7 Dec 16

Priorslee Lake: 07:20 – 09:45

Sunrise: 08:07 GMT

9°C > 11°C: Patchy low cloud / misty under clear sly for a while; then medium overcast for a while before more breaks appeared. Moderate SSE wind. Moderate visibility at best, but good later

(165th visit of the year)

No ice

No real highlight today

Other notes from today
- the Shoveler were configured as a pair; and two ducks. None of these birds was with the Gadwall today
- there were at least 62 Lesser Black-backed Gulls on the water when I arrived and they seemed settled-enough to have roosted there: they all flew off soon after
- all bar one of the 239 Lesser Black-backed Gulls logged (62 at roost; 122 overhead; and 55 on the water later) appeared to be adult birds
- in contrast 3 of the 5 Herring Gulls were 1st winter birds
- 160 of the Wood Pigeons overhead were in two groups that came out of the trees in Wards Rough to the NE and flew off W
- the Magpies seemed to use a different set of trees for their roost (or perhaps their post-roost jumping about) and as a result I probably missed many
- the 2 Mistle Thrushes overhead seemed to be different from the usual resident pair
and
- no moths on the lamps today – rather surprising in the mild conditions
- four plants noted in flower
Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris)
buttercup sp. (Ranunculus sp.)
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Spindle (Euonymus europaea)

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 22 Greylag Geese
- 4 Canada Geese
- 15 Black-headed Gulls
- 122 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 9 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 186 Wood Pigeons
- 25 Jackdaws
- 1 Rook
- 1 Pied Wagtail
- 33 Fieldfare (3 groups)
- 2 Mistle Thrushes
- 21 Redwings (5 groups)
- 1 Skylark
- 1 Chaffinch
- 1 Greenfinch
- 5 Goldfinches
- 2 Siskins
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Birds leaving roost around lake
- 62 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 28 Magpies (see notes)
- 6 Redwings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 + 1 Mute Swans
- 2 (1?) Gadwall once more
- 8 (5?) Mallard
- 4 (1?) Shovelers
- 7 (6?) Pochard
- 61 (36?) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 4 Great Crested Grebes again
- 7 Moorhens
- 54 Coots
- c.95 Black-headed Gulls
- 55 Lesser Black-backed Gulls(see notes)
- 1 Herring Gull

This is Yarrow (Achillea millefolium): typically flowers in to November so not too out of season

Alder cones against the sunrise.

Not my best photo in a rather dull spot: enough to show it is a buttercup (Ranunculus sp.). None is supposed to be flowering at this date so not too sure about the species: likely Meadow or Creeping.

Here we see Mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris). This should not be flowering after September: this specimen seems to have survived the frost well-enough.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:50 – 10:10

(123rd visit of the year)

No ice

Notes from here
- Pochard new in and back to the behaviour of a few years ago – tucked up asleep in the NW area

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Raven
- 2 Goldfinches

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 32 Canada Geese
- 1 all white feral goose
- 49 (29?) Mallard
- 1 (1?) Pochard
- 22 (12?) Tufted Ducks
- 14 (2?) Goosander
- 1 Great Crested Grebe again
- no Moorhens
- 13 Coots
- 48 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull



(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool
Location

Immature drake Velvet Scoter still present at 2:30pm. Via BirdGuides Here.

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

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here

2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard.
55 Tufted Ducks.
153 Coots.
615 Black-headed Gulls
354 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls.
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Cormorants
33 Swans
25 Pochard
61 Tufted Ducks
297 Coots 
2 Buzzards
19 Goldfinches
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
17 Greylag Goose
9 Pochard
46 Tufted Ducks
>1400 Black-headed Gulls
>230 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull 
1 Great Black-backed Gull
23 Robins
16 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares
3 Redwings
259 Jackdaws
257 Rooks
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
9 Pochard
31 Tufted Duck
234 Coot
205 Jackdaws
473 Rooks
154 Fieldfare
4 Redwings
8 Redpolls
46 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)