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)
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
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.
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.
(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 ...........
2012Priorslee 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)