17 Jan 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 6.0°C: Some early breaks. Mainly low/medium overcast. Light southerly wind. Mostly good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:12 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:25

(15th visit of the year)

Still >25% thin ice.

Bird notes:
- very different behaviour by the gulls today. None was present on the water or ice until c.07:35 when at least 600 birds, both Black-headed Gulls and large gulls, arrived together. Many more continued to stream in until c.07:50 when I made my first estimation of the numbers of each gull species. By 08:45 there were just seven gulls remaining. Then at c.09:00 at least 250 large gulls streamed (back?) in from the North after which I made my second estimation of the numbers of each gull species.
- at c.09:15 at least 12 Carrion Crows and a few Magpies were making a lot of noise and jumping around in trees inside the Ricoh grounds. I searched in vain for a predator that they might have been mobbing.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 10 Canada Geese: outbound
- 16 Greylag Geese: outbound
- 1 Stock Dove
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Collared Dove: my first here this year
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 12 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 51 Jackdaws
- 9 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 31 Canada Geese: most (all?) departed
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (2♂) Gadwall
- 9 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 21 (11♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 253 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- >350 // 10 Black-headed Gulls
- >50 // >50 Herring Gulls
- 3 adult Yellow-legged Gulls
- >550 // >200 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Cormorants: arrived together
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 07:45 again: set your watch!

Noted on the street lamp poles pre dawn.

Flies:
- 1 male plumed midge Chironomus sp.
- 1 gnat sp.

Springtails:
- 2 globular springtails Dicyrtomina-type

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata still

Telford Sailing Club
Noted around Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.

Flies:
- 1 female plumed midge Chironomus sp.

Barkflies:
- 2 barkfly Valenzuela flavidus-type

Springtails:
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis-type
- *3 globular springtails Dicyrtomina-type

New Bird Species
One addition to the bird species on my site for here in 2025:
58 Collared Dove

Peeping through cloud as I arrived was a now distinctly lop-sided waning Wolf Moon.

A pre-dawn view to the West with that moon just peeking through.

On one wall of the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre-dawn was this springtail of the Pogonognathellus longicornis-type. Even though this appears to be not in perfect focus for some reason the hairy nature of this insect is more evident than usual.

Also present was a trio of globular springtails of the Dicyrtomina-type. Here are two of them.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:30 – 10:45

(12th visit of the year)

Still >35% ice cover

Bird notes:
- the Little Grebe was seen again, briefly

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 10 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 4 Mute Swans
- *43 (28♂) Mallard
- [the all-white feral Aylesbury Duck not seen]
- 87 (60♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- *53 Coots
- 1 Little Grebe
- 98 Black-headed Gulls
- 12 Herring Gulls: at least two adults: rest immatures
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: (near) adults

Noted elsewhere:
Nothing

New Bird Species
No additions to the bird species on my site for here in 2025

 It cannot be much fun being a Mallard. The drakes always outnumber the ducks.

During the freeze the Coots seemed to declare a truce. No longer. "Stay away".

"No"!

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
57 Magpies
10 Pochard
64 Tufted Duck
119 Coots counted
>500 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
18 Redwings
>1500 Jackdaws
>325 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
1st-winter female Velvet Scoter
102 Tufted Ducks
(Ed Wilson and Unknown Observer)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
21 Pochard
80 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
155 Coots
Snipe
Woodcock
Kingfisher
113 Redwing
30 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

The Flash
31 Tufted Duck
50 Goldfinches
1 Redpoll.
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
2 Shoveler
21 Pochard
95 Tufted Duck
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
15 Great Black-backed Gulls
117 Redwings
12 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

The Wrekin
6 Marsh Tit
2 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
4 Cormorants
4 Pink-footed Geese
3 Greylag Geese
16 Pochard
35 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
>600 Black-headed Gulls
>487 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
94 Herring Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
24 Robins
11 Blackbirds
8 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
39 Magpies
205 Jackdaws
76 Rooks
12 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
12 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
11 Pochard
11 Tufted Duck
213 Coot
1 Water Rail
c.360 Black-headed Gulls
1 Great Black-backed Gull
169 Jackdaws
117 Rooks
220 Wood Pigeons
21 Robins
20 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
41 Siskins
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

16 Jan 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

0.0°C > 1.0°C: The local micro-climate strikes again. Clear at Newport: mist and fog coming and (rarely) going. Light and variable wind. Mostly poor / very poor visibility though somewhat better at The Flash.

Sunrise: 08:13 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:25 – 09:15

(14th visit of the year)

Still >50% iced-over

I am afraid to say that Severn-Trent has strimmed and trimmed all the vegetation around the dam area. They tell me this is to protect the integrity of the dam itself. How this works with the saplings are cut off at ground-level. Will these not regrow from the roots? Surely it is the roots that will affect the dam structure? But what do I know. Several nest sites used by Reed Warblers last year are no more.

Bird notes:
- Water Rail heard calling along the North side.
- no chance of obtaining a sensible count of the Coots.
- estimated gull counts taken in poor visibility. No possibility of identifying any Caspian or Yellow-legged Gulls given the poor visibility.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 28 Greylag Geese: outbound
- no Wood Pigeons
- 3 Jackdaws
- 8 Rooks

Counts from the lake area:
- 39 Canada Geese: most (all?) departed
- 1 Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (3♂) Gadwall
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 21 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 Water Rail: heard only
- 4 Moorhens
- ?? Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- >150 Black-headed Gulls
- >50 Herring Gulls
- >300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived 07:10
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 07:45

Telford Sailing Club
Nothing noted on the frosted street lamp poles and Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.

New Bird Species
Additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:

None

When I arrived there was a clear view of the Wolf Moon, just beginning to wane with a few craters visible.

Later it disappeared in the mist, shining through the trees.

Mist closing in. Looking at the street lights along Castle Farm Way.

Was the sun about to break through? Answers on a postcard...

I don't think the Reed Warblers are going to be too impressed with the remnant stand as a potential nest site when they fly home from Africa in May.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20

(11th visit of the year)
still >50% ice cover

Bird notes:
- probably more gulls than I have shown as birds were very mobile and likely flying in and out through the mist.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 108 Canada Geese: 97 of these arrived in two groups
- 4 Greylag Geese: two of these arrived
- 4 Mute Swans
- 42 (27♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Aylesbury Duck
- 78 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 49 Coots
- *123 Black-headed Gulls
- *1 Great Black-backed Gull: first year
- 11 Herring Gulls: two adults: rest immatures
- *4 Lesser Black-backed Gull: three (near) adults; one immature

Noted elsewhere:

Nothing

New Bird Species
Two additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
42 Chaffinch
43 Great Black-backed Gull

Mist here too.

Though it was coming and going. The Derwent Drive side is mainly clear with mist clinging to the hill side opposite. Mallard and Canada Geese on the ice. If you have good eyesight there are Tufted Duck in the open water!

Little and large - or should that be large and little? A first winter Great Black-backed Gull on the left and an an adult Black-headed Gull on the right. Recognise the GBBG by the massive bill, the pale head at all ages and at this age the chequered appearance.

Here is the GBBG on its own. As far as I can tell from my summary records my last sighting of this species here was almost exactly 11 years ago – 19 January 2014.

Here with a winter adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. This latter bird is supposed to have yellow legs. I have queried the colour reproduction of my camera previously.

And here with a very mean-looking third-winter Lesser Black-back.

Two adult winter Lesser Black-backed Gulls among a group of apparently all-adult winter plumaged Black-headed Gulls. It is marginally accentuated due to their slightly different angles but note the bill on left-hand bird is more robust (the black markings suggest this could be a third winter rather than a full adult).

I am used to friendly Robins. Today the Dunnocks were in attendance. One looking pensive.

Another singing on a frosty branch. Why can I not a "winter scene" Robin?

An another! A much under-appreciated bird with a jaunty song.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Gary Crowder/Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup
1 adult Yellow legged Gull
6 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Goldeneye
(Ed Wilson/ Jim Almond / John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Ed Wilson)

15 Jan 25

No sightings in today

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
10 Pochard
87 Tufted Duck
2 Goosander
121 Coot
23 Herring Gull
4 Great Black-backed Gull
181 Lesser Black-backed Gull
157 Black-headed Gull
Kingfisher
(Gary Crowder, Chris Cameron)

2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Greater Scaup
4 Gadwall
1 Goldeneye
82 Tufted Ducks
15 Pochard
143 Coots
1 Dunlin
1 Great Black-backed Gull
3 Redwings
1 Fieldfare
184 Jackdaws
4 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper, John Isherwood)

The Flash
29 Tufted Duck
8 Goosanders
14 Goldfinches
(Ed Wilson)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull
Yellow-legged Gull.
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
19 Pochard
22 Tufted Duck
2 Goosanders
14 Magpie
1 Yellowhammer
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Mediterranean Gull
2 Yellow legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
20 Herring Gull
100 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
80 Black-headed Gulls
c. 60 Tufted Duck
9 Pochard
(Mike Cooper, Andy Latham)

2008
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Geoff Holmes)

2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
8 Cormorants
11 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
>252 Black-headed Gulls
>66 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
200 Wood Pigeons
35 Robins
15 Blackbirds
76 Fieldfares
17 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
39 Magpies
217 Jackdaws
175 Rooks
11 Greenfinches
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorants
200 Wood Pigeons
11 Great Crested Grebes
11 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
243 Coot
1 Water Rail
236 Jackdaws
216 Rooks
33 Siskins
15 Pied Wagtails
24 Robins
19 Blackbirds
8 Greenfinches
(Ed Wilson)

14 Jan 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 9.0°C: Early low overcast broke from time to time with a few sunny periods. Light south-westerly wind. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:15 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:45

(12th visit of the year)

Still at least c.75% iced-over

Bird notes:
- a Water Rail was on the ice in the north-east area at 07:10. It saw me before I saw it. Anyway much too dark for a photo. Later it (or another) was calling in the central area of the North side.
- by 07:10 there were at least 500 gulls on the ice and the open water having presumably roosted here. Most of these were large gulls with many of the Black-headed Gulls flying in later. Almost all the gulls had departed by 08:00 with a few large gulls flying in (or back?) after 09:00
- my first Mistle Thrush of the year was sporadically singing near the Castle Farm Way gate. A Song Thrush was doing the same a few yards away.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Canada Geese: outbound
- 2 Greylag Geese: inbound
- 21 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 1 Common Buzzard
- 53 Jackdaws
- 20 Rooks
- 1 Pied Wagtail

Counts from the lake area:
- 28 Canada Geese: 26 present at dawn all departed in several groups; a pair arrived much later
- 2 Mute Swans
- 5 (2♂) Gadwall
- 12 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 36 (25♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 Moorhens
- 243 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- >400 Black-headed Gulls
- >50 Herring Gulls
- *1 Caspian Gull: near(?) adult?
- *1 Yellow-legged Gull: second winter
- >380 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Noted on the street lamp poles pre dawn.
I expected more on the mild morning

Flies:
- 1 plumed midge Chironomus sp.
- 1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola sp.
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

Springtails
- *1 springtail Pogonognathellus longicornis
- 2 other springtail
- 1 globular springtail

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata: still here

Spiders:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius

Telford Sailing Club
Noted around the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.

Barkflies:
- *1 barkfly Ectopsocus briggsi agg.
- *2 other barkflies of unknown species

Springtails
- 1 springtail
- 4 globular springtails

Slugs, snails etc.:
- 1 'black slug'

Spiders
- 4 spiders, species not determined apart from
*1 Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica

New Bird Species
Two additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
56 Mistle Thrush
57 Feral Pigeon: flying around over the estate area

Looking West pre-dawn when it was overcast. The plume on the left emanates from Stafford Park. I am never sure whether it is water vapour from a heating system or a chimney discharge. Sometimes in the past I detected an acrid smell when the wind was in an appropriate direction. I did get the local environmental people to investigate. They found nothing.

The full Wolf Moon did break through the cloud briefly.

Later the cloud broke more extensively. No colour though.

Well is this dark-eyed gull a Caspian Gull? I am not sure it should show a necklace of spotting unless it is a third winter and not a full adult.

The mantle (back) of the furthest bird is darker than the Herring Gulls in the foreground and much paler than the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. That would suggest a Yellow-legged Gull. I expected this species to have a white head at all ages but checking with the literature this bird looks exactly as a second winter Yellow-legged Gull should.

A Coal Tit doing its best Tree Creeper impression as it searches the moss and lichen for morsels.

 A pensive-looking Long-tailed Tit.

A male Bullfinch always brightens the day...

...even when twigs get in the way.

A winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

This barkfly is one of Ectopsocus briggsi group.

Not too sure about this. I suspect it is a wing-less female from the same barkfly group.

I think I am safe in identifying this springtail as Pogonognathellus longicornis.

Around the Telford Sailing Club I found this Walnut Orb Weaver Nuctenea umbratica.

Another spider I am confident to identify: a Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:50 – 10:55

(10th visit of the year)

Still c.75% ice cover

Bird notes:
- yesterday's Goldeneye not seen.
- a Little Grebe was noted again.
- all the large gulls were present for only a few minutes.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Stock Dove
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- 10 Greylag Geese
- 4 Mute Swans
- 41 (27♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Aylesbury Duck
- *83 (52♂) Tufted Duck
- 7 Moorhens
- 55 Coots
- 122 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls: all immatures
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult

Noted elsewhere:

Nothing 

New Bird Species
Additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:

None

A duck Tufted Duck shows off her feet.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
(John Isherwood)

2013
Priorslee Lake
2 Wigeon
4 Gadwall
15 Pochard
76 Tufted Ducks
1 Greater Scaup
1 Goldeneye
>114 Coots
72 Black-headed Gulls
176 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
53 Herring Gulls
Yellow-legged Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson/Tom Lowe)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
Caspian Gull.
5+ Yellow-legged Gulls
(Tom Lowe)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Lapwing
5 Great Crested Grebes
26 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
12 Redwing
Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Pool
141 Canada Geese
3 Pochard again
57 Tufted Duck
102 Coot logged
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
16 Cormorants
24 Pochard
39 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
1 Water Rail
200 Lapwings
>640 Black-headed Gulls
66 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
7 Herring Gulls
25 Robins
18 Blackbirds
14 Fieldfares
7 Song Thrushes
19 Redwings
7 Mistle Thrushes
42 Magpies
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
600 Wood Pigeons
13 Great Crested Grebes
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Duck
216 Coots
1 Water Rail.
219 Jackdaws
210 Rooks
62 Siskins
3 Reed Bunting
1 Brambling
(Ed Wilson)

13 Jan 25

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

2.0°C > 5.0°C: Early broken cloud gave way to a mainly medium-high overcast. Light / moderate south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 08:16 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:30 – 09:50 // 11:50 – 12:05

(11th visit of the year)

Still at least 80% iced-over

I made a quick return visit to try and identify a hitherto *unidentified sleeping bird in better light. It was of course nowhere to be found!

Bird notes:
- I could not locate yesterday's duck Shoveler.
- the two figures for the gull totals refer to my count of those arrive before and around dawn (almost all of which departed) // my count when I briefly returned.
- the Cetti's Warbler was heard singing for the first time this year.
- a party of c.40 Siskins flew East over me as I walked back up Teece Drive. A few minutes later a similar-sized flock did the same. A separate group?

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 40 Canada Geese: flew South together
- 53 Greylag Geese: all outbound as singles / 3 groups
- 2 Stock Dove
- 15 Wood Pigeons
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 47 Jackdaws
- 42 Rooks
- 2 Siskins

Counts from the lake area:
- 36 Canada Geese: of these 32 departed in several groups
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (3♂) Gadwall
- *13 (9♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Pochard
- 45 (30♂) Tufted Duck
- 6 Moorhens
- 257 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- c.350 // c.300 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 // 2 Great Black-backed Gulls
- c.25 // 66 Herring Gulls
- 0 // 1 Yellow-legged Gulls
- c.150 // c.320 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant: arrived quickly departed
- 1 Grey Heron: arrived 07:20
- 1 Great (White) Egret: arrived 07:50
- 1 Kingfisher

Noted on the street lamp poles pre dawn.

Flies:
- 1 fly

Springtails
- *2 springtails of different species

Beetles:
- 1 Orange Ladybird Halyzia sedecimguttata: still here

Telford Sailing Club
Noted around the Telford Sailing Club HQ pre dawn.

Flies:
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

New Bird Species
Additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:

None

Pre-dawn looking West with The Wrekin behind the red "Ricoh" sign. It is the street lamps along Castle Farm Way that are illuminating the foreground vegetation.

A colourful sunrise today. Starting.

Spreading more or less across the sky.

Colour gone and clouding up.

A group of Mallard arranged neatly on the ice.

Now what exactly is this? A large duck? A small goose? Looks more like the latter. The pale panel in the wing is confusing. It stayed asleep in this position throughout by early visit. When I went back later I could not locate it.

Looks as if this male Siskin could do with a groom.

A female Siskin: more subdued plumage.

Me and my shadow". The only creature found on the walls of the Telford Sailing Club HQ was this winter cranefly Trichocera sp.

One of two springtails that were on the street lamp poles pre-dawn. I have decided that other than the very obvious Pogonognathellus longicornis with their long antennae I will log all the springtails of this type merely as springtails. I cannot realistically separate them from photos

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:55 – 10:50 // 11:30 – 11:40

(10th visit of the year)
>75% ice cover

Bird notes
My two visited were separated while I was taken by one of the dog-walkers see a "dead mottled bird with a long bill" that she had seen close to the main Priorslee O-about for about 10 days. It was a sad sight: a *Woodcock!

*A splendid drake Goldeneye was among the throng in the open water apparently unfazed by the relative proximity of walkers on the footpath. My first here since 30 October 2019 (and 07 December 2017 before that).

Other bird notes:
- my first Treecreeper gave some good views.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: one adult; one second winter; one first winter

Noted on / around the water:
- *22 Canada Geese
- 13 Greylag Geese; arrived more or less together
- 4 Mute Swans
- 33 (24♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) all-white feral Aylesbury Duck
- 81 (49♂) Tufted Duck
- *1 (1♂) Goldeneye
- 7 Moorhens
- 48 Coots
- 107 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: one adult; three second winters
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: adult
- 1 Grey Heron: departed

Noted elsewhere:

Nothing

New Bird Species
Today's additions to the birds on my site for here in 2025:
40 *Goldeneye
41 *Treecreeper

The iced-over top end. Why do people find in necessary to throw things on to the ice? Did I do it when I was young?

Answer this quickly. How many Canada Geese are there here? An upside-down Black-headed Gull is also visible.

A few photos of the very smart drake Goldeneye.

The distinctively-shaped head normally looks dark but as with drake Tufted Ducks it glosses when the light is at the right angle. He is paddling and you can see his legs.

I have rarely managed to get this close to this species. At the lake this species is usually in the middle, well away from any access spot.

Some poor photos of my first Treecreeper of the year. Clearly seen here are the three forward-facing toes. This limits the ability of this species to move around trees – it can only move upwards.

The back-view. Note the position of the tail.

The strong tail-feathers are used as a prop as it climbs.

A slightly better view of the curved bill, ideal for poking in to crevices in the bark.

Plane of the day. This is not the usual West Midlands Air Ambulance which is registered G-RMAA. This (G-HMAA) is a slightly updated version of the Airbus Helicopters-built MBB-Bk 117 D-2 marketed as an EC 145. It was delivered after specialist equipment outfitting to the Air Ambulance base at Cosford on 23 December 2024 and has replaced the East Midland Air Ambulance G-HWAA. "Our" air ambulance was likely on another mission (perhaps the fatal accident on the A5) as we rarely see the East Midlands aircraft over our area.

Near the Priorslee O-about

Thanks to one of the regular dog-walkers I was able to identify this as a dead Woodcock for her. A sad end to a bird which is superbly-camouflaged as it roosts on the woodland floor before flying out to use its long bill to poke around for worms all night. I assume this was a road casualty as it was flying in to or out of its roost.

I spread one of the wings to better show the patterning. Strange this carcass has apparently been present for at least ten days without being predated, by a fox for example.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Scaup
2 female Scaup
(Paul King)

2013
Priorslee Lake
103 Coot
147 Black-headed Gulls
25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
63 Tufted Duck
1 drake Scaup
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)

Priorslee Flash
4 Goosander
38 Tufted Duck
(Tony Beckett)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
5 Great Crested Grebe
20 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
66 Tufted Duck
236 Black-headed Gulls
36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)

East of Priorslee
Willow Tit
Skylark
Brown Hare
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
69 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
8 Swans
4 Gadwall
23 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
256 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
c.40 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson and unknown observer)

2007
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
15 Goosanders
2 Buzzards
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>215 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
32 Robins
15 Blackbirds
179 Fieldfares
104 Redwings
274 Jackdaws
266 Rooks
218 Starlings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
207 Coots
2 Lapwings
c.850 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
96 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
61 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
309 Jackdaws
493 Rooks
12 Pied Wagtails
10 Fieldfare
15 Robins
12 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
11 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)