4 Feb 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

2.0°C > 4.0°C: Another day of mist / low overcast with some light drizzle in the air. Light easterly wind. Poor visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:47 GMT]

Yet another day when I waited until it was light before venturing out to peer in to the mist.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:35 – 11:20

(30th visit of the year)

Viewing only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- a significant number of Tufted Ducks seemed to have decamped to here from The Flash. I am not sure why as very few of them were diving for food: just loafing on the water.
- two immature Herring Gulls were the only gulls seen. While the Model Boat Club were at the West end of the area this would not normally significantly impact the number of gulls prepared to use the middle of the water. There just seem to be very few gulls around at the moment.

Birds noted flying over:
- 1 Wood Pigeon

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 49 (27♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- 13 (7♂) Goosander again
- 4 Moorhens
- 25 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- no Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- no Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:25

(27th visit of the year)

A small amount of slushy snow was lying on the residents' cars and on the footbridges.

Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans still. One of them Blue 7JSS. They spent some time well apart
- many of yesterday's Tufted Duck seemed to have gone to the Balancing Lake.
- today was my first visit here this year without seeing any Goosander.
- back to two Great Crested Grebes, both with head plumes.
- no Cormorants seen in the murk.
- a Great White Egret was seen flying on to the island. I am not sure where from.
- at least 20 Siskins were in Alders along the East side and a few were seen using the feeders adjacent to Wordsworth Way.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 13 Canada Geese
- 2 Mute Swans: including Blue 7JSS
- 33 (23♂) Mallard
- 8 (7♂) Pochard
- 16 (8♂) Tufted Duck: see notes
- no Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gulls only
- 1 Herring Gull: immature
- no Cormorants
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Around the area:

Nothing else of note

Some photos mainly from around the Westlake Walk feeding station. Many of the photo are grainy in the poor light and won't win prizes. But you have to try. Here a Blue Tit is looking for inspiration perhaps.

A Nuthatch on a "grab and go" mission.

A pensive-looking Robin.

"Are you taking a photo of me?" enquires a female Chaffinch.

This male Chaffinch is a messy eater with food dropping out of his mouth.

A smart Goldfinch waits a turn at the feeders.

Also with the "grab and go" approach, munching the seed away from the feeder action.

A female Greenfinch waiting her turn.

A slightly scruffy individual. At the very top left is the tail of an uncooperative Long-tailed Tit.

A male Siskin tucks in to the Alder cones.

Another...

..taking a moment to look around as he digests the food.

And a female Siskin.

A male Siskin contemplating the feeding station.

A second joins in.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
8 Pochard
(Gary Crowder)

2013
Priorslee Lake
8 Gadwall
26 Wigeon
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
1 Common Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Mike Cooper)

2012
Priorslee Lake
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Caspian Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
1 Mediterranean Gull
(Roger Clay / Tom Lowe)

2011
Priorslee Lake
10 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
<10 Pochard
c.50 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Lapwing
1 Common Gull
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
c.35 Herring Gulls
c.400 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Glaucous Gull
c.25 Siskins
(Ed Wilson, Jim and Jason)

2008
Priorslee Lake
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
211 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
23 Herring Gulls
65 Black-headed Gulls
(Martin Adlam)

2007
Priorslee Lake
12 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
21 Robins
21 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
19 Pochard
89 Tufted Ducks
183 Coots
c.580 Black-headed Gulls
116 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
31 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
540 Wood Pigeon
169 Jackdaws
16 Wrens
10 Dunnocks
27 Robins
34 Blackbirds
2 Willow Tits
13 Greenfinches
40 Goldfinches
127 Siskins
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

3 Feb 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

3.0°C: Still dull and overcast with occasional light rain / sleet. Moderate / fresh easterly wind. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:49 GMT]

Photos:

None taken today.

Another day when I waited until it was light(?) before venturing out.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:30 – 11:15

(29th visit of the year)

Viewing only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- the two Canada Geese flew in together.
- only two Great Crested Grebes seen displaying seen.

Birds noted flying over:
- 2 Wood Pigeon

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese: arrived
- 8 (5♂) Mallard
- 6 (2♂) Tufted Duck
- 13 (7♂) Goosander
- 3 Moorhens
- 24 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Black-headed Gull
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:20

(26th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- two Mute Swans again: presumed the same as yesterday though I was not able to read any ring.
- back to three Great Crested Grebes; two with head plumes.
- two Cormorants were fishing together. A third arrived.
- mixed parties of Goldfinches and Siskins were noted flying around with some also in Alders. Whether these were different groups or not is hard to say. At least 25 birds involved.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese again
- 2 Mute Swans
- 24 (17♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard
- 48 (29♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 9 Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls both immatures
- 3 Cormorants

Of note around the area:

Nothing else

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Yellow-legged Gull
1 Viking, or possibly a dark Iceland
(J Reeves)

Telford Crematorium
1 Caspian Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe)

2013
Priorslee Lake
12 Wigeon
6 Gadwall
3 Pochard
32 Tufted Duck
2 Reed Bunting
(Tony Beckett)

The Flash
15 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
3 Goosander
(Tony Beckett)

Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Glaucous Gull
1 Glaucous x Great Black-backed Gull
1 Yellow-legged Gull
(Tom Lowe / Andy Latham)

2012
Priorslee Lake
26 Pochard
29 Tufted Duck
>5000 gulls
Ring-billed Gull hybrid
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
4 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Roger Clay / Ed Wilson / John Isherwood / Martin Grant)

Trench Pool
Snipe
(Dave Tromans)

2011
Priorslee Lake
8 Pochard
14 Tufted Duck
77 Herring Gull
5 Pale Brindled Beauty moths
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
Merlin
(Observer Unknown)

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Skylarks
4 Fieldfare
c.55 Redwings
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
17 Pochard
37 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
3 Lapwings
30 Robins
14 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
11 Song Thrushes
3 Redwing
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
2 Wigeon
19 Pochard
77 Tufted Ducks
151 Coots
1 Water Rail
15 Robins
13 Blackbirds
90 Siskin
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)

2 Feb 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

6.0°C > 7.0°C: Another dull and overcast morning. Moderate easterly wind. Moderate visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:51 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 10:35 – 11:45

(28th visit of the year)

Viewing only from the dam-top area.

Bird notes:
- now four Great Crested Grebes, keeping together as if two pairs. No display seen.
- all the large gulls – Herrings and Lesser Black-backs – dropped in for a bathe and drink only. The Black-headed Gulls were present throughout.
- no Great (White) Egret seen.
- a Mistle Thrush was calling from a tree-top alongside Castle Farm Way.

Birds noted flying over:
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- *2 Cormorants
- *1 Common Buzzard
- 3 Wood Pigeon

Counts from the lake area:
- *2 Canada Geese
- 10 (7♂) Mallard
- 10 (4♂) Tufted Duck
- 10 (5♂) Goosander
- 4 Moorhens
- 23 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- *54 Black-headed Gull
- 11 Herring Gulls: of these ten were immatures
- 15 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: of these two were obvious immatures
- *6 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron: departed
- no Great (White) Egret

An adult Canada Goose with smart pale fringes to it back feathers.

Coming in for the attack(?) is an adult-winter Black-headed Gull. Note how the head is held to keep the eyes (almost) level as it banks its body.

Phew: it veered away.

A typical adult-winter Black-headed Gull. Note the bill colour and...

...compare with this individual apparently with an all-black bill. That might indicate a rare visitor from the New World, Bonaparte's Gull (though what Bonaparte was doing in the New World to name the gull species is unclear). However that species is smaller, has a longer and thinner bill and less black on the underwing. So I have no idea why the bill looks all-black.

Three adult-winter Black-headed Gulls squabbling over food.

With a drake Goosander in the background an immature Cormorant flies in...

 ...to do some water-skiing!

Another immature Cormorant flying over and showing a sleek body shape.

A Common Buzzard showing its very different flight profile.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:20 – 10:25

(25th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- *a pair of Mute Swans arrived c.09:30. One of these was wearing ring Blue 7JSS. This bird was originally ringed in Worcestershire but was given a blue Shropshire ring in 2016. She was the pen breeding at the Balancing Lake for several years until her partner met an untimely and mysterious end in April 2025. She was seen here for some weeks from September 2025 often with Blue 7JXV, though not today. I last noted her here on 07 November 2025 though of course it is not always possible to see and read any rings.
- duck numbers had recovered somewhat from yesterday. Although the Pochard numbers were back to ten only seven of these seemed to be full-plumaged drakes so the composition of those present seems fluid. From where do they come and go?
- only the two Great Crested Grebes with head plumes were noted.
- a lone Long-tailed Tit was noted with a small group of Blue Tits. Long-tailed Tits are almost always in a gang.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 7 Canada Geese
- *2 Mute Swans: arrived together
- 25 (16♂) Mallard
- 10 (7♂) Pochard
- 37 (22♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (1♂) Goosander
- 10 Moorhens
- 37 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls both immatures seen briefly only

Noted around the area:
- *flowering Snowdrops Galanthus nivalis

Today's two Mute Swans with Blue 7JSS on the left along with the seemingly inevitable litter. As noted in the rubric this is a pen (female). I am not sure her companion is a cob (male) as the swelling on the base of the bill looks no larger than hers.

The usual clump of flowering Snowdrops Galanthus nivalis.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
1 female Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup

2012
Priorslee Lake
Dunlin
6 Great Crested Grebes
14 Pochard
58 Tufted Duck
1 Dunlin
>5000 gulls, mostly Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Common Gull
20 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson, Mike Cooper)

Trench Pool
11 Pochard
46 Tufted Ducks
94 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

2011
Priorslee Lake
14 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
2 Sparrowhawk
16 Linnets
Siskin in song
4 Pale Brindled Beauty moths
(Ed Wilson)

2009
Priorslee Lake
3 Golden Plover
Willow Tit
(Ed Wilson)

2007
Priorslee Lake
19 Pochard
32 Tufted Ducks
1 Goosander
1 Goldeneye
>700 Black-headed Gulls
>432 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.30 Herring Gulls
34 Robins
17 Blackbirds
3 Redwings
1 Willow Tit
34 Magpies
11 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
10 Great Crested Grebes
2 Little Grebe
2 Gadwall
16 Pochard
101 Tufted Ducks
159 Coots
1 Water Rail
c.1100 Black-headed Gulls
16 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
14 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls.
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskins
13 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

1 Feb 26

The Flash only

5.0°C > 6.0°C: The Telford microclimate wins again. Mist and VERY low cloud alternating. Almost calm. Poor or very poor visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:53 GMT]

* = a species photographed today

After the usual late start on another gloomy day I decide not to visit the Balancing Lake and see only part of the water.

The Flash: 09:10 – 10:35

(24th visit of the year)

New bird species
New for the bird year list here was a Sparrowhawk seen powering down squirrel alley over my head. Species #51 for 2026

Bird notes:
- no Mute Swan again.
- all ducks were in smaller numbers than yesterday and I am not sure why. The visibility was "good enough" to see things on the water.
- at one point I noted 11 Coots on the grass. Why might they be doing this? I wonder whether there is a food shortage in the lake. The Tufted Duck seem able to cope though they can probably dive deeper than Coots: and they are in smaller numbers than usual. Even the Mute Swan was on the grass last Friday rather than using its long neck to reach food. What might have caused a food shortage? Has all the rain washed mud in to the water and covered the bottom growth? But then last Winter was very wet. Is it a legacy of the hot, dry Summer? Whatever it is affecting bird numbers at the Balancing Lake.
- all three Great Crested Grebes seen.
- a Redwing flew out of trees near the medical practice.
- Siskins were in the East side Alders again. There did not seem to be any Lesser Redpolls with them.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:

None

Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese: of these six flew off together
- no Greylag Geese
- no Mute Swan
- 18 (12♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard only
- 25 (15♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander: of these a pair departed together
- 12 Moorhens
- 35 Coots
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 43 Black-headed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls: one first- and one third-winter
- no Cormorant
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

Noted around the area:

Moths:
- 1 male Early Moth Theria primaria

A perky drake Tufted Duck with a hint of the green gloss on the head.

Here in close-up. A big "tuft" on this individual.

"It's behind you!". Or is panto-season over?

Another surprised-looking female/brownhead Goosander.

Here is the presumed first-winter Great Crested Grebe with just a trace of the head plumed beginning to show.

From a different angle.

Contrast with this full adult, one of two in breeding plumage.

As previously noted I am not keen on photos taken at feeders. It is not easy to photograph Nuthatches "in the wild" so here is one, typically upside-down.

A first-winter male Blackbird.

The head in close-up. A female would be more brown-toned.

A long way up a street lamp pole I found this male Early Moth Theria primaria.

(Ed Wilson)

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2013
Priorslee Lake
Drake Scaup still showing well off dam
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
21 Great Black-backed Gulls
(John Isherwood and Rob Stokes)

2011
Priorslee Lake
Tawny Owl heard - 2nd ever record
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
About 30% ice.
Best bird remains the Black-necked Grebe.
Big gull roost:
c.3000 Black-headed Gulls
c.1000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 adult Yellow-legged Gull
1 3rd winter Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson and John Isherwood)

31 Jan 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

5.0°C > 7.0°C: Clear to the East with some early sun. Medium-level cloud spreading from the West. Light / moderate south-easterly wind. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:55 GMT

* = a species photographed today

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:50 – 09:20

(27th visit of the year)

New bird species
A new bird species for the year here (#58) when a Coal Tit was heard singing in the south-east area.

Bird notes:
- eleven Goosanders (six drakes one of which was the presumed late-moulting first-year bird).
- no Great Crested Grebes located today.
- no Cormorants were seen on the water: just one bird flying over.
- large counts of Jackdaws and Rooks, the former almost certainly under recorded. Two large and tight groups of bird were seen passing well to the East, the first of at least 250 birds and another of c.130.
- no Starlings noted flying over today.
- several parties of Siskins were heard flying West over the dam. I could find none in the West end Alder trees later so they (how many?) must have flown on.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 2 Canada Geese: flew East together
- 1 Stock Dove
- 44 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 24 Herring Gulls
- 73 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- c.600 Jackdaws
- 247 Rooks
- 2 Redwings
- Siskins: see notes

Counts from the lake area:
- 7 (3♂) Mallard
- 15 (8♂) Tufted Duck
- 11 (6?♂) Goosander
- 6 Moorhens
- 19 Coots
- no Great Crested Grebes
- c.70 Black-headed Gulls
- 24 Herring Gulls
- 51 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Great (White) Egret

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Dew-covered and cold

Beetles:
- 1 possible Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala

Springtails:
- 4 globular springtail Dicyrtomina saundersi- type
- 1 other smaller globular springtail
- 2 other types of springtail

Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- 1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

Seen later:

Nothing of note

Clear to the East with the cloud spreading from the West – despite the wind coming from the south-east as it seems to have done almost continually this year so far.

A higher number of Herring Gulls were early visitors today. Here are five, all immatures. The bird on the left looks to be a second-winter. The others all first-winter birds.

Three more, all first winter birds.

One of two Mistle Thrushes seen on the south-west grass, presumably one of a pair...

...with this one. I was just too late with the camera to see what seemed to be one bird feeding the other. An hour prior to these photos a possibly different Mistle Thrush flew, calling, out of the south-east area and away across the M54.

Not a good photo of one flying away – plenty of branches and trees to confuse the camera's focus mechanism. What is notable here are the warm flanks towards the rear and the pale tips to the outer tail-feathers, this latter feature being hard to see with the naked eye.

Perhaps my best-yet photo of a possible Cabbage-stem Flea Beetle Psylliodes chrysocephala. Not that this is saying very much as these flea-beetles are too small even for the camera's macro capability.

The springtail challenge. I was trying, unsuccessfully, to photograph the Dicyrtomina saundersi-type springtail centre right. When I looked at the photo I could see a much smaller globular springtail just left of centre-top. There are also three small springtails of a different shape bottom-centre, centre-left and top left-of-centre. None of these I noted at the time. So how many others did I fail to see that were not silhouetted against one of the street lamp pole identity stickers?

A Long-jawed Orb-web Spider Tetragnatha sp.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:25 – 10:30

(23rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- no Mute Swan seen today.
- yesterday eight of the ten Pochard recorded were clearly drakes: today nine of the ten seemed to be clearly drakes. Most odd.
- just the two Great Crested Grebes with obvious head plumes seen?
- again no Grey Heron or Great (White) Egret noted but an immature Cormorant again.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 11 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- no Mute Swan
- 30 (19♂) Mallard
- 10 (9♂) Pochard
- 43 (21♂) Tufted Duck
- 5 (2♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 37 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls: one first- and one second-winter
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: adult, departed
- 1 Cormorant: immature
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret

Around the area:

Nothing else of note 

A collection of diving ducks. I reckon 12 drake and 11 duck Tufted Duck and toward the back five drake and one duck Pochard.

Mrs. Goosander looking worried.

A Coal Tit. Not an easy subject. Fast moving inside the canopy. When they do stay still and sing it usually from a very high perch.

Coming in to view and...

...going! Surprisingly large feet and claws!

What a sweetie. A well-framed Blue Tit.

All I can say is that I am glad they invented digital cameras. I would be a poor man from all the wasted shots attempting to photograph flying Long-tailed Tits. This was one for which I did not press "delete".

Sometimes you get lucky! More light next time please.

(Ed Wilson)

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2012
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
22 Greylag Geese
19 Pochard
42 Tufted Duck
c.390 Black-headed Gulls
c.350 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
32 Herring Gulls
1 Common Gull
3 Yellow-legged Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
69 Redwings
25 Greenfinches
4 Linnets
(Ed Wilson / John Isherwood)

Priorslee Flash
Tundra Bean Goose
8 Greylag Geese
37 Tufted Ducks
c.1000 Black-headed Gulls
246 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
35 Herring Gulls.
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)

Trench Pool
8 Pochard
50 Tufted Ducks
79 Coots
(Ed Wilson)

Holmer Lake
50 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)