31 Jan 15

No sightings in today.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Afternoon Count
c.45 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
32 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls 2 adult and a 1st winter
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)
Morning Count
c.390 Black-headed Gulls
104 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
14 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

30 Jan 15

Telford Crematorium
Location

Caspian Gull present today. Photograph Here, (Tom Lowe)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
Map
2014
3 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
1 Woodcock
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
1 Scaup
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)
------------------------------
2012
1st winter Glaucous Gull.
(Martin Grant)
------------------------------
2009
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Female Ruddy Duck
(Jason)

29 Jan 15

Priorslee Lake: 11:00am

10 Great Crested Grebes (six, 2 adult 4 imm, in a loose flock)
2 Cormorant.

(Martin Grant)


Telford Crematorium
Location

Adult Caspian Gull in fields by crematorium at 1:29pm; also 3 Yellow-legged Gulls. More here with photos. (Tom Lowe)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2007, 2008, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Velvet Scoter - 1st winter
3 Scaup - 1st winter drake and 2 1st winter ducks
1 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull
313 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
13 Herring Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
Drake Scaup
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
246 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
34 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson and et al)
------------------------------
2008
c.2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
109 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
c.250 Black-headed Gulls
The roost was interrupted twice by birds of prey, the first by a Buzzard that put them all up and then by a Merlin later.
(Martin Adlam)
------------------------------
2007
Duck Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson)

28 Jan 15

High Ercall
Location

c100 Golden Plover displaying over stubble at High Ercall. c200 Lapwing too. (Stuart Edmunds)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
1 1st winter female Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup (1st winter drake and two 1st winter ducks)
(Gary Crowder / Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
1 Greater Scaup 
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

27 Jan 15

No Sightings in today.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
At least 71 Magpies left their roost area pre-dawn: my highest total this winter.
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
(Ed Wilson)

26 Jan 15

No Sightings in today.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2009
Priorslee Lake
2009
An immature Iceland Gull
2 Curlew overhead
(Ed Wilson)

25 Jan 15

Telford Crematorium
Location

3rd-winter Caspian Gull in field opposite the crematorium at 2:45pm. Via BirdGuides


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2007 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2007
Duck Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2006
1 Mediterranean Gull
(Ed Wilson)

24 Jan 15

Telford Crematorium
Location

1st-winter Caspian Gull in field opposite the crematorium to 1:15pm when it flew towards Granville Landfill Site. Via BirdGuides

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2009, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Velvet Scoter
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
1 Greater Scaup
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2009
1st winter Iceland Gull
(Jason Buckley)
------------------------------
2006
A Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

23 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
1 Velvet Scoter
A drake Scaup
(Ed Wilson and et al)
------------------------------
2013
1 Greater Scaup
8 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2009
Glaucous Gull
Adult Yellow legged gull present.
(Richard Vernon)
------------------------------
2008
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Adlam)
------------------------------
2006
A Water Rail
A Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

22 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Velvet Scoter
(Ed Wilson)

21 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2012, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
1 Velvet Scoter
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
Scaup
2 Goldeneye (1 drake)
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
Adult Common Gull
(J Reeves)
------------------------------
2012
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

20 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
2  Greater Scaup 
1 Velvet Scoter 
(Ed Wilson / Mike Stokes)
------------------------------
2013 
1 Greater Scaup 
1 Goldeneye 
1 Common Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2010
Adult Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Andy Latham)
------------------------------
2009 
Juvenile Glaucous Gull
Juvenile Iceland Gull
------------------------------
2007 
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2006 
c.1600 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

19 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
1 female Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup - 1st winter male, 2 1st winter females
(David Barnes / Tony Beckett / Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2013
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------
2010
Adult Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Andy Latham)
------------------------------
2006
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

18 Jan 15

No sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2010, 2012 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Midday
1 female Velvet Scoter in NE bay
3 Scaup - 1st winter male, 2 1st winter females
2 adult Yellow Legged Gulls
3 adult Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
Morning
Velvet Scoter
3 Greater Scaup
4 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)
-----------------------------
2012
1 Yellow-legged Gull
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
-----------------------------
2010
2nd winter Glaucous Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
Probable "intermedius" Lesser Black-backed Gull.
At least 1 Ring-billed Gull look-alike
Several white headed dark eyed Herring Gulls but no Caspians.
No sign of the Bittern.
(Andy Latham / Ian Grant)

17 Jan 15

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2012
Priorslee Lake
Map
2012
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
15 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

16 Jan 15

No Sightings in today.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
Map
2014
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)
--------------------
2013
Drake Scaup
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)
--------------------
2010
Bittern seen at 11:05am today.
--------------------
2006
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

15 Jan 15

Priorslee Lake:

Late Morning Update:  11:00am

Great Black-backed Gull
Raven
Gadwall

(John Isherwood)


Morning Report: 7:03am - 9:44am

3.0°C > 4.5°C Overnight rain and gales had cleared: after 10:00 some light showers. Moderate / fresh SW wind. Moderate visibility with rather watery sun.

Some important news about access to Priorslee Lake. The road and footpath from the surfaced part of Teece Drive will be closed from 26 January for up to 13 weeks while the access road to the new academy is built. This will also involve some changes to the junction with Priorslee Avenue. A new set of lights in Castle Farm Way will allow safer egress from Priorslee Avenue.

The road will be open at weekends, primarily for access by the yacht club (and Severn Trent will be able to gain emergency access at all times). Otherwise access to the lake will only be possible from the lay-by in Castle Farm Way.

When work is completed the road and path will be restored though whether the car parking area by the gate will exist is unclear. Contrary to some reports the foot tunnel under Priorslee Avenue will still exist.

All this direct from a Council official who was affixing the usual incomprehensible statutory notice, with map, to the gate.

On with the birds: best this morning was a Woodcock presumably going to roost in the copse alongside the Castle Farm Interchange.

(3rd visit of the year)

Counts of birds flying over the lake (therefore in addition to those on / around lake)
- 117 Canada Geese
- 128 Black-headed Gulls
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 5 Feral Pigeons
- 1 Stock Dove
- 355 Jackdaws
- 214 Rooks
- 3 Redwings

Counts of birds leaving roosts around the lake
- >430 Wood Pigeons from Wards Rough
- 47 Magpies
Redwing roost not visited

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
6 (3♂) Gadwall
8 (4♂) Mallard
5 (5♂) Pochard
61 (33♂) Tufted Duck
Cormorants
11 Great Crested Grebes
14 Moorhens
142 Coots
61 Black-headed Gulls
Lesser Black-backed Gulls
Herring Gulls
Great Black-backed Gulls

Other notes
Large number of distant Canada Geese this morning: at the moment all are heading NE well to the NW of the lake, the origin of these birds being hard to say.
now 11 Great Crested Grebes
Very few gulls again
Black-headed Gulls arrived from the west / Ricoh but whereas they usually stop-off at the lake for a while almost all of them flew through and away SE. Some did apparently return later.
- almost no large gulls over and just a few drifted in after 09:00
After weeks of smaller than usual numbers the Rooks were back with a bang this morning with >50 over well ahead of most of the Jackdaws. There were no large groups of Jackdaws either, just a long spell of small groups passing.
At least 3 Goldcrests this morning: I suspect more as I could hear what seemed to be more calling birds, though these high-pitched calls can be hard to locate.

This morning’s sliver moon: the cross-lighting always highlights the craters.

(Ed Wilson)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Priorslee Flash: 9:47am - 10:28am
Map

(3rd visit of the year)

Notes
Last recorded by me on 26 May last year what seems to be the same slightly large and very dark-plumaged feral Mallard with a white breast was present this morning. But nowhere near its previous consort, the all-white feral bird.
Little Grebe back (from hiding?)

Counts of birds flying over The Flash (therefore in addition to those on / around water)
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls only

The counts from the water
Mute Swans
15 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
32 (25♂) Mallard
feral ducks
3 (2♂) Pochard
23 (14♂) Tufted Ducks
33 (6♂) Goosander
1 Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebes
Moorhens
14 Coots
104 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
Herring Gulls


“are you laughing at my feet?”: well, yes actually. This ‘brownhead’ Goosander at The Flash. Not sure quite why the wings were being held at this angle. The bird was intermittently preening. Later she entered the water and swam away looking quite normal ...

.. as we see here. From the extent of the white in the wing I suspect this might be a 1st winter drake coming in to plumage though the crest would suggest a duck!

and the other side in an unusually close approach.

5 species at once: left to right Canada Goose, (different) Goosander, adult winter Black-headed Gull, drake Tufted Duck and Coot.

(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trench Lock Pool: 10:36am - 11:15am
Map

(2nd visit of the year)

Notes
Buzzards overhead
Otherwise little of note

The counts from the water
Mute Swans
11 Canada Goose
13 (8♂) Mallard
feral Mallard-type ducks
feral Muscovy-type duck
2 (2♂) Pochard
46 (16♂) Tufted Ducks
2 (0♂) Goosander
Cormorants
Grey Heron
Little Grebe
Great Crested Grebes
Moorhens
135 Coots
167 Black-headed Gulls
53 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
18 Herring Gulls

Can never resist soaring Buzzards when the light is right! The lack of a dark band at the tail-tip and only a small amount of yellow on the cere at the top of the bill suggests this is an immature bird.

Food was on offer – a local throwing (white!) bread. So the gulls arrive. All adult Black-headed

Here is a nice shot of one of these adult Black-headed Gulls in flight.

(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
Velvet Scoter female
Also
3 Scaup (1 1st winter drake and 2 1st winter females)
4 Great Black-backed Gull
(Chris Cameron/Gary Crowder)
--------------------
2013
Drake Scaup
Goldeneye duck 
Great Black-backed Gull
1 Dunlin
(John Isherwood / Ed Wilson / Mike Cooper)
--------------------
2009
Adult winter Mediterranean Gull
4 adult Yellow legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Mike Cooper / Andy Latham)
-------------------
2008
1st winter Glaucous Gull
(Geoff Holmes)

14 Jan 15

Priorslee Lake7:06am - 9:54am
Map

-0.5°C > 1.0°C Fine and clear with thin covering of lying snow. light W wind increasing moderate as first signs of high cloud approaching from W. Very good visibility.

(2nd visit of the year)

Counts of birds flying over the lake (therefore in addition to those on / around lake)
- 26 Canada Geese
- 8 (4♂) Goosander
- 1 Kestrel
- 57 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 335 Jackdaws
- 90 Rooks
- 6 Ravens
- 4 Redwings
- 1 Meadow Pipit

Counts of birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 50 Magpies
Redwing roost not visited

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
6 (3♂) Gadwall
8 (5♂) Mallard
5 (5♂) Pochard
54 (30♂) Tufted Duck
2 Cormorants
1 Little Grebe
10 Great Crested Grebes
1 Water Rail (heard only)
17 Moorhens
138 Coots
308 Black-headed Gulls
8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull

Other notes
4 (2♂) Goosanders flew in from the W and circled low over the water but apparently did not land: this before 07:45. Over an hour later 4 (2♂) birds flew high W and are assumed to have been different birds. Quite why this species seems to like The Flash but hardly ever visits / stays at the lake for more than a few minutes is hard to understand.
Kestrel seen to the far E being chased by Jackdaws: good to get this on the year-list for here as only 3 confirmed sightings all last year.
>850 Wood Pigeons left the Wards Rough area this morning: this exodus did not seem to be triggered by the start-up of the bird-scaring cannons in the fields to the E which had commenced some 15 minutes previously. Perhaps they had roosted here and I should add this species to the roost list above?
Meadow Pipit overhead probably moved by the snow at higher levels.

Localised snow in the area this morning: this was the view towards Limekiln Bank where the snow was thickest.

The S side of the lake was also well-covered in a thin layer.

The N side seemed to have been sheltered, or perhaps was slightly warmer as it faces S: less snow generally and some clear areas. Here is the Wesley Brook bridge.

While further along there is no snow at all.
Here is the view along the dam-top.

A mainly clear start.

An adult Cormorant inbound: note that despite being an apparent adult – the breast and belly show no white – there is no sign of the breeding condition thigh-patch or head-plumes. Note also the long tail.

And here we see how it uses that long tail as the first part of the braking system as it touches down.

Despite the cold – note the ice (melting snow) on the branches – this Dunnock was in full song.

Another view of the same bird: this shows the brown edging on the bunched primaries to good effect.

Preening time for these Goosanders. Now why would you want feet that colour? One assumes that this colour affords some evolutionary advantage but it is not obvious what. Perhaps fish cannot see red feet?

They are a charismatic species though.

A 1st winter Herring Gull. The bill is just beginning to show some pale at the base and the mantle feathers have some pearl-grey tips.

Nice sequence showing the differences between these flying birds – a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull and an adult winter Black-headed Gull. Shows the size and structure differences well.

 Note how the light affects the apparent plumage tones.

And again.

With the Lesser Black-backed Gull looking over its shoulder as the smaller gull closes.

As they tilt showing the underwing.

(Ed Wilson)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Priorslee Flash9:59am - 10:47am

(2nd visit of the year)

Notes
The Goosanders again flew off and before I had properly counted them: 31 (7♂) is the minimum figure and 37 (8♂) the highest possible count.

Counts of birds flying over The Flash (therefore in addition to those on / around water)
- 38 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
30 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
39 (30♂) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
2 (1♂) Pochard
25 (16♂) Tufted Ducks
31 (7♂) Goosander
1 Great Crested Grebe
1 Grey Heron
4 Moorhens
14 Coots
141 Black-headed Gulls
2 Lesser Black-backed Gull
13 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2009, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
Map
2014
Scaup - 1st w drake and 2 1st w females
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)
--------------------
2013
2.0C sleet showers; moderate / fresh NW wind; moderate visibility.
Drake Scaup
1 Goldeneye
1 Great Black-backed Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)
--------------------
2009
An adult Yellow-legged Gull on the ice
(Mike Cooper)

13 Jan 15

Priorslee Lake7:12am – 9:36am

3.0C > 4.5C  Overnight rain clearing away to the E: fine for a while, then clouded with sleet / rain after 11:20. Moderate WSW wind. Good visibility.

Note: as from 2015 I have adopted the latest BOU (British Ornithologists’ Union) species order that differs slightly from the more traditional order. See British List Here

My first visits of the year: the recent generally mild weather has seen rather little change: the gales have not brought any significant numbers of gulls.

Some signs of spring this morning.
One of the Cormorants at Trench Lock now has breeding head-plumes as well as the white thigh patch.
Great Crested Grebes seen displaying at Trench Lock.
Coots are now much more aggressive with nest-building observed at Trench Lock and numbers slightly lower suggesting some movement away.
Blue Tits chasing and all tits now in full song.
Song Thrushes in song at both the lake and The Flash.
Dunnocks now singing from exposed perches.
and
The Hazel catkins are now strikingly obvious and beginning to acquire the yellow colour Gorse in flower at Trench Middle Pool.

(1st visit of the year)

Counts of birds flying over the lake (therefore in addition to those on / around lake)
- 3 immature Mute Swans
- 23 Canada Geese
- 45 Black-headed Gulls
- 43 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 582 Jackdaws
- 93 Rooks
- 6 Ravens
- 6 Redwings

Counts of birds leaving roosts around the lake
- 58 Magpies
- 16 Redwings

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
6 (3♂) Gadwall
13 (7♂) Mallard
4 (4♂) Pochard
53 (26♂) Tufted Duck
1 Cormorant
1 Little Grebe
7 Great Crested Grebes
1 Water Rail (heard only)
19 Moorhens
152 Coots
116 Black-headed Gulls
5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls

Other notes
>400 Wood Pigeons to the NE in the Wards Rough area: otherwise rather few seen.
Kingfisher making its usual early morning round of the lake.
Jackdaws both far to W and E as well as overhead this morning – some probably missed.
Many more Rooks than throughout December with birds both preceding the Jackdaws (as usual) and then more birds mixed in with smaller groups of Jackdaws.

Much later
Rather few Redwings in the roost.

The current state of the Hazel catkins is shown here: more or less full size now and showing some yellow tinge, not complete until the pollen is available ....

... and a view from the ‘other side’. Some of the catkins in these groups have yet to expand.

... in close-up the hooded ‘flowers’ and the stamens are just about visible.

A Goldcrest works the tree trunk in search of insect eggs tucked in the crevices. Not much to go on for identification here. Obvious small size, the best clue is the white patch in the wing, shared only with the rather unlikely Firecrest. That species has a bold face pattern which would be obvious even on this rather dark photo.

A different bird but still a Goldcrest: note the typical large dark eye in the pale face.

A pair of Ravens tumbling, as they do. Needs to be seen in video really. Note that when the bills are open as they call these look rather thinner and more curved that you might expect, but the prominent ‘fingers’ of the primaries confirms the ID. Of course with the sound there would be now doubt.

And here one goes on another roll: here the diamond-shaped tail can be seen.

(Ed Wilson)

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

Priorslee Flash: 9:39am - 10:23am

(1st visit of the year)

Notes
The 17 Goosander flew off just as I arrived and therefore unable to count number of drakes.
3 Ravens over here in addition to those at the lake.
At least 14 Goldfinches in the Alders here: none at the lake this morning, just single fly-overs – perhaps all the cones at the lake eaten?.

Counts of birds flying over The Flash (therefore in addition to those on / around water)
- 8 Canada Geese
- 23 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls
- 3 Ravens

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
32 Canada Geese
1 all-white feral goose
37 (26♂) Mallard
1 all-white feral duck
27 (13♂) Tufted Ducks
17 (?♂) Goosander
2 Great Crested Grebes
5 Moorhens
15 Coots
127 Black-headed Gulls
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
9 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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

Trench Lock Pool10:31am – 11:00am // 11:35am – 11:40am

(1st visit of the year)

Notes
Now where did the Muscovy-type duck appear from? Doubt it can fly. It is certainly very friendly
still unsure whether there was 1♂ and 2♀ or 1♂ and 1♀ Shoveler – I changed my mind at least 3 times!

The counts from the water
2 Mute Swans
1 Canada Goose
13 (6♂) Mallard
3 feral Mallard-type ducks
1 feral Muscovy-type duck
3 (1♂) Shoveler
2 (2♂) Pochard
50 (17♂) Tufted Ducks
2 (0♂) Goosander
3 Cormorants
1 Grey Heron
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
11 Moorhens
146 Coots
82 Black-headed Gulls
49 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
8 Herring Gulls

The new and rather friendly Muscovy-type feral duck that has appeared at Trench Lock. I do not pretend to be an expert but the wings look rather short as if they have been clipped to stop it flying away. So presumably it was brought here by someone.

One of the Cormorants at Trench Lock showing the head plumes that older birds acquire as part of their breeding plumage. It also shows the crest on the nape. The yellow bare skin on the chin is also brighter as the bird comes in to breeding condition. The top of the white thigh patch is just about visible above the water-line.

Arriving Canada Geese startle a first-winter Herring Gull in to flight. All but one of the gulls in the background are adult Lesser Black-backed Gulls, very few of which have the heavy head-streaking shown by many birds.

One Canada Goose with the brakes on under water and the other having a honk before it to settles on the water.

This Coot is already busy nest-building.

(Ed Wilson)

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

Trench Middle Pool11:05am – 11:30am
Map

(1st visit of the year)

Notes
Nothing special

Overhead
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls
- 1 Sparrowhawk

The counts
3 Mute Swans
41 Canada Geese
29 (18♂) Mallard
5 feral Mallard-type ducks
3 (2♂) Pochard4 (1♂) Tufted Ducks
1 Grey Heron
1 Great Crested Grebe
15 Moorhen
10 Coots
148 Black-headed Gulls
2 Herring Gulls


An old country saying has it that ‘when gorse is in flower, kissing is in season’: or rendered as ‘when gorse is out of flower, kissing is out of season’. What is not generally known is that there are three different species of gorse that flower at different periods. As each species flowers over a long period it is unusual for ‘kissing to be out of season’. The name ‘gorse’ comes from the Saxon ‘gorst’ meaning ‘waste’ – the old name for open heathland, the favourite location of the plant. Not much of that at Trench Middle Pool these days.

(Ed Wilson)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2006, 2010, 2013 and 2014
Priorslee Lake
2014
1st winter drake Scaup and two female Scaup still.
(Paul King)
--------------------
2013
Drake Scaup present still.
(Tony Beckett)
--------------------
2010
A snowy day
Bittern
Yellow-legged Gull
Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
--------------------
2006
Great Black-backed Gulls
Adult Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)