26 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 3.0°C: Dull and more dull. Light south-easterly wind. Moderate / good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:02 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:55 – 09:15

(23rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- four Canada Geese flew in from the West, spending the rest of the time as a single and a trio.
- otherwise one Canada Goose flew East and two separate Greylag Geese flew West.
- six Goosanders with three drakes again. As yesterday one of the ducks/brownheads was consistently apart from all the others.
- the / a Great Crested Grebe was seen again.
- the numbers of gulls on the water declined yet again: depressing.
- a single Black-headed Gull arrived at 07:40 increasing to only three by 07:45 and a maximum of 21 by 08:00. After 09:00 26 were on and around the football field, the academy's own playing field and the roofs of the academy.
- five Herring Gulls and as yesterday no Lesser Black-backed Gulls joined the Black-heads on the water.
- a tight group of at least 60 Starlings flew low East over the dam c.08:00. It is just possible these were leaving a roost site around the lake. Previous groups seen this year have been flying much higher and heading South. This whole Winter period I can only recall three days with a Starling roost here.
- after yesterday's bumper total of 14 singing Song Thrushes I heard only nine in today's colder conditions (and no Blackbird song).

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Goose
- 2 Greylag Geese
- 12 Wood Pigeons
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Herring Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 131 Jackdaws
- 109 Rooks
- >60 Starlings: together

Counts from the lake area:
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- 6 (3♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (3♂) Goosander again
- 4 Moorhens again
- 17 Coots only
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 21 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 5 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls again
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 1 Great (White) Egret again

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

It was colder and also with very light rain while I was checking the poles.

Springtails:
- 3 globular springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type
- 1 other springtail

Seen later:

Nothing of note

It was so gloomy this morning that once I had checked the street lamp poles along the West end footpath pre-dawn I did not unleash the camera on anything else. I'll spare you more photos of unidentified globular springtails and show this photo of a different but still unidentified springtail. Obsidentify suggests it is most likely a Signal Crayfish. I think not!

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20

(19th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans present and obvious throughout.
- no Cormorant, Grey Heron or Great (White) Egret noted
- I expected more at the feeding station in the colder conditions. Not so: apart from the usual Blue and Great Tits I only noted a single male and one female Chaffinch.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull: immature

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 28 (20♂) Mallard
- 8 (6♂) Pochard
- 54 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (2♂) Goosander again
- 14 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- no Cormorant
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

Around the area:

Nothing else of note

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
Velvet Scoter
2 Scaup
(Martin and Ian Grant)

2013
Priorslee Lake
39 Wigeon
8 Gadwall
24 Pochard
74 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
173 Coots
169 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
18 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Observer Unknown)

25 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 7.0°C: More brighter spells this morning with a light showers early. Light easterly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:03 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:55 – 09:15

(22nd visit of the year)

New Bird Species:
One addition to my 2026 bird species list for this site:
- a Red Kite was circling overhead heading loosely West at 09:10
Species #57 this year.

Otherwise another very quiet day.

Bird notes:
- the only geese seen today were four Canada Geese flying South far to the West.
- now six Goosanders: three drakes. They did not seem to be consistently behaving as pairs with one of the ducks/brownheads consistently apart from the others.
- a Great Crested Grebe was my first here for 10 days.
- an even small number of gulls on the water:
- the first c.75 Black-headed Gulls arrived together at the later time of 07:35. These had all gone by 07:40. A suspiciously similar number arrived back(?) c.07:55. Much later 35 (of these?) were on the academy's own playing field.
- four Herring Gulls and no Lesser Black-backed Gulls joined the Black-heads on the water.
- fewer gulls than yesterday were noted passing over.
- of the 55 Wood Pigeons noted flying over 48 of these were in two parties flying North.
- no fewer than 16 Song Thrushes were noted singing. Two calling birds may or may not have been different individuals. Also heard in song was a Blackbird: I think the first this year though I heard at least one singing in December.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: flew South together
- 55 Wood Pigeons: see notes
- 9 Herring Gulls
- 13 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Red Kite
- 139 Jackdaws
- 97 Rooks
- 23 Starlings: together

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 8 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 (3♂) Goosander
- 4 Moorhens
- 22 Coots
- >75 Black-headed Gulls: see notes
- 4 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
There was light rain while I was checking the poles.

Flies:
- 3 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.
- 1 midge (with spurs), quite possibly one of the Cerotelion species

Springtails:
- 5 globular springtail of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type

Noted later:

Fungus:
- Glistening Inkcap Coprinellus micaceus

A trio of drake Goosanders. The three girls had gone elsewhere to look for fish.

Same problem as yesterday: raptors as silhouettes against a leaden sky. Here is the Red Kite.

Looking at the camera?

Just a hint of red in the tail.

One of the local Common Buzzards was none too happy about the kite's presence and decided to patrol its territory.

One of three winter craneflies Trichocera sp. braving the slight rain.

This midge, complete with leg-spurs, I have previously suggested could be one of the Cerotelion species.

A small part of a very large number of Glistening Inkcaps Coprinellus micaceus.

And a few more. I also noted this species in the same area last January.

(Ed Wilson)

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In the Priorslee Avenue tunnel pre-dawn

Flies:
- 3 midges

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 6 probably all Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

This midge was identified with 91% certainty by Obsidentify as a species of in the family Chironomidae and specifically Telmatogeton japonicus which it names Marine splash midge. This species, introduced from Japan, does look a good fit though it is known from inter-tidal areas so seems unlikely. The mark on the right side of the insect is on the wall behind it.

A Missing Sector Orb-web Spider Zygiella x-notata. I suspect all six spiders I noted hanging from webs along the wall of the tunnel were this species.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:35

(18th visit of the year)

New Bird Species
Three additions to my 2026 bird species list for this site:
- a Greylag Goose (at last) was heard and then a single bird noted on the water.
- a male Blackcap was seen at the feeders between Wordsworth Way and the water.
- a Stock Dove was heard calling from the nearby worded area
This brings my bird species total for here to #49 this year.

Note
Frustrating were two "possibles" that got away:
- for the second time in three days I heard what sounded a bit like a Green Woodpecker calling. But only a "bit like". When I heard it Friday I dismissed it as being given by one of the five very vocal Song Thrushes (one of them can do a good imitation of a Redshank). Today I was not so sure. One to listen out for.
- in a fast-moving mixed party of tits I caught a snatch of what might have been a calling Marsh Tit. Booting up the Merlin app. left me confused as what it suggested was a Marsh Tit sounded like a Great Tit to me. I saw nothing to suggest a Marsh Tit was present.

Other bird notes:
- I thought the Mute Swans were missing again. After having walked all the way around I was about to climb in the car when I noted two on the East side. Did they fly in or were they hiding inside the island, perhaps nest prospecting?
- both Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers decreased today: they come and they go.
- four Goosander behaving as two pairs today.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 Mute Swans: see notes
- 31 (23♂) Mallard
- 9 (6♂) Pochard
- 30 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (2♂) Goosander
- 16 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 18 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: a near adult-winter was joined briefly by a second winter
- no Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Of note around the area:

Nothing else

I have no idea why it has taken 25 days for a Greylag Goose to appear on the water for me this year. Just the one. That will do.

As with the Tufted Duck the Pochard have become much more tolerant of people. This pair, the duck in the foreground, were unusually close and unfazed by the camera even if they were watching carefully.

At first glance it looks like an adult-winter Herring Gull. Closer inspection shows too much black on the bill and, more telling, a few brown flecks in the folded wings.

Here it is joined by what looks to be a second-winter judging by the extensive pale at the base of the bill. An adult-winter Black-headed Gull is the back bird of the trio.

Looking at this Blue Tit photo prompted me to wonder whether, like Great Tits, they can be sexed by the size of the "zip" down the belly. Reference to the literature suggests not, noting that Blue Tits have a "weak dark line" down their belly in contrast to the black line of the Great Tit, wider in the male of this latter species.

Not a species I expected to see today: a male Blackcap was visiting the feeding station.

This clearly shows the black is a "cap". The plumage is somewhat similar to both Marsh and Willow Tits: on these species the black extends down the nape. Not always easy to see.

A smart bird even if the low light makes the photo "grainy".

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
11 Pochard
61 Tufted Duck
2 Greater Scaup
1 Velvet Scoter
98 Coots
4 Redwings
c.735 Jackdaws
c.257 Rooks
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
92 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
Peregrine
6 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
12 Gadwall
1 Greater Scaup
>700 Black-headed Gulls
7 Common Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>300 Herring Gulls
7 Great Black-backed Gulls.
(Ed Wilson, (John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Peregrine
1 Little Grebe
30 Swans
4 Gadwall
28 Pochard
86 Tufted Ducks
1 Buzzard
296 Coots
5 Redwings
27 Greenfinches
c.30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
Goldeneye
1 Water Rail
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
c.1300 Black-headed Gulls
c.120 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.45 Herring Gulls
10 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
24 Pochard
22 Tufted Ducks
152 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.48 Siskins
1 Redpoll
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

24 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C > 7.0°C: A few brighter intervals though still mostly cloudy. Fresh south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:05 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:00 – 09:25

(21st visit of the year)

Another very quiet day.

Bird notes:
- six Canada Geese flew in from the East.
- not entirely sure haw many Goosander there were today: there were three drakes and a brownhead early apparently all flying off West at 07:42. Whether most of these returned is unknown: however there were two drakes and brownhead present at 08:00 and thereafter.
- another day with small numbers of, especially, large gulls on the water
- about 250 Black-headed Gulls were flying low over the water by 07:23 before soon settling. Could these have perhaps roosted here and been disturbed or where they unusually arrivals?
- just four Herring Gulls and only two Lesser Black-backed Gulls joined the Black-heads on the water before all the gulls departed.
- all the gulls passing over were as singles or small scattered groups with no skeins seen. There was an unusually high proportion of Herring Gulls
- the Jackdaw and Rook counts are "best effort" as the main passage coincided with the exodus of the gulls and the species were all mixed up.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 7 Feral Pigeons: flew South together
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 27 Herring Gulls
- 31 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *1 Sparrowhawk
- *1 Common Buzzard
- 177 Jackdaws
- 113 Rooks
- 1 Redwing

Counts from the lake area:
- 8 (4♂) Mallard
- 14 (6♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (3♂) Goosander: see notes
- 5 Moorhens
- 17 Coots
- >250 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls only
- 4 Cormorants again
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: flew off again

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Very breezy around the poles.

Beetles:
- *1 unidentified ground beetle

Others:
- *1 unidentified insect.

Noted later:

Nothing

Very odd:

I have yet to see any Alder Leaf Beetle Agelastica alni this Winter. There were only a few last Winter after a few years when double figures on the Teece Drive fence was not uncommon.

Silhouetted birds against the leaden sky require some editing to get results that show some of the features. Here is a Sparrowhawk: rounded wing-tips and long tail. Often noted looking for prey in a "flap-flap-flap-glide" mode of flight. Of course it is equally at home twisting and turning through woodland hoping to surprise its prey.

And a Common Buzzard.

It seemed unperturbed by my presence and...

...flew low over me...

...several times.

None of my apps give me an ID for this beetle: a ground beetle I think. I'll see if the Shropshire recorder can help though I am aware that as one of the largest families of insects in the UK with over 350 species in over 80 genera it is a challenge!

This looks somewhat like my unidentified insect from yesterday. It shares the general size and shape as well as the black area on what might be the thorax. However yesterday's specimen was white whereas this is grey.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:50

(17th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the Mute Swans gone again.
- both Pochard and Tufted Duck numbers increased.
- five Goosander, only one drake
- two Great Crested Grebes: confirmed when two seen at the same time.
- *two Cormorant with one departing.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls again
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 2 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese
- no Mute Swans
- 35 (21♂) Mallard
- 11 (9♂) Pochard
- 55 (28♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (1♂) Goosander
- 10 Moorhens
- 36 Coots again
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- *57 Black-headed Gulls: a good variety?
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
- *2 Cormorants: one departed
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret

Of note around the area:
Nothing else

Not something I see very often here: a Black-headed Gull on the grass. This one an adult-winter plumaged bird.

Add you own caption. I don't want to be cancelled.

An immature Cormorant swimming half-submerged – as they do.

The Great (White) Egret seemed to be having difficulty standing in the trees.

It should not be too hard as the species, like the Grey Heron, nests in the tops of tall trees.

If at first you don't succeed give up.

Always a delight: a Long-tailed Tit.

Male Blackbirds are not always as black as they appear at first sight.

This one with a (partial) grey shawl somewhat reminiscent of a Jackdaw.

A female Chaffinch munches a seed picked up from underneath the feeding station. This species has less ability to hang on to feeders than Green- and Gold-finches.

A smart male Chaffinch.

While several others sang their heads off this Song Thrush was sitting quietly in an Ivy clump and snatching the berries from time to time.

I think I have been spotted.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
56 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
108 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
95 Tufted Ducks
4 Goosanders
9 Bullfinches
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
31 Wigeon
8 Gadwall
26 Pochard
99 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
>1200 Black-headed Gulls
>2200 large gulls
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
23 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
1 Cormorant
16 Swans
2 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
5 Pochard
37 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
117 Coots
96 Black-headed Gulls
42 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
38 Herring Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

Horsehay Pool
1 Caspian Gull
(Jim Almond)

2010
Priorslee Lake
>300 Jackdaws
36 Swans
4 Gadwall
26 Pochard
64 Tufted Ducks
315 Coots
>300 Black-headed Gulls
39 Lesser Black-backed
28 Herring Gulls
11 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
(Jason Buckley)

2008
Priorslee Lake
120 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
16 Herring Gulls
50 Black-headed Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Martin Adlam)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
3 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
14 Pochard
23 Tufted Ducks
151 Coot
370 Jackdaws
118 Rooks
250 Wood Pigeon
15 Robins
14 Blackbirds
47 Siskins
3 Redpolls
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

23 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

6.0°C: Scattered low cloud below medium-high overcast early; soon giving way to low overcast with light rain after 10:00. Moderate-fresh easterly wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:06 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:00

(20th visit of the year)

A very quiet day again

Bird notes:
- there were a trio of Goosander today: two drakes.
- another day with small numbers of, especially, large gulls on the water
- the first six Black-headed Gulls arrived at 07:25. A steady arrival saw the numbers increase to c.60 before they all departed to the South with at least 28 others passing overhead. After 08:00 c.150 (more?) arrived from the West. A few more flew directly over.
- the first group of c.50 Lesser Black-backed Gulls arrived overhead at 07:20. With none already on the water they circled overhead and then moved away South. More passed over later with just two Herring Gulls and eight Lesser Black-backed Gulls noted on the water, briefly.
- the Great (White) Egret was seen flying around. With almost all the reeds adjacent to the dam cut down there were fewer places for this bird and the Grey Heron to lurk.

Where have all the Great Crested Grebes gone? Well: I read that last Tuesday c.440 were counted on the flat-calm sea off The Wirral. Looking through the Dee Estuary birding blog this seems to be an annual Winter gathering, albeit requiring a flat calm sea to see. I guess most of our birds have gone to the seaside for their annual holiday.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- c.125 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 112 Jackdaws
- 137 Rooks
- c.35 Starlings together
- c.25 Goldfinches: together

Counts from the lake area:
- 4 (3♂) Mallard
- 7 (3♂) Tufted Duck only
- 3 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Moorhens
- 12 Coots
- >200 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: flew off?

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Breezy again around the poles.

Moths:
- *1 male Early Moth Theria primaria

Springtails:
- *4 springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type

Others:
- *1 unidentified insect.

Noted later:

Springtails:
- *5 at least of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type on one wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.

Not much from another dull and damp day. I did find this male Early Moth Theria primaria on one of the street lamp poles.

One of the many springtails of the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type I noted both on the street lamp poles before dawn and...

...then later on the wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ.

I am still baffled by this tiny insect. I am not sure whether it is a springtail or not. It does not look like any in the NatureSpot photo gallery. Obsidentify suggested a millipede: if so it has lost most of its legs. Google Lens was positive it is a silverfish: it isn't. A search through the Collins Insects Guide has not given me any clues.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 10:25

(16th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans back.
- just two Goosander, both brownheads
- one Cormorant: an immature.
- perhaps attracted to the feeding station between Wordsworth Way and the water I noted at least eight Chaffinches and four Greenfinches in various locations along the East side. The former species had become scarce in recent years with very little song heard. We will see in a few weeks whether these bird stay.
- a group of more than 20 Goldfinches with at least five *Siskins were feeding on Alder cones along the East side.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 6 (4♂) Pochard
- 39 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 24 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Grey Heron

Noted around the area:

Fungus:
- *Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa
- *Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica: on a different tree to yesterday's example
- *another unidentified fungus

Some things like the wet weather!

The only vaguely acceptable photo of birds today was this one showing two Siskins, a male on the left, attacking Alder cones.

This is Blushing Bracket fungus Daedaleopsis confragosa. It was almost on the ground and I was unable to position the camera to illustrate the underside.

A better(?) example of Yellow Brain fungus Tremella mesenterica that I found on a different tree to that in yesterday's photo. Looks a bit like I imagine my brain is these days – scrambled.

Obsidentify also identifies this fungus as Yellow Brain. It looks more like a traditional bracket fungus with gills to me. At the time I thought there was a stem: the photo shows this is not connected and perhaps a separate fungus.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
5 Cormorants
3 Grey Herons
8 Pochard
8 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
1 Kingfisher
6 Redwings
391 Jackdaws
217 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
201 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
4 Great Crested Grebes
(Ed Wilson)

Hortonwood
21 Redwings
(Dave Tromans)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)

The Flash
Drake Scaup
(Richard Vernon)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2010
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
55 Pochard
104 Tufted Duck
1 Common Gull
2 Ravens
22 Linnets
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
200 Black-headed Gulls
400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
Glaucous Gull
(Ed Wilson, Martin Adlam)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Pete Nickless)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Cormorant
5 Pochard
9 Tufted Duck
2 Kestrel
556 Wood Pigeon
27 Robin
23 Blackbird
1 Fieldfare
14 Redwing
47 Magpie
100 Jackdaw
96 Rook
16 Greenfinch
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
2 Cormorants
9 Pochard
36 Tufted Ducks
3 Water Rails
c.420 Wood Pigeon
c.60 Starling
29 Pied Wagtails
23 Blackbirds
6 Greenfinches
17 Siskins
1 Redpoll
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

22 Jan 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

7.0°C > 9.0°C: Dull and overcast. Light rain at times. Light south-easterly wind. Good visibility.

[Sunrise: 08:07 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

Another day when it seemed prudent to wait until it was (sort of) light before venturing out.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:50 – 11:45

(19th visit of the year)

Of Interest:
For reasons I am sure they know Severn Trent have employed contractors to cut all the reeds along the dam-face. The logic escapes me: unless they dig out the roots they will regrow as they did last year. Surely they are not worried about the reeds affecting the integrity of the dam? Do the reeds not grow in mud and thus help by protecting the dam-face from wave action?

Viewing only from the dam-top.

Bird notes:
- the pair of Goosander still present despite the work on the dam.
- more Coots than recently though still very low numbers historically. It may be that with the cutting of the reeds there were a few more out of hiding.
- very few gulls: none when I arrived with only a few flying in.

Just one bird noted flying over:
- 1 Great (White) Egret flew East: probably the bird seen earlier at The Flash.
There were a very few Wood Pigeons flying about and but one Lesser Black-backed Gull

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 11 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 4 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
That was all folks.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:40

(15th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- an unsexed Goosander was flying off as I arrived.
- only one Great Crested Grebe noted: a bird with more extensive head plumes than the one I photographed yesterday.
- six Song Thrushes seemed untroubled by the weather and were happily singing away.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 5 Lesser Black-backed Gulls

Noted on / around the water:
- 8 Canada Geese
- 24 (16♂) Mallard
- *9 (7♂) Pochard
- 30 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- *6 (2?♂) Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 38 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 12 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

One of the fisherman reported that a Kingfisher had flown past him earlier. I checked all the usual places without success.

Noted around the area:

Fungus:
- *Silverleaf Fungus Chondrostereum purpureum
- *Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica

A duck Goosander in the murk.

A different duck Goosander wing-flapping to illustrate that the white on each wing is confined to the trailing edge. On drakes it extends across the whole width of the wing.

I think this is a pair of Pochard, the back bird being a duck showing "spectacles" around her eyes. I am sure it is too late in the season for this to be a late-developing drake.

This is another pair.

Always perky: a Blue Tit. All the rest of today's bird photo were taken in the vicinity of the feeding station between Wordsworth Way and the water. Considering the very dull conditions and the position of the feeders in a sheltered area I was pleased with the results.

And another Blue Tit.

One of the party of Long-tailed Tits

Another

A Robin joins the feeding party.

A Dunnock. This species prefers to shuffle around on the ground picking up morsels dropped by the other birds.

A "noisy" photo of a female Chaffinch.

On a dead branch of a small tree I noted extensive Silverleaf Fungus Chondrostereum purpureum. Further up the branch...

...alongside more Silverleaf Fungus was a different fungus – Yellow Brain Tremella mesenterica.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
9 Pochard
106 Tufted Duck
1 Velvet Scoter
106 Coots
c.260 Black-headed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
204 Redwing
c.250 Jackdaws
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Crested Grebes
32 Wigeon
6 Gadwall
25 Pochard
105 Tufted Ducks
166 Coot
>1700 Black-headed Gulls
>1500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
>450 Herring Gulls
13 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Water Rail
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
28 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2008
Priorslee Lake
300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
65 Herring Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
31 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
20 Robins
23 Blackbirds
19 Fieldfares
17 Redwings
3 Jays
31 Magpies
183 Jackdaws
159 Rooks
7 Greenfinches
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)