
Yellow-legged Gull
Common Gull.
3000+ Black-headed Gull
2000+ Lesser-Black-backed Gulls
2 female Ruddy Duck
2 Water Rail
1 Snipe
(Martin Adlam)

18 Nov 14

No sightings in today.


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On this day in 2005
Priorslee Lake
C.1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
C.1500 Black-headed Gulls
10 Herring Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

17 Nov 14

No sightings today........

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
>625 Black-headed Gulls
2245 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

16 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present. (Paul Spear)

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake  >675 Black-headed Gulls
2571 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

15 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

1st winter drake Long-tailed Duck still present.

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake Yellow-legged Gull
>550 Black-headed Gulls
1329 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

14 Nov 14

No sightings in today.......................


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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake  >750 Black-headed Gulls
>825 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
4 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

13 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

Long-tailed Duck still present showing well in the morning, opposite bank to Blue Pig pub (Clive Biddulph)

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
8 different Buzzards
>435 Black-headed Gulls
132 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

12 Nov 14

Trench Lock Pool:
Map

Long-tailed Duck still present. (Jim Almond)


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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
Woodcock
 >790 Black-headed Gulls
 >1753 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

11 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake:
Map

Afternoon Update: 12:00pm

4 Gadwall
2 Teal

(John Isherwood)

Morning Report: 6:24am - 9:07am

9.0°C > 9.5°C:  Overcast with spells of drizzle and sometimes heavy rain: also some dry spells. Moderate / fresh SE wind. Good visibility, moderate in rain.

My star of the day, month (and possibly year – I did not find the Velvet Scoter in January) Long-tailed Duck at Trench Lock Pool. When I first saw it was among Great Crested Grebes and I nearly overlooked it until it dived with partly open wings – something a grebe would never do. Photos show it is likely a first-winter drake with some white showing the scapulars. This species has a bewildering array of plumages as the very different-looking adult drakes and ducks moult between breeding and non-breeding garb: then there are the immatures ... Only my second in Shropshire and first at this site.

(132nd visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake
- 1 Cormorant
- 82 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Herring Gull
- 10 Pied Wagtails
- 22 Fieldfare
- 17 Redwings
- c.420 Jackdaws
- 5 Starlings again

Other notes
2 more Great Crested Grebes today, these acting as a pair.
1 pair of Teal new in.
Another big count of Tufted Ducks today: 2 of these flew off.
2 Lapwings over and these then settled on the dam-face for a while: it must be >20 years since Lapwings could be found roosting here in some numbers – in those days the dam-face had almost no vegetation.
One lone Black-headed Gull has, for at least the last 5 days, left the main party on the water and the jetties and wandered around the grass in front of the yacht club shelter: the same bird each day? why?
7 more Redwings in the trees around the lake.
>1200 Starlings left the roost this morning: same reed bed as yesterday. 16 birds dribbled out for some minutes after the main party left.
1 Siskin heard and then presumed same found amongst the Goldfinches on the Alder cones.

The counts
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
4 (2) Gadwall
2 (1) Teal
12 (8) Mallard
2 (2) Pochard
134 (?) Tufted Duck
3 Water Rails
4 Moorhens only
178 Coots
2 Lapwings
c.275 Black-headed Gulls
4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Male Siskin feeding from the Alder cones. It has a seed crosswise in its bill which makes the bill look rather Crossbill shaped!

(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Flash:
Map

Afternoon Update: 12:30pm

5 Goosander

(John Isherwood)

Morning Report: 9:10am - 9:47am

(110th visit of the year)

Rather quiet in the rain.

Today’s counts over here: just
- 194 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls

Other notes
Only 5 Great Crested Grebes today
Just 1 goose present (ignoring the all-white feral bird): its Canada Goose made had stayed behind!
4 brownhead Goosanders

Counts
5 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
1 Canada Goose
1 all-white feral goose
35 (23) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
10 (3) Tufted Ducks
4 (4) Goosanders
4 Moorhens
18 Coots
12 Black-headed Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 9:56am - 10:30am // 11:00am - 11:21am
Map

(49th visit of the year)

Other notes
3 Little Grebes today
1 Cormorant again
1 drake Pochard was new in

The counts
3 Little Grebes
4 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
26 Canada Geese
13 (8) Mallard
3 feral Mallard-type ducks
1 (1) Pochard
73 (32) Tufted Ducks
1 (0) Long-tailed Duck
15 Moorhens
147 Coots
58 Black-headed Gulls
17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls

The Long-tailed Duck: as it preens here the tail is raised and looks ‘long’ but this is typical of ducks and juveniles. On an adult drake it would be far longer.

Here there are definite white scapulars. This suggests it is an immature drake. It is very similar At first sight there appears to be one elongated dark scapular, though this is black rather than white as it would be in a winter drake: in fact this is the wing-tip extended by the bird to keep its balance while preening – this species has long pointed wings. Note the spread tail. [there is a stunning shot of a similar bird on the web Here (most of the shots on the web are of the even more spectacular drakes]

Another view showing both wing-tips held above the body.

Size comparison with Coot and Black-headed Gull.

A mini-sequence here: the bird starts to rise ...

... leaps forward with wings beginning to open ...

... and dives with wings half-spread.

The Coot behind it has leapt forward and, in comparison, dives with wings closed.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:35am - 10:55am
Map

(24th visit of the year)

Notes
Back to 3 adult Swans – only 2 rings read: Blue 7FTX and 7HSZ.
3 Canada Geese only – where have they all gone?
Goosander back here as well.

The counts
1 Great Crested Grebe
3 Swans
3 Canada Geese
40 (21) Mallard
5 feral Mallard-type ducks
10 (2) Tufted Ducks
4 (2) Goosander
10 Moorhen
13 Coots
49 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull over

(Ed Wilson)

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Devil's Dingle: 10:30am
Map

1 Goldeneye
1 Green Sandpiper
12 Snipe

(John Isherwood)


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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
>670 Black-headed Gulls
 >2008 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

10 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:20am - 9:20am
Map

5.5°C > 6.°CC:  A layer of medium cloud moved off to the N to be replaced by a bank of fog rolling in from the S. Not so thick as yesterday and cleared for a while c.8:30am.

Best today was a Chiffchaff at the lake. Otherwise the foggy period again reduced the count of flyovers.

(131st visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake in limited visibility
- 1 Lapwing
- 1(!) Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Skylark
- 6 Pied Wagtails
- 5 Redwings
- c.375 Jackdaws
- 5 Starlings
- 2 Redpoll

Other notes
2 pairs of Gadwall new in.
Big count of Tufted Ducks today: sexing these birds hampered by many continually diving.
1 Song Thrush in song again. A Blackbird joined in briefly.
In the trees around the lake were 7 Fieldfare and another 4 Redwings.
>1000 Starlings left the roost this morning – all in a different red-bed to any used previously this autumn.
and
2 moths on the street-lamps including my first Mottled Umber of the year (the other another November Moth agg.).
Two different species of fungus noted: I am sure there are many more.

The counts
1 Little Grebe
1 Great Crested Grebe
2 Swans
4 (2) Gadwall
7 (4) Mallard
2 (2) Pochard
149 (>87) Tufted Duck
3 Water Rails
13 Moorhen
174 Coots
51 Black-headed Gulls
6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

As the cloud moves away stage left the fog rolls in stage right.

A Blue Tit checks for danger while gleaning from the willow – probably insect eggs.

Today’s surprise – a Chiffchaff. While these over-winter in small numbers they can be hard to find as between mid-October and mid-February they rarely, if ever, call. Often in mixed parties with tits (as this was) but also forage alone as they are rather more lethargic than tits.

And an action shot of the Chiffchaff pecking at something.

Bracket fungus. Clearly therefore a Polypore, but which? Likely to be Inonotus radiatus (Alder Bracket). But then again ...

So there are some autumn colours – these are Acer sp. leaves (probably Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), though no keys in evidence).

A male Mottled Umber moth – like many species of moth that are active in winter the female is flightless. My first of this year (though the flight period extends in to January).

Just the local cob Swan going for a short flight. What this action shot shows that it actually patters to slow down before ...

... it puts its gig webbed feet forward to act as brakes. Note the alula feathers sticking up indicating that the wing is aerodynamically stalled at this point and not providing lift.

The mist clearing away.

Gotcha! how many shots does it take to nail a photo of a Goldcrest, one of the most restless of birds as they forage to get enough food for their metabolism. Well this was number 4 (this morning), but the next 20 failed to improve on it!

Another species of fungus: these are very small fruits – the whole branch is thinner than my wrist. It looks a bit like some photos of Crepidotus mollis (aka Peeling Oysterling). But again ... anyone out there know better?

Not dandruff but water droplets adorn the head of this recently surfaced drake Tufted Duck. Apart from a slight soggy crest it shows amazing tolerance to being immersed.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 9:23am - 10:04am
Map

(109th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over here: just
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls

Other notes
8 Great Crested Grebes, all more or less together was a most unusually high count here.
Again no geese present (ignoring the all-white feral bird) until a party of 44 Canada Geese flew in.
13 brownhead Goosanders.
2 Kingfishers today.

Counts
8 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
44 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
28 (19) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
24 (14) Tufted Ducks
13 (13) Goosanders
4 Moorhens
18 Coots
21 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Ruddy Duck
 >1700 Black-headed Gulls
>518 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

9 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:16am - 9:23am
Map

2.0°C > 4.5°C: At Priorslee very foggy, clearing only slightly: light S wind and bad / poor visibility. At Trench sunny and clear with very good visibility away from the fog bank to the S.

Best today, all at the lake, were
- the very unexpected female Blackcap (I assume 1st year males would show some black on the cap by now).
- a Water Rail seen taking a brief flight to get around me – perhaps the first I have ever seen fly!
- 2 brownhead Goosanders right by the launching jetty.

(130th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake in very poor visibility.
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 9 Pied Wagtails
- 39 Starlings
- c.100 Jackdaws
- 1 Linnet
- 1 Redpoll

Other notes
In addition to the flying Water Rail two more were heard in the same area of swampy vegetation they have been in for some days – their old haunt of the banks of the Wesley Brook near the footbridge seem rather overgrown at the moment.
In the trees around the lake were 2 Fieldfare and 33 Redwings.
Goldcrests still very evident: 2 different ‘pairs’ of birds were seen in dispute, as well as several single birds.
Leaving just one area of reeds were at least 750 Starlings: they left in 8 separate groups of c.100 birds. Oddly this was some 10 minutes after several small groups had already passed over. One of the groups ‘lost its nerve’ after a few 100 yards and returned to the reeds: how the birds avoided colliding with the next group that was already leaving is quite beyond me but there were no floating bodies on the lake.
and
1 moth on the street-lamps

The counts from the water were limited by the poor visibility. Counts were taken from the edges and run the risk of over-lap and under-lap as birds move about: and the centre of the water was not visible from any point at all. With that limitation I was pleased to log:
2 Little Grebes
2 Swans
6 (3) Mallard
1 (1) Pochard
74 (57) Tufted Duck
2 (0) Goosanders
3 Water Rails
7 Moorhen
? Coots (not counted)
c.60 Black-headed Gulls
16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls


There is always a silver-lining: the mist / fog can be used for atmospheric effects with these reeds reflected perfectly and without any distracting background.

This is a second brood Grey Pine Carpet (and a midge). Not exactly a stunning shot: the low light-level required ‘flash’ and this just accentuates the mist and then dissipates the light. Rather a strange-looking wing outline on the right wing with an apparent slight convex shape but this seems to be an effect of the resting posture as it is not evident on the left wing. Slightly smaller than and of the November Moth complex and the bar across the wing would never be so strong as shown here. It is just a pity that the markings are not clearer. My first record at this site of this common and widely distributed moth, though it does require conifers for breeding.

The current crop of sun-spots was revealed as the sun tried to break through the mist – usual message: NEVER LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN.

The sun was trying ... but failed here.

Slightly misty but still a good shot of a Great Spotted Woodpecker peering at me ... 

... so it is a male as the red nape demonstrates.

(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 9:32am - 9:56am
Map

(48th visit of the year)

Notes
Just 2 Little Grebes today.
1 Cormorant arrived: my first here since mid-August.
2 all-white feral ducks still here – I suspect they are non-flyers and will be here for some while.
Strange sexual imbalance in Tufted Duck – usually more drakes than ducks. Even if some of the ‘non-drakes’ are first-winter birds yet to acquire enough white on the flanks for me to count them as drakes it still seems the place to come to pick up girls! Meanwhile the girls should go to the lake to find all the men.

The counts
2 Little Grebes
4 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
2 Swans
2 Canada Geese
15 (9) Mallard
3 feral Mallard-type ducks
78 (29) Tufted Ducks
14 Moorhens
158 Coots
31 Black-headed Gulls
6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)


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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
>950 Black-headed Gulls
 >1204 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

8 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:07am - 9:17am
Map

3.5°C > 6.5°C:  Rapidly clouding after a red-sky start. Rain by 9:20am. Light SSE wind increasing moderate. Good visibility.

Highlight today were Goosander: 7, all brownheads, flushed off the lake when they were apparently spooked by the Starlings bursting out of their roost in the reeds. Later 6, including a splendid drake, were at The Flash.

Otherwise rather quiet, especially at The Flash where the all-white feral Goose was the only goose present – in the summer at least some of the Canada Geese seemed to be non-flying birds, at least 1 seemed to have a broken wing. Yet here they were all gone! Perhaps a reaction to the fireworks last night.

(129th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake
- 135 large gulls: again all those seen well-enough to ID were Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- 65 Wood Pigeons.
- 1 Meadow Pipit.
- 7 Pied Wagtails.
- 273 Fieldfares (with 10 more in trees around the lake).
- 11 Redwings (with 19 more in trees around the lake).
- c.580 Starlings (c.520 of these burst out of roosts in the reeds).
- c.600 Jackdaws.
- 21 Rooks.
Apart from the obvious migrant parties of Wood Pigeons another 147 were counted flying low W, either singly or in open groups of up to 10 birds. Some of these were probably also on the move.
The Fieldfare were flying E / SE again.

Other notes
5 Canada Geese flew E (outbound): presumably the same 5 returned W a few minutes later.
Rather too dark to sex all the Tufted Duck this morning.
2 Water Rails calling this morning
20 of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls again either roosted or arrived very early: they had gone by 6:15am.
Visited the usual Redwing roost area pre-dawn: none heard or seen. Later however Blackbirds, Song Thrush and Redwings all feeding in these hawthorns.
and
A strange-looking fungus found on a wooden post along Teece Drive: id a mystery.

Counts from the water
2 Little Grebes
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
5 Canada Geese over
8 (4) Mallard
2 (2) Pochard
112 (?) Tufted Duck
7 (0) Goosanders
2 Water Rails
7 Moorhen
153 Coots
c.340 Black-headed Gulls
c.75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls counted on the water (in addition to the passage birds).
5 Herring Gulls on the water.

Not again: another “red sky in the morning” .. ahead of an often wet day.

“always put something interesting in the foreground” the “How to ...” photo manuals tell you. Well not always: here the Swans almost detract from the main subject – the red sunrise.

So, just the red sky and nothing much else: just as it was about to fade.

These fungus were growing out of the top of a wooden marker posts delineating the old car park entrance from the footpath alongside Teece Drive. I cannot come up with any possible identity from the limited literature I have. I did not notice the small fly when I took the shot. Is it eating the fungus? A web site for many fungus photos is Here, but there seems to be no ‘key’ to limit the search unless you are already a mycologist and know about families!

Close-up there are several species of moss and lichen also growing on the same post.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 9:20am - 9:52am
Map

(108th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over here
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 3 Redwings

Other notes
Swan rings read: confirmed as cob Yellow 52F; pen Blue 7FXE (though it is rather battered and hard to read).
My first-ever visit with no geese present (ignoring the all-white feral bird).
Unusually a party of 17 Mallard arrived from ? and flew around before landing: gave me my largest count of the year for this species here.
Tufted Duck still mostly away.
Kingfisher seen again.

Counts
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
1 all-white feral goose
57 (37) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
13 (7) Tufted Ducks
6 (1) Goosanders
3 Moorhen
14 Coots
41 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

A drake and two of the brownhead Goosanders at The Flash. Note the hooked tip to the bills.

Here are all six together. On the brownheads the dark brown heads are relieved only with a cleanly marked white chin-patch and there is a sharp demarcation between the neck and breast suggesting that these are adult females. However the last brownhead in the line seems to lack a shaggy crest, the chin-patch is less extensive and the bill lacks the hook. So, despite the clear neck pattern I would think this is a juvenile.

(Ed Wilson)


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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
c.587 Black-headed Gulls
938 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

7 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:20am - 9:21am
Map

10.5°C > 10.0°C:  Overnight rain cleared c.6:50am and then dry but cloudy for a while: showers after 8:45am. Light S wind veered W as rain cleared and then fell light (supposed to be strong and gusty). Moderate visibility at best.

The rain, as forecast, did clear for a while but the later showers caused abbreviated visits to, especially, Trench. Nothing to highlight: nothing brought down by the rain.

(128th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake
- 282 large gulls: apart from 1 Herring Gull all those seen well-enough to ID were Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 73 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 208 Fieldfares
- 14 Redwings (with 14 more in trees around the lake)
- 119 Starlings (49 came out of 2 roosts in the reeds)
- >675 Jackdaws
- just 13 Rooks
The few Wood Pigeon parties were flying in all different directions (there were c.100 more ‘local’ birds).
Most of the Fieldfare were flying E / SE – all W / SW on previous days.
Starlings left the roost and scattered in all directions: later all flying W / SW.

Other notes
Some of the Mallard flew off when it was too dark to sex them.
See The Flash count of Tufted Duck – they seemed to have moved here.
Certainly 2 Water Rails calling this morning.
24 of the Lesser Black-backed Gulls either roosted or arrived very early on this dark morning.

Counts from the water
3 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
18 (?) Mallard
4 (4) Pochard
108 (66) Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
7 Moorhen
158 Coots
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
237 Lesser Black-backed Gulls counted on the water (in addition to the passage birds).
3 Herring Gulls on the water

Today’s gull lesson: here is a typical 2nd winter Herring Gull in flight with the four innermost primaries showing the pearl-grey colour of adult plumage – you can see this on both the upper- and under-wing. Otherwise there is much brown in the wings apart from the black outer primaries. The speckling on the head and neck is also present in many adults from now until February.

Shooting into the sky on dull days requires Photoshop to produce a half-decent shot even when using exposure compensation. Here a Goldfinch has extracted a seed from an Alder cone. Note the red ‘face’ shows a few white flecks: I suspect this means this is a 1st winter bird that is still completing its moult in to adult plumage – I checked all 25 in this flock and none had the juvenile’s plain grey-brown ‘face’.

From here the lower part of the ‘face’ on the same bird looks orange rather than red, which tends to confirm the 1st winter theory. Note the claw firmly grasping the Alder cone.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 9:24am - 10:03am
Map

(107th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over here
- 296 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 1 Fieldfare

Other notes
Tufted Duck presumably gone to the lake
2 Collared Doves this morning: my first here since 09 September

Counts
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
48 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
38 (26) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
16 (14) Tufted Ducks
7 Moorhen
14 Coots
46 Black-headed Gulls again

At The Flash birds seem to habituate to people moving about, not least because they often get fed! This extends to species that do not directly take part in food scrums. Like yesterday’s Great Crested Grebe here is an unusually bold Grey Heron. Again Photoshop came to the rescue of the awkward contrast that the camera did not get quite right.

(Ed Wilson)
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Trench Lock Pool: 10:11am - 10:27am
Map

(47th visit of the year)

Notes
Now 6 Little Grebes
Resident Swans have chased off the interlopers.
2 all-white feral ducks still here.

The counts
6 Little Grebes
4 + 2 (1 brood) Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
31 Canada Geese
13 (9) Mallard
2 feral Mallard-type ducks
59 (27) Tufted Ducks
5 Moorhens
160 Coots again
25 Black-headed Gulls
31 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: 24 of these on the water

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake1 drake Ruddy Duck
1 Redshank
c.750 Black-headed Gulls
128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

6 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:09am - 9:36am
Map

1.5°C > 4.5°C:  High cloud spreading rapidly in after red sunrise: a few spots later. Increasing S wind failed to clear smoky atmosphere after the evenings whizz bangs. Moderate visibility.

Somewhat less hectic this morning, though with a big increase in thrush movements, all going W. Many fewer Wood Pigeons: whether that was a reaction to last night’s fireworks, the incoming weather front, the somewhat restricted visibility or simply that the bulk have moved through I am unsure. Movement continued well after 9:00am and I have therefore separated the counts over The Flash).

(127th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake only.
- c.675 large gulls: again all those seen well-enough to ID were Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Lapwings
- c.825 Wood Pigeons
- 3 Meadow Pipit
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 657 Fieldfares
- 110 Redwings (with 3 more in trees around the lake)
- 47 Starlings (19 came out of 2 roosts in the reeds)
- >625 Jackdaws
- just 15 Rooks

Other notes
1 Little Grebe again: this was lurking in the reeds today.
2 duck Teal were new (but the Gadwall has gone again).
Water Rail(s) very vocal again, but how many? could not decide whether there was >1 today.
2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers together – a male and female. Seeing two birds is not infrequent, but seeing them together on the same dead stem outside the breeding season is unusual.
>10 groups of Goldfinches flying around: eventually 32 counted in single group, but prior to that 41 logged. How many of these were duplicates as they formed in to the group.
A Raven over.
and
Several Stretch Spiders (Tetragnatha montana?) on the lamps:  no moths.

Counts from the water
1 Little Grebe
2 Great Crested Grebes
2 Grey Herons
2 Swans
2 Canada Geese
2 (0) Teal
17 (11) Mallard
2 (2) Pochard
57 (25) Tufted Duck
1+ Water Rail
8 Moorhen
177 Coots
c.65 Black-headed Gulls
188 Lesser Black-backed Gulls counted on the water (in addition to the passage birds).
3 Herring Gulls on the water.

“red sky in the morning ....”

This is rather strange: a Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) plant that was ostensibly over and dead has thrown out what seems to be a flowering off-shoot.

This spider sp. has the characteristic shape of the genus Tetragnatha, known as Stretch Spiders. I have never previously noticed specimens whose very elongated front legs are dotted. Tetragnatha montana has spots in some photos on the web and is occasionally to be found in November; it has been mild so it is most likely that species. There are hundreds of similar species world-wide.

(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Flash: 9:39am - 10:22am
Map

(106th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over here
- 142 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 48 Wood Pigeons
- 59 Fieldfares
- 6 Redwings (with 2 more in trees)
- 44 Starlings
- 1 Redpoll (my first of the year at this site)

Other notes
>30 Goldfinches here

Counts
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
46 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
39 (25) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
65 (34) Tufted Ducks
4 Moorhen
20 Coots
86 Black-headed Gulls again
1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the water.

Some of the Great Crested Grebes at The Flash were more confiding than usual today. Sadly there was not much light to get really sharp photos. All six at The Flash look similar to this example, lacking any hint of adult breeding plumes. Some the adults at Trench Lock still have well-defined rufous feathering on their necks so I had assumed that all these plain birds were immatures. But I think the extent and tone of the pink on the bill suggests that this is an adult in winter plumage – the birds at Trench are still feeding a late brood so I guess they are yet to complete their post-breeding moult.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2006
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Ruddy Duck
c.562 Black-headed Gulls
63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

5 Nov 14

Priorslee Lake: 6:10am - 9:38am
Map

5.0°C > 7.5°C:  Started mainly cloudy with increasing breaks and eventually sunny. Moderate NNW wind. Good visibility.

It was a manic, busy start with thousands of Wood Pigeons flying S / SW mainly to the W; hundreds of large gulls flying W, mainly to the N; and dozens of Jackdaws tracking S well to the E and far-enough away not to be able to rely on call to alert me to their presence. Then there were the parties of thrushes and Starlings .... Quite how one accurately estimates large groups of Wood Pigeons that are constantly changing orientation is beyond me: at one point birds were in a continuous stream from one horizon to another and I estimated at least 3500 birds were involved. With that proviso here we go ...

(by the way: large numbers of all these species are quite usual for early November, but this does not make it less thrilling and exciting to see migration actually happening)

(126th visit of the year)

Today’s counts over the lake
- >11500(!) Wood Pigeons (with 68 more high over The Flash later).
- >700 large gulls, all those seen well-enough to ID were Lesser Black-backed Gulls.
- 27 Lapwings
- 2 Sky Larks
- 7 Meadow Pipit
- 5 Pied Wagtails
- 103 Fieldfares (with 2 more in trees around the lake).
- 47 Redwings (with 4 more in trees around the lake).
- 141 Starlings (just 2 came singly out the reeds).
- >475 Jackdaws
- just 12 Rooks
phew

Other notes
No Little Grebes today.
2 Canada Geese flew in and so long as they stayed on the grass the Swans were prepared to leave them alone.
1 drake Gadwall return / new inSee the notes for The Flash: I suspect the Pochard and Tufted Ducks flew out.
2 Water Rails heard squabbling in the NW area again: the other bird, along the N side yesterday, was not heard today.

Counts from the water
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
2 Canada Geese
8 (5) Mallard
4 (2) Pochard
80 (45) Tufted Duck
2 Water Rails
10 Moorhen
172 Coots
c.60 Black-headed Gulls
123 Lesser Black-backed Gulls counted on the water (in addition to the passage birds)
2 Herring Gulls on the water

Another Mistle Thrush, again showing the pale fringes to the feathers on the wings and tail. Very evident in this view is the strength of the bill, noticeably larger than on Song Thrush, Blackbird etc. even though the head of the Mistle Thrush is rather small for its size (annoying out-of-focus foreground twig is obscuring part of the tail: sorry).

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 9:42am - 10:55am
Map

(105th visit of the year)

Notes
6 Great Crested Grebes again.
22 of the Canada Geese flew out – rather unusual time to leave.
1 Cackling Goose present, unusually on its own, and continually calling for a while.
1 Kingfisher again4 Fieldfare over.
1 Redwing in the hawthorn bushes with other thrushes.
The Pochard and 66 (29) Tufted Ducks flew in as one large group – I assume from the lake.
and
1 Brown Rat: my first of the year here (first-ever?). This species is certainly more evident this year.

Counts
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Swans
2 Greylag Geese
81 Canada Geese
1 Cackling-type Canada Goose1 all-white feral goose
29 (18) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
4 (2) Pochard
107 (49) Tufted Ducks
6 Moorhen
16 Coots
86 Black-headed Gulls
108 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: just 1 of these on the water.

One day, one day ... I will nail one of these ever-mobile sprites properly: meanwhile a passable shot of a Long-tailed Tit.

‘only’ a Song Thrush but when you see them like this you see things that you don’t notice on a more casual look ‘in the field’. Did you know that there was a pale brown area around the eye? and fine speckling on the crown? or ...
 
 ... a green wash on the rump? or buff tips to the wing covert feathers?

... and I didn't know that there was a black bar across the folded wing made by the dark tips of the folded primary coverts. Note also that there are single retained feathers in both the median and greater coverts.

It’s all partly down to the light. Where is the brown area around the eye here? And note too that on this side there are no obvious retained feathers.

and look at this real close-up and marvel at the delicate marks on many of the feathers.

Yes I know its only a 1st winter Black-headed Gull and you've seen lots of those. But be impressed by the light-effects on the surrounding water – or be a philistine!

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2005
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
Kingfisher
3 Ruddy Duck
(Martin Adlam)