30 Nov 16


The Flash: 10:15 – 10:40

1°C > 3°C: Increasing cloud chased the frost away. Calm / light SW wind. Good visibility

Unable to get down early today. Hoped that the frost and ice might have brought some visitors: it didn't!

(120th visit of the year)

There was >90% ice today with only a small area of open water at the W side of the island

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 26 (17♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
- no Goosanders
- 3 Grey Herons
- 4 Moorhens again
- 13 Coots again
- 51 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again again

I’ll have to have strong words with the camera. I took this shot with the intention of a caption something like “there: Lesser Black-backed Gulls DO have yellow legs”. However the legs may have looked yellow in the binoculars but they do not here. Who said the camera never lies!

They don’t here either though the legs look less pink than the feet. Note the difference in leg and bill colour on the two Black-headed Gulls. The back bird is almost certainly a 1st winter bird but we cannot be sure unless we can see the wing pattern.

A rare case of a truce between these two Grey Herons: it did not last long! Note that both birds are standing on just one leg – a very normal posture.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Lake: 10:50 – 12:05
Location

(161st visit of the year)

No noticeable ice despite The Flash being more or less iced over

Notes from today
- a second pair of Gadwall also new in
- a drake Teal new in: I thought I glimpsed a 2nd bird but was unable to locate it in the reeds later
- same drake Shoveler as the past two days, still well away from the long-staying duck

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 1 (1♂) Teal
- 30 (16♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shovelers again
- 8 (6♂) Pochard
- 106 (52♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Cormorant
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes remain
- 8 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- 23 Black-headed Gulls
- 22 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls

My only contribution today is this flying Great Crested Grebe.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool
Location

The immature drake Velvet Scoter is still present. Via BirdGuides Here
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On this day in ...........
2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard
3 Gadwall
1 duck Goldeneye
1750 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
370 Black-headed Gulls
76 Herring Gulls
1 adult Great Black-backed Gull
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
Redpoll
Siskin
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood / Martin Grant)

Holmer Lake
3 Goosander
1 Pochard
(John Isherwood)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
11 Yellow-legged Gulls
An adult Caspian Gull
3,000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30-40 Waxwings
2 Common Gulls
(Tom Lowe)

2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorants
20 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
6 Buzzards
1 Kestrel
>1050 Black-headed Gulls
451 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
188 Wood Pigeons
18 Blackbirds
166 Fieldfares
62 Redwings
187 Jackdaws
80 Rooks
4 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon again
3 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
215 Coot
4000 Black-headed Gulls
2500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
1 Fieldfare
1 Sky Lark
168 Jackdaws
72 Rooks.
19 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

29 Nov 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:20 – 09:30
Location

Sunrise: 07:56 GMT

-2°C > +1°C: Fine clear and frosty. Calm / light variable wind. Good visibility with some haze in the distance and mist over the water early

The main target today was to get to Trench Lock Pool after it was fully light and to check whether the Velvet Scoter, first recorded yesterday, was still present. This is a sea duck that is rarely found inland. Many misplaced birds will leave on the first clear night when they can orientate themselves – luckily this bird stayed for me to see it and get some photos. New for my year-list and my first-ever in Shropshire

(160th visit of the year)

No noticeable ice despite the very white frost

Notes from today
- same drake Shoveler as yesterday, still nowhere near the long-term duck
- party of 25 Cormorants passing S to the E was unusual
- fewer Wood Pigeons today with just 4 groups totalling 72 birds other than local fly-overs
- Jackdaw numbers likely underestimated: a party of at least 200 flew very low directly overhead giving me almost no time to estimate how many in the group. 76 later
- two singles and a party of 5 Starlings came out of the reeds this morning
and
- no moths today

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 (0♂) Goosanders
- 25 Cormorants (1 group)
- 38 Black-headed Gulls
- 91 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 5 Stock Doves (1 group)
- 103 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- 2 Collared Doves
- >274 Jackdaws
- 12 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 18 Fieldfare (3 groups)
- 20 Redwings (4 groups)
- 6 Siskins
- 2 Linnets

Birds leaving roost around lake
- 7 Starlings (see notes)

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 14 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shovelers
- 5 (4♂) Pochard
- 87 (48♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons still
- 2 Little Grebes
- 5 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 6 Moorhens
- 63 Coots
- c.65 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

Another great winter morning looking from the dam toward the main N side reed-bed.

And the whole N-side panorama.

The remaining leaves on these trees were falling quickly today as the sun reached the frosted branches.

Not very thrilling but here one of the many falling leaves is in the centre of the view here.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool
Location

Late Morning Report: 10:30 – 11:30

(8th visit of the year)

Most of the time spent watching the Velvet Scoter and some other counts incomplete

Other notes
- geese in some number today with birds arriving throughout; some of the arrivals flew low through – to Middle Pool? Other birds only stayed a short while and also left – perhaps also for Middle Pool

The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 77 Canada Geese
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 27 (17♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Velvet Scoter
- Moorhens not counted
- Coots not counted
- >60 Black-headed Gulls
- >80 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- >6 Herring Gulls

Here is the Velvet Scoter: the age and sex of this bird are both rather puzzling. The two white patches on the face suggest it is a female or a juvenile and as these are rather distinctive then it suggests a juvenile. However the bill shows some orange along the cutting edge and that suggests an immature drake. It must still be quite immature as there is no hint of the dark feathering along the base of the upper mandible shown by drakes from first-winter onwards.

Slightly different light on the bird here.

Can be hard to judge tones in harsh low winter light: to my eyes this bird looks too pale to be anything other than a juvenile.

A quick wing-flap and the white secondaries show well. When flocks of scoter are passing out to sea the white secondaries of this species separates these at long range from the more numerous Common Scoter. The white secondaries can often be glimpsed when the bird it on the water.

The underwing can look very pale in bright light.

And here we see the very pale belly confirming it as a juvenile and taken on its own would seem to be too white for a drake. But we cannot argue that the bill has orange along the edges and the bird must be an immature drake..

Here for size comparison with a drake Tufted Duck.

It wouldn’t be Trench without gulls: here a very near adult Herring Gull – just a few black marks in the greater coverts and some brown marks in the tertials. Only the merest hint of a red spot on the lower mandible – so a 3rd or 4th winter bird.

This rather brutish-looking Herring Gull is a typical 3rd winter bird. Its size suggests it is a male.

Early Morning Sighting: 8:30am

Velvet Scoter still present this morning

(David Tromans)

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Trench Middle Pool: 10:10 – 10:25

(4th visit of the year)

This was about 30% ice this morning, the ice sufficiently thick for many of the Black-headed Gulls to be standing on it

This was a quick look while walking past en route to Trench Pool and the counts may be incomplete.

The counts from the water
- 1 Mute Swan
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 12 Canada Goose
- 18 (13♂) Mallard
- no Tufted Ducks
- Moorhens not counted
- Coots not counted
- 182 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2013
Priorslee Lake
6 Gadwall
2 Pochard
2 Teal
1 Shoveler
Shelduck
1 Yellow-legged Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(JW Reeves / John Isherwood)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
144 Coots
Woodcock
216 Black-headed Gulls
c.480 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
47 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
c.950 Wood Pigeons
16 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
c.560 Jackdaws
81 Rooks
11 Siskins
3 Redpolls
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)

2010
Madeley
3 Waxwings
(Pete Nickless)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Drake Pintail
(Martin & Ian Grant)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
28 Pochard
54 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
>1450 Black-headed Gulls
331 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
278 Wood Pigeons
35 Robins
27 Blackbirds
69 Fieldfares
7 Song Thrushes
13 Redwings
1 Siskin
8 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes again
2 Wigeon
2 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
223 Coot
A drake Shoveler
7+ Cormorants
8000 Black-headed Gulls
3500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
25 Golden Plover
14 Fieldfares
8 Redwings
13 Sky Larks
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

28 Nov 16

Trench Lock Pool
Location

Evening Update
Velvet Scoter still present at 4:30pm. Via BirdGuides Here

Midday Sighting
Velvet Scoter at Trench Pool at mid-day, favouring the north bank to feed. (David Tromans)

Velvet Scoter (David Tromans)

Velvet Scoter (David Tromans)

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Priorslee Lake: 07:20 – 09:50
Location

Sunrise: 07:55 GMT

5°C > 6°C: Mainly cloudy start with a few breaks; cleared after 09:00. Light E wind. Very good visibility

Several highlights this morning
- a duck Goldeneye at the lake
- 48(!) Goosanders at The Flash
- c.30 Golden Plover very distantly from the lake
- another late sighting of a wasp on the ivy near The Flash

(159th visit of the year)

Change around for the ducks here today: the two duck Teal gone; the pair of Shoveler gone and replaced by a different drake; different numbers of Pochard and Tufted Ducks; the (Greater) Scaup gone; the Goldeneye new as highlighted

Notes from today
- early outbound geese for the first time for some weeks: these seemed to come off of The Flash and included Greylag Geese which were not present there late morning yesterday
- all 4 of the Feral Pigeons and apparently all-white ‘fancy’ birds. In the far distance, gleaming in the sun, trying to ID them was a challenge
- 160 of the Wood Pigeons overhead were in 11 groups mainly headed N or E
- Willow Tit heard and then seen: my first log since 3 September here
- 1 Fieldfare was an relatively unusual sighting in the trees at the W end: the only one of this species logged today
- both Song and Mistle Thrushes were singing quietly for a while
and
- three species of moth on the lamp: a Winter Moth; 2 November Moth agg; and a Mottled Umber

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 10 Greylag Geese (2 groups)
- 6 Canada Geese (1 group)
- 2 (2) Goosanders
- 6 Cormorants (1 group)
- c.30 Golden Plover
- 5 Black-headed Gulls
- 63 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 4 Feral Pigeons
- 4 Stock Doves (2 groups)
- 214 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- 167 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails
- 1 Meadow Pipit
- 24 Redwings (2 groups)
- 2 Greenfinches
- 4 Goldfinches
- 4 Siskins
- 5 Linnets

Birds leaving roost around lake
- 7 Starlings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall again
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Shovelers
- 6 (5♂) Pochard
- 87 (51♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) (Common) Goldeneye
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 56 Coots
- c.80 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Today’s sunrise.

And once the cloud cleared it was a stunning light.

An unusually bold drake Pochard allowed me to get close this morning.

This (laughing?) drake Pochard looks a bit soggy around the head: the back shows waterproofing OK though.

This is a (Common) Goldeneye. The extent of the white in the folded wings suggests this a drake but the literature is quite clear that it is only adult ducks that have a yellow tip to the bill. The head and bill shape is quite distinctive.

The usual view of a (Common) Goldeneye: the camera focuses and there it is (almost) gone! But note that the spread tail looks quite different from almost all diving ducks and that it could almost be identified from this alone. It certainly enough to make it necessary to wait for the bird to resurface and not just add 1 to the Tufted Duck count!

Perseverance and the sun came out as well. Goldeneye seems to be a good name. My second record of this species here this year after blank years in 2014 and 2015.

This Winter Moth is sitting rather strangely with the forewings part open and showing the underwing.

These two moths are both from the November Moth agg. complex – the flight-season for all these species is just about over now and I was rather surprised to find these.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:00 – 10:25
Location

(119th visit of the year)

Notes
- so where were the Mallard today?
- largest count of Goosanders this year. My highest total is 64 – in 2012

Over-flying birds noted
- 28 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Goose again
- 1 all white feral goose
- 14 (8♂) Mallard
- 48 (30♂) Tufted Ducks – yes same number of ♂♂ as yesterday
- 48 (10♂) Goosanders
- 2 Grey Herons
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 4 Moorhens
- 13 Coots
- 78 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull again

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
7 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
c.373 Wood Pigeons
2 Woodcock
17 Redwings
29 Fieldfares
c.490 Jackdaws
56 Rooks
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
2 Pochard
48 Tufted Duck
10+ Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2009
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Martin & Ian Grant)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
26 Pochard
47 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
64 Coots
895 Black-headed Gulls
48 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
35 Fieldfares
24 Redwings
191 Jackdaws
123 Rooks
53 Starlings
16 Greenfinch
13 Goldfinches
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
A duck Wigeon
Cormorant
c.75 Lapwing
2 Fieldfares
1 duck Pochard
34 Tufted Duck logged.
200 Coot
(Ed Wilson)

27 Nov 16

The Flash: 09:00 – 09:45
Location

7°C: Overcast with a very few breaks. Light NE wind. Good visibility

As a PS to my note about a significant movement of Redwings yesterday morning the Belvide blog reported the same thing so it must have been a quite widespread movement

Did things the ‘other way around’ this morning before being taken on to Venus Pool where the highlight was a Green-winged Teal – the New World equivalent of the Old World (Common) Teal. For me another highlight there was a drake Pintail

(118th visit of the year)

Notes
- the Mute Swans were logged again today – they must have been circling the island the opposite way to me yesterday
- 3 immature Herring Gulls dropped in briefly when they saw the Black-headed Gulls squabbling with the bread they stole from the ducks being (mis)fed. They did not stay once food was no longer in the offing!
- am not really sure about the Sparrowhawk: it was a very large bird and flying with lazy elastic wing-beats that are characteristic of the larger Goshawk. I would have needed a better view or, preferably, a photo to claim the latter. Strangely none of the birds present on the lake or those calling in the wooded areas seemed to react to its passing – often it is the alarm calls of tits that alerts me to the presence of Sparrowhawks. Goshawk is one of the UK’s most misidentified species and I do not have enough experience of flying birds to be sure from the brief view I had. So logged as the larger female Sparrowhawk. It did look odd though

Over-flying birds noted
- 1 Sparrowhawk (see notes)
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 2 Starlings
- 8 Redwings

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Goose
- 1 all white feral goose
- 40 (30♂) Mallard
- 39 (30♂) Tufted Ducks
- 32 (6♂) Goosanders
- 1 Grey Heron
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens
- 14 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 3 Herring Gulls (see notes)

A flotilla of Tufted Ducks – 8 drakes and 2 ducks (I’m sure that’s not the right collective noun for Tufted Ducks – a knot of Tufted Ducks?)

The brownhead Goosanders were being reasonably cooperative today, coming quite close to the Derwent Drive roadside and in the shaded water by the island. Despite the rather low winter light-levels this is a decent shot.

Ditto

Not to be outdone an adult winter Black-headed Gull also posed.

A reflective Black-headed Gull: the marks on the breast are detritus from the water surface.

(Ed Wilson)
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Priorslee Lake: 09:50 – 11:15
Location

(158th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- the ‘spare’ drake Gadwall seemed to have gone
- two duck Teal new in
- also new was a pair of Shoveler
- just 8 Wood Pigeons in a single group flying over
- all the gulls were coming and going: the fewer Herring Gulls were mainly individually recognisable; the Lesser Black-backed Gulls were generally not. Oddly nearly all the large gull were full adults today
- the Yellow-legged Gull was a very smart bird
- a Mistle Thrush was singing quietly for a while
and
- two species of moth on the lamps, both females: a Feathered Thorn and a Mottled Umber

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 35 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Wood Pigeons (see notes)
- 22 Redwings (1 group)
- 4 Goldfinches
- 1 Siskin

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (0♂) Teal
- 2 (1♂) Gadwall
- 20 (11♂) Mallard
- 3 (1♂) Shovelers
- 7 (5♂) Pochard
- 78 (43♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (1♂) (Greater) Scaup
- 2 Grey Herons
- 6 Great Crested Grebes again
- 9 Moorhens
- 61 Coots
- c.75 Black-headed Gulls
- >100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- >6 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull

A record shot only: one of the two duck Teal here today.

There was a pair of Shoveler present today (as well as the duck present for over two weeks). This shot shows that the drake is in full adult and was therefore a different bird to the lone drake seen on Friday.

An unusual perch for this Grey Heron.

Had to play around with the contrast on these to show what I wanted. These two Great Crested Grebes look as if they are about to make a synchronised touch-down

But because their legs are set so far back for diving and swimming underwater they cannot use them as water-brakes and crash-land on their bellies.

A very smart-looking and arresting gull.

Here seen with a gaggle of adult winter Lesser Back-backed Gulls. Our bird looks more like a pale Lesser Black than a dark Herring Gull and is the best candidate as a Yellow-legged Gull so far this winter for me.

Another gaggle of adult winter Lesser Back-backed Gulls showing the more or less complete range of head-streaking.

With spread wings as it takes off this adult winter Lesser Back-backed Gull shows how little white there is in the upper wing-tip. The legs and feet are supposed to be yellow, rather less bright in winter: I am sorry but these look pink to my eye (or to the camera?).

Another view of the spread wing.

This is a Feathered Thorn moth: my second here this year. The male has very feathery antennae so as we cannot see these I suspect this is a female rather than a male with its antennae tucked under.

This, believe it or not, is another female moth. It is a female Mottled Umber. In several winter-flying moths the female has no or only vestigial wings. It is thought this adaptation allows all her energy to be devoted to egg-laying and it is the task of the caterpillars to disperse to find a suitable food-plant – a plant that is likely above ground when the eggs are laid.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 11:25 – 11:40
Location

(7th visit of the year)

A rather quick look here

Notes
- nothing special to note

The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 5 (3♂) Mallard
- 25 (9♂) Tufted Ducks
- 6 Moorhens
- [Coots not counted]
- 45 Black-headed Gulls
- 68 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 20 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Sightings Here

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
930+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
95 Herring Gulls
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
146 Coots
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
8 Redwings
151 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

2005
Priorslee Lake
50+ Golden Plover
4 Pochard
39 Tufted Duck
1 duck Wigeon
2 Ruddy Duck
2 Little Grebes
200+ Coot
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
12 Redwing
5 Fieldfare
8 Siskin
5 Reed Bunting
(Martin R Adlam)

26 Nov 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:10 – 09:35
Location

Sunrise: 07:51 GMT

5°C > 3°C: Low cloud with a few breaks. Light NE wind. Moderate visibility

Significant movement of Redwings this morning: triggered by what? and why were they not all flying the same way?

(157th visit of the year)

Notes from today
- another sub-adult Mute Swan made a brief appearance
- an eclipse drake Wigeon dropped in
- one of duck Gadwall not logged today
- the first winter drake (Greater) Scaup had changed allegiance today and was in the NW area for a change
- lots of Goosanders again: a group of 20 came from the S and turned W at 07:40 when it was rather too dark to sex them; five minutes later a brownhead flew W. After 09:00 there were, unusually, 5 on the water – 1 drake and 4 brownheads
- two Little Grebes again today: both in the NE today
- a Water Rail was, briefly, very vocal this morning
- Saturday’s bus gets me to the lake some 10 minutes earlier and it was a much darker morning: as a result I was in time to see (some?) of the Magpies leaving their traditional roost site – just 24 noted, but numbers do tend to build up throughout the winter
- a Green Woodpecker called from the N side: birds have occasionally roosted here in previous winters
- a Nuthatch was heard calling and then flew on to a roof of a house in Teece Drive and proceeded to poke about in the moss
- the Redwings were headed in all directions: a party of at least 80 birds (perhaps my largest-ever group?) flew WSW; most of the other birds were headed N, NE or even E
- while I was at the W end trying to decide whether the Goldfinches had roosted there or flown in a party of 4 Linnets shot out of the bushes: seemed they had roosted

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 21 (?♂) Goosanders (see notes)
- 10 Black-headed Gulls
- 45 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 77 Wood Pigeons
- 193 Jackdaws
- 11 Rooks
- 27 Starlings (4 groups)
- c.68 Fieldfares (1 group plus singles)
- 228 Redwings (6 groups)
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 1 Greenfinch
- 2 Goldfinches
- 7 Siskins again
- 1 Linnet

The counts from the lake area
- 3 + 1 Mute Swans
- 1 (1♂) Wigeon
- 3 (2♂) Gadwall
- 7 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shovelers
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- 140 (79♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (1♂) (Greater) Scaup still here
- 1 Grey Heron once again
- 2 Little Grebes again
- 6 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 7 Moorhens
- 58 Coots
- c.100 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

Here we can see one drake and three brownhead Goosander at the lake – the concrete ramp identifies! A Coot and drake Tufted Duck get in the picture.

Some sort of symmetry with the drake and brownhead Goosander. This time it is a duck Tufted Duck getting in on the action.

Through the binoculars I had this as a duck Wigeon – the classic rounded head-shape identifies. Looking closely at the photo I think the head is too reddish-brown and the line between the head and neck is too sharp for a duck and therefore it has to be an eclipse drake.

On a lamp-post in Teece Drive was this Buzzard. The yellow cere (the top of the bill) and the barred breast identify as an adult – the breast of juveniles is streaked.

Most unusually it allowed me to get very close without seeming concerned – this is straight off the camera.

“are you pointing that at me?”

“oh: OK then. This is my good side”

Had to walk past it and look back to get the whole bird in the frame!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:40 – 10:05
Location

(117th visit of the year)

There was the noise and disturbance of hedge trimming this morning which may have affected some numbers

Notes
- the Swans were not seen this morning – perhaps they just swam the other way around the island to the direction I walked
- drake Pochard back – if it ever went away
- I had logged 24 Goosanders (7 drakes) on the water. As I was leaving they all(?) took off and there were at least 25 birds (8 drakes). I was momentarily distracted by the party of c.20 Redwings flying E overhead and when I looked again there were possibly 2 more birds circling around, though since I could not see all the earlier birds I was unsure
and
- a Mottled Umber moth on one of the lamps: perhaps my first-ever at this site

Over-flying birds noted
- c.20 Redwings (see notes)

The counts from the water
- 1 Canada Goose
- 1 all white feral goose
- 39 (28♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 13 (7♂) Tufted Ducks
- 25 (27?) (8?♂) Goosanders (see notes)
- 1 Grey Heron once again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Moorhens
- 10 Coots
- 51 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull

A male Mottled Umber moth – females of this species, like many winter-flying moths – are virtually wingless and most certainly cannot fly.
(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in ...........
2012
Priorslee Lake
22 Tufted Ducks
143 Coots
Nuthatch
34 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
228 Jackdaws
98 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Greylag Geese
27 Pochard
70 Tufted Ducks
1 drake Ruddy Duck
70 Coots
>400 Black-headed Gulls
315 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
221 Wood Pigeons
22 Blackbirds
45 Fieldfares
38 Redwings
264 Jackdaws
71 Rooks
5 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
1 Pochard
40 Tufted Duck
1 Goldeneye
2 Ruddy Duck
C.700 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Herring Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Caspian Gull
Sparrowhawk
c.628 Jackdaws
c.358 Rooks
(Martin Adlam)