2.0°C > 3.0°C: Clear and frosty with only a little high cloud to the SW. Moderate WSW wind. Very good visibility. Very fresh feel after the last few days
Sunrise: 08:21 GMT yet again
Priorslee Lake: 06:55 – 09:25
(171st visit of the year)
Notes from today:
- the resident Mute Swans awoke to find some visitors: the adult was seen off and left to the E while it was still rather dark at 07:30, having scattered the Canada Geese in the process. An unringed cygnet was on the boat ramp and stayed there unable to reach the water. This bird looked less well-developed than the resident cygnets but must have flown here
- the extra drake Gadwall not noted today
- pair of Goosander circled and landed at 08:00 staying less then five minutes
- a party of 22 Cormorants flew S to the E at 08:20 – to Bayliss Pools?
- a few Starlings in the NW reeds roost: another small party flew over
- another Skylark record: I am tempted to suggest this bird is using the brownfield site to the north and I am hearing / seeing it fly in or out
- 4 different Reed Buntings around the lake: none of these flew off suggesting these were residents rather than roosting birds
and
- nothing on the lamps after overnight rain and then the clear, frosty conditions
Today’s bird totals
Birds noted flying over / near the lake:
- 3 (2♂) Mallard
- 22 Cormorants
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 16 Wood Pigeons
- c.160 Jackdaws
- 19 Starlings
- 1 Skylark
- 8 Redwings (1 group)
- 2 Greenfinches
- 5 Siskins
Birds noted leaving roosts around the lake:
- [Magpie roost not counted]
- 5 Starlings
- 6 Redwings
- ? Reed Buntings (see notes)
The counts from the lake area
- 3 + 4 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 29 Canada Geese
- 10 (5♂) Gadwall
- 15 (10♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 45 (23♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (1♂) Goosanders
- 3 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 10 Moorhens yet again
- 184 Coots
- c.150 Black-headed Gulls
Overnight rain cleared away and a clear sunrise with a few clouds to add colour.
And the long view again.
Just a record shot of the pair of Goosander that spent less than five minutes here at c.08:00.
A Coot against the sunrise-highlighted water.
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Lake: 13:30
At Priorslee Lake today I saw 2 Water Rails in the stream by the side of lake. There was also the Kingfisher which shot by.
Water Rail
Water Rail
Water Rail
(Mark Williams)
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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:20
(116th visit of the year)
Notes from here
- even more Pochard: tempted to suggest they are refugees from the lake
- 4 male Bullfinches seen together near The Priorslee eating the Hawthorn buds
and
- nothing on the lamps here either
Birds noted flying over
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 (1♂) Sparrowhawk again
- 2 Wood Pigeons
- 27 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans: resident adults
- 2 Canada Geese still
- 1 white feral goose as usual
- 31 (19♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Pochard
- 28 (15♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (2♂) Goosanders
- 2 Great Crested Grebes remain
- 5 Moorhens again
- 14 Coots
- 47 Black-headed Gulls
A male Bullfinch bends down to eat one of the Hawthorn buds.
And gives it a good chew.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day..........
2013Priorslee Lake
Two 1st-winter female Scaup
(Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
A drake Scaup
4 Gadwall
10 Great Black-backed Gull
(Kriss Webb)
2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Black-necked Grebe
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
97 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosander
327 Coots
5 Redwings
4 Fieldfare
10 Goldfinches
14 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)