9 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 8.0°C: Another gloomy morning with mist coming and going. Occasional spits of rain. Light south-easterly breeze. Poor or very poor visibility.

Sunrise: 06:39 GMT – really!

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:45 – 08:55

(53rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a group of four Greylag Geese flew in for a while. Another seemed to be loosely associating with the lone Canada Goose.
- still three brownhead Goosanders. Birds were seen to fly to their usual feeding area at 06:35 and 06:40. I could not tell whether they were merely positioning from a roost around the lake or had flown from elsewhere.
- at least four pairs of Great Crested Grebes noted. Sighting of several single may or may not have been additional birds. Usually too misty to see the whole water.
- no Great (White) Egret again.
- one or two Sand Martins were seen from time to time. Perhaps birds merely passing and more individuals involved?
- seven singing Chiffchaffs.
- there were at least four Redwings in trees by the Teece Drive gate.
- the South side Reed Bunting was heard singing at 06:30 but not later.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 1 Stock Dove
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 122 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese: one paired(?) with a Greylag Goose
- 5 Greylag Geese: four briefly only
- 2 Mute Swans
- 16 (10♂) Mallard
- 7 (5♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander again
- 8 Moorhens
- ? Coots: too misty to count accurately again
- 8? Great Crested Grebes: see notes
- 16 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
- 1 Cormorant only
- 1 Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- 1 (1) Cetti's Warbler
- 8 (7) Chiffchaffs

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

Springtails:
- >3 springtails of at least two species

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.
- *1 money spider
- *1 possible running crab spider

On the walls of the sailing club HQ pre-dawn:

Flies:
- *4 plumed midges
- *1 fungus gnat-type

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius [Bridge Orbweaver]
- *2 Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata [Silver-sided Sector Spider]

Later:

Nothing of note

With very little on the street lamp poles and the mist preventing me seeing much else I decided to check the walls of the sailing club HQ. There were four of these common small plumed midges (all males) and...

....this larger insect which might be a fungus gnat.

There were three spiders on the street lamp poles pre-dawn: this one I can at least partially identify as a Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp. It is accompanied by one of this morning's springtails.

This spider is one of the money spider group in the family Linyphiidae. Different internet sites give the number of UK species in this confusing group as "over 270" or "over 650". Take your choice!

Not at all sure about this one. Obsidentify suggests two different species of the running crab spider group Philodromus sp. This looks to be a male with large palps. The suggested species have distinctive-looking males, neither of which seem to match this specimen.

There were unusually few spiders around the sailing club HQ. Just three. Two of them were Missing Sector Orb-web Spiders Zygiella x-notata.

And the third was this Bridge Orb-web Spider Larinioides sclopetarius.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:00 – 10:20

(51st visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- no sign of yesterdays' (Common) Teal.
- the two drake Pochard remain.
- after the low number of Black-headed Gulls at the Balancing Lake I was surprised to see so many here.
- no Blackcap seen or heard.
- the feeding station had just four Wood Pigeons in attendance.
- many Siskins were twittering in trees above the feeders and also at the bottom end.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 15 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 28 (21♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 33 (20♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 Moorhens
- 30 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 41 Black-headed Gulls

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- *4 (4) Chiffchaffs
- no Blackcaps

Otherwise noted around the area:

Plants:
- *Daisy Bellis perennis
- *Common Groundsel Senecio vulgaris

Hampered again by poor light. Another Chiffchaff at point-blank range.

Amazingly this is the same bird as it moved away from me. It demonstrates how the angle of light can change the perception of colour. A rare Winter visitor to the UK is the Siberian Chiffchaff which can apparently be separated from our (Common) Chiffchaff by its "pale greyish khaki-brown" tones. Very difficult to judge!

Two miserable photos of a distant Nuthatch in the mist.

One day the sun will come (then of course there will be leaves on the trees obscuring the birds!)

A very common flower that can be found on almost any day throughout the year: a Daisy Bellis perennis. This specimen looks to be a recent, and hence fresh, example.

And this is Common Groundsel Senecio vulgaris. This species has also been flowering all year to date, usually looking very battered or crowded out.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
1 Grey Wagtail
(Martin Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
37 Tufted Ducks
1 Chiffchaff. First of the year
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
3 Snipe
1 Teal
11 Pied Wagtails
13 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
17 Redwings
1 Linnet
(Ed Wilson, Martin Grant)

2007
Priorslee Lake
6 Cormorant
22 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
420 Wood Pigeon
33 Wren
25 Robin
22 Blackbird
17 Fieldfare
22 Redwing
1 Chiffchaff. First of the year
4 Goldcrest
59 Magpie
218 Jackdaw
6 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

Priorslee Flash
4 Great Crested Grebe
3 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
11 Goosander
1 Stock Dove
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
6 Pochard
33 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
115 Coots
226 Wood Pigeon
178 Jackdaws
21 Blackbirds
c.25 Fieldfares
12 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
9 Greenfinches
6 Redpolls
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

8 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

7.0°C > 9.0°C: Low overcast. Misty with dampness in the air. A calm start with a light south-easterly breeze developing again. Poor visibility becoming moderate.

[Sunrise: 06:41 GMT]

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 07:25 – 08:55

(52nd visit of the year)

I delayed my start until there was a chance that I might be able so see things as the mist began to thin.

A postscript to yesterday's Common Scoter sighting. I read on the Belvide (Reservoir) blog that a pair also visited there yesterday and that these were all part of a widespread small passage of this species through inland waters. Belvide is less than 10 miles East of here as the Common Scoter flies.

Bird notes:
- only three Goosanders seen: all brownheads.
- no Great (White) Egret today.
- six singing Chiffchaffs. I am reinstating my daily warbler tabulation for the season.
- no Reed Bunting heard.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Wood Pigeons

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: one of these flew off West
- 1 Greylag Goose: flew off West
- 2 Mute Swans
- 8 (6♂) Mallard
- 19 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (0♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- ? Coots: too misty to count accurately
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 13 Black-headed Gulls
- no other gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
- no Great (White) Egret

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- no Cetti's Warbler (unusually)
- 6 (6) Chiffchaffs

Noted on the West end street lamp poles:

Springtails:
- *>29 unidentified springtails on the same street lamp ID sticker as seen the previous time I visited in daylight.

Noted later:

Plants:
- *catkins, probably from Goat Willow Salix caprea.

Just a few of the 29(?) springtails on one of the street lamp identification stickers. Oddly I see none here pre-dawn and this is the only pole so-affected. I noted a similar number when I looked at a similar time a few days ago.

Obviously willow catkins. Obsidentify is 85% sure these are from a Goat Willow Salix caprea.

In super close-up. If you suffer with hay-fever look away.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:00 – 10:30

(50th visit of the year)

New bird species:
A pair of (Common) Teal were near this island becoming my 56th bird species here this year.

Other bird notes:
- a pair of Greylag Geese flew in. Later a single also arrived. I am assuming that this is the bird that flew off later.
- the two drake Pochard remain.
- a Grey Heron flew off from the bottom end. A few minutes later two arrived together and perched in trees on the island for a few minutes before flying off again. My first record of this species here since 16 February.
- a Great Spotted Woodpecker was heard drumming and then a pair were noted in a tree along the East side,
- five Chiffchaffs: four heard singing.
- a Blackcap was singing from a traditional breeding site well away from any feeders.
- the feeding station had just one Wood Pigeon in attendance. I did not stay long.
- at least 10 Siskins were twittering in trees above the feeders but showed no inclination to descend.
- a Lesser Redpoll flew South.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Herring Gull
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Lesser Redpoll

Noted on / around the water:
- 18 Canada Geese
- *3 Greylag Geese: see notes
- 2 Mute Swans
- 22 (16♂) Mallard
- *2 (1♂) (Common) Teal
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 32 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 12 Moorhens
- 29 Coots
- 1 Great Crested Grebe
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature; arrived

Warblers noted (the number in brackets refers to birds singing):
- *5 (4) Chiffchaffs
- 1 (1) Blackcap

Otherwise noted around the area:

Flies:
- *1 small male plumed midge
- *1 possible fungus gnat

Springtails:
- *3 springtails Orchesella cincta
- *many other springtails of several species

Plants:
- *Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre

A Greylag Goose making a typically noisy arrival.

Undercarriage about to be deployed.

Undercarriage now down and turning on to final approach.

A missed approach and undercarriage being retracted.

A drake (Common) Teal in need of a handkerchief. Late last year between two and four teal were seen on many days, usually tucked up against the island. This is my first record since 29 December 2025.

Yes well: a record shot of the duck though in truth it could be almost anything!

Two Grey Herons arrived together. One is in the trees bottom right while the other...

 ...is concentrating hard on finding its landing site.

Pity about the branches. Presumably the Wren feels safer with these between it and me.

Having a good sing...

...in both directions.

Aargh! A human!

A different take on one of the many Robins.

Today's non-singing Chiffchaff high overhead against the leaden sky.

A typical example of the small male plumed midges.

I think this is a fungus gnat. There are over 500 species known from the UK and almost none of them is illustrated on the internet.

The best example of the three springtails Orchesella cincta I found, each on a different street lamp pole, favouring the poles with lichen.

The dark insect is another springtail Orchesella cincta. Three other smaller pale brown springtails are apparent (there were at least another four on this street lamp pole). I have no idea what these might be.

The third springtail Orchesella cincta here with at least four more springtails of various species lurking on the lichen.

There are any different plants including moss and lichen in this view of the wall between Derwent Drive and the water. The most prominent plant which looks to have developing flowers is Biting Stonecrop Sedum acre. I do not usually notice the bright yellow flowers of this species until early June.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Iceland Gull
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood)

Holmer Lake
1 Goosander
(John Isherwood)

2011
Priorslee Lake
13 Pochard
41 Tufted Ducks
1 Oystercatcher
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
9 Cormorant
15 Tufted Duck
1 Woodcock
311 Wood Pigeon
36 Robin
24 Blackbird
10 Redwing
53 Magpie
5 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Little Grebe
4 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
1 Cormorant
6 Pochard
42 Tufted Ducks
2 Ruddy Ducks
103 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Ring-billed Gull
141 Wood Pigeon
142 Jackdaws
23 Blackbirds
11 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
14 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson and et al)

7 Mar 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 7.0°C: Scattered cloud below medium-level overcast. Almost calm with a light south-easterly breeze developing. Good visibility.

Sunrise: 06:43 GMT

* = a species photographed today
$ = a new species for me in this area

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 05:50 – 08:45

(51st visit of the year)

New bird species:
A noteworthy addition to my bird year list from here was a drake Common Scoter first noted on the water at 07:50. It then went to sleep and was still present an hour later. Bird species #66 for me here this year and "species of the year" (so far!). Checking my records I find this my fifth record of this species here with a fly-through on 7 May 2024 my most recent.

Bird notes:
- the two Mute Swans went for an extended flight before returning. The pen has the blue Darvic ring 7JUE.
- *four Eurasian Wigeon flew high over going East at 07:20.
- four brownhead Goosander noted.
- *I was part-way counting the Coot when I noted one without the white shield, quickly realising it was the drake Common Scoter. I forgot about counting the Coots!
- my second Sand Martin of the year seen briefly at 08:10.
- three singing Chiffchaffs.
- pre-dawn there were as many Blackbird singing as Song Thrushes: nine of each species.
- a Reed Bunting was singing on the South side.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Greylag Geese: a pair flew West
- *4 Eurasian Wigeon
- no gulls
- 6 Wood Pigeons
- 74 Jackdaws
- 2 Rooks
- two groups of Siskins again with one of at least 15 birds

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived
- *2 Mute Swans
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 18 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (0♂) Goosander
- *1 (1♂) Common Scoter
- 5 Moorhens
- ? Coots
- 5 Great Crested Grebes
- 38 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Great (White) Egret

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

Moths:
- frustrating: one seen in flight only.

Flies:
- *1 wood gnat, perhaps Sylvicola fenestralis
- *1 winter cranefly Trichocera regelationis
- 3 small plumed midges

Springtails:
- at least six springtails.

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 2 money spiders Erigone sp.
- *1 possible Mothercare Spider Phylloneta sisyphia.

Later:

Nothing of note

I thought the recently seen pair of Mute Swans was leaving...

...after about five minutes they returned and came to say hello.

One was wearing this blue Darvic ring. It confirms this is the pen, born here in 2020. She was paired with an unringed cob last year but apparently failed to produce any cygnets. Whether this was because they were late setting up a territory after the previous resident cob died in mysterious circumstances; or whether it was just inexperience on what was likely her first breeding attempt is unclear.

The colour of her bill suggests she is in good breeding condition.

Three of the four Eurasian Wigeon that flew very high East at 07:30. They can be identified by the pointed wings, often angled; and short-pointed tails. They can be further identified as two drakes and a duck. The drakes have a black rear-end.

My first sighting of the drake Common Scoter. At first glance Coot-sized without the white-shield.

The drake has a strange swelling at the base of his bill with, usually, a yellow mark ahead of the swelling. Quite why it appears orange on this bird is unclear.

A good view of the bill as he turns his head. The duck (female) would show pale cheeks and have no swelling on her bill.

The outer wings of both species are pale.

He seemed quite content and appeared to be sleeping though one eye at least remains open. This species is usually seen around coasts in the UK though it breeds in Iceland or Northern Europe on moorland, close to inland lakes. It occurs in small numbers on UK inland waters during both Spring and Autumn passage. It usually favours larger water bodies.

A Grey Heron landing very carefully on a branch that does not look strong-enough to support its weight.

The shadows from the camera flash and my torch have combined to make this image confusing. I am almost certain that the well-marked wings mean this is the wood gnat Sylvicola fenestralis.

The dark mark in the wings suggests that this winter cranefly can safely be identified as Trichocera regelationis.

Not 100% certain about any of the spiders this morning. Two were clearly one of the many Erigone species of money spider. The suggestion by Obsidentify for this one relates to a heathland-loving species and therefore unlikely. That suggestion belongs to the comb-footed group and therefore this just might be a Mothercare Spider Phylloneta sisyphia.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 08:50 – 10:15

(49th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the two drake Pochard remain.
- five Chiffchaffs: four heard singing and *another seen.
- a Mistle Thrush was singing in tree-tops around the Hickory's lower car parks before flying off East.
- the feeding station was very quiet: I noted just two Blue Tits. I did not stay long.
- Siskins were again in Alders along the West side.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 19 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 (18♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Pochard
- 27 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 8 Moorhens
- 30 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 7 Black-headed Gulls again
- 1 Herring Gull: immature

Around the area:

Nothing else of note

A non-singing Chiffchaff at point-black range in vegetation bordering the water.

When birds are not singing or calling this species can often be identified as it habitually dips its tail as it moves through the vegetation.

One day.... A Goldcrest was high up in the trees alongside squirrel alley...

...and not at all easy to photograph.

I am fairly certain this Long-tailed Tit is leaving its nest site.

I cannot identify what it has in its bill...

...as it takes...

...the wing.

Seems to be "one in, one out". The upper bird is arriving with moss to line the nest. The mostly-hidden lower bird is leaving.

For once a male Chaffinch away from the feeders. Perhaps it is the angle but this bird seems larger.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged gull
(Gary Crowder)

Horsehay Pool
1 Iceland Gull
(Ian Grant)

2011
Priorslee Lake
4 Wigeon
2 Gadwall
5 Teal
8 Goosander
15 Pochard
40 Tufted Ducks
7 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
6 Gadwall
26 Pochard
5 Goosanders
62 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
76 Coots
62 Magpies
2 Yellowhammers
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
3 Cormorant
2 Grey Heron
16 Tufted Duck
1 Ruddy Duck
1 Woodcock
425 Wood Pigeon
2 Grey Wagtail
37 Robin
26 Blackbird
7 Song Thrush
6 Redwing
47 Magpie
146 Jackdaw
10 Greenfinch
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebe
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Herons
4 Pochard
52 Tufted Ducks
1 Ruddy Duck
106 Coots
1 Water Rail
1 Curlew
23 Blackbirds
11 Greenfinches
2 Siskins
3 Reed Bunting
(Ed Wilson)