The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake9.0°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.
At the back in front of the reeds are the six Goosander present today. From the left a duck, a drake, another drake, a duck, another duck and what I believe to be an immature drake. In the foreground is a duck Pochard.
A closer view of the duck and presumed immature drake this time with a drake Pochard in the foreground.
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.
Among the eighty or so Black-headed Gulls this adult bird showed just about the most markings on the head.
A first-winter bird. This individual is starting to moult in to first-summer plumage....
...some of the tail-feathers have been replaced, losing the black-tips and the diagonal black wing band is looking decidedly patchy.
Crowded airspace! Two first-winters in the foreground and an adult-winter flying away. All Black-headed Gulls.
The Great (White) Egret flies off to pastures(?) new.
Not what I hoped for. I was close to where the Cetti's Warbler was singing from a dense bramble thicket when this Dunnock popped out. I should have known it could not be the Cetti's as it stayed still long-enough for me to get the camera on it.
A male Pied Wagtail on the boxing ring. Bill slightly open – he was calling more or less continually.
And on the rocks. There are several grey feathers among the black areas which may – or may not – suggest this is a first-year bird. Still calling.
I found this possible Walnut Orb Weaver spider
Nuctenea umbratica staggering through the rain drops on the boxing ring handrail. It is very small and at the time I assumed it would be a Money Spider
Erigone species. The banded legs and general patterning rule the money spider group out.
It seems very small for a Walnut Orb Weaver but I guess as all spiders emerge from small eggs it could be a newly-hatched individual.
(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
The two Mute Swans present today, neither ringed. The closest bird is I suspect a pen, the paler bill suggesting she is not fully mature. Notwithstanding she was plucking at vegetation and placing it on the ground as if practising nest building. I hope she will not choose this area to build her nest – right alongside a fishing peg.
A Coot (or a pair) are well advanced with nest building. Not sure what will happen when (if?) the tide goes out and leaves it high and dry. It is a very exposed location anyway.
I noted three Great Crested Grebes today. Two with head plumes like this one; and one still to grow its plumes. They were all behaving independently today.
A male Blackcap checking whether the coast is clear.
I did not expect it to be using one of the vertical feeders. Unusually they seem to prefer feeding from flat surfaces but I guess in real life during the breeding season they fins insects at all angles.
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.
I was trying to get a decent photo of the springtail
Orchesella cincta on the right of the view when the even smaller insect on the left started to run up the moss and lichen-covered street lamp pole. I suspect another springtail. Obsidentify suggested Nursery Web Spider which I am sure is way off beam. Google Lens thought a mite – it might (groan) not be correct.
(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)
