9.0°C > 10.0°C: Started dry with medium-high overcast; then low cloud and drizzle; a short spell of blue patches did not last before more drizzle and rain. Very light westerly wind increasing moderate. Good visibility, though poor in drizzle.
[Sunrise: 07:35 GMT]
* = a species photographed today
Early rain put me off my normal start time.
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:40 – 12:40
(32nd visit of the year)
Viewing mainly from the dam-top area.
Bird notes:
- *a pair of Pochard noted.
- the Goosanders behaving as three pairs. One of the drakes is not in breeding plumage as yet.
- only three Great Crested Grebes located. *A pair just about displaying.
- most of the Black-headed Gulls arrived more or less together, dropping down from an invisible height.
- *the Great (White) Egret later flew away.
- a noisy Cetti's Warbler along the South side failed to show from dense brambles.
Birds noted flying over:
- 3 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Wood Pigeon
- 5 Jackdaws
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 8 (4♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) Pochard
- *24 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- *6 (3♂) Goosander
- 6 Moorhens
- 30 Coots
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- *c.80 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: all (near) adults
- 6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Noted around the area:
- *1 possible Walnut Orb Weaver spider Nuctenea umbratica
A drake Tufted Duck. It is unusual for this species to be this approachable here.
Probably his partner.
And here is the presumed immature drake. The head is not really "brown" yet is most certainly isn't the bottle-green of adult drakes.
About as close as this pair of Great Crested Grebes got to displaying.
A first-winter bird. This individual is starting to moult in to first-summer plumage....
The Great (White) Egret flies off to pastures(?) new.
A male Pied Wagtail on the boxing ring. Bill slightly open – he was calling more or less continually.
(Ed Wilson)
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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:30
(29th visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- *a pair of Mute Swans again: neither of them ringed.
- most of the Pochard seem to have departed. The only drake seen was tucked up under overhanging vegetation might suggest that others could have been in hiding.
- *a male Blackcap at the feeding station along with some of the c.25 Siskins seen.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: the only gull seen here
- 1 Jackdaw
Noted on / around the water:
- 10 Canada Geese
- *2 Mute Swans
- 25 (16♂) Mallard
- 10 (7♂) Pochard
- 19 (10♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 15 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- *3 Great Crested Grebes
- no Black-headed Gulls
Noted around the area:
- *1 springtail Orchesella cincta
- *1 tiny unidentified insect
A male Blackcap checking whether the coast is clear.
A Blue Tit awaits its turn at the feeders.
A male Siskin at one of the feeders.
Often they will "grab and go" and munch away from the hubbub at the feeders.
(Ed Wilson)
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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Greater Scaup
7 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
(Gary Crowder)
2013
St Georges
5 Waxwings
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Glaucous Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2007
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
12 Pochard
1 Goldeneye
15+ Redwing
33 Fieldfare
1 Willow Tit
4 Reed Buntings
(Martin Adlam)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
11 Great Crested Grebes
12 Cormorants
24 Pochard
102 Tufted Ducks
131 Coots
2 Water Rails
1 Kingfisher
c.1500 Black-headed Gulls
88 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
56 Herring Gulls.
598 Wood Pigeons
210 Starling roost
16 Robins
1 Willow Tit
13 Greenfinches
19 Siskin
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
