Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash6.0°C > 7.0°C: Cloudy. Early spells of drizzle; later moderate rain. I did briefly see two small blue patches which did not last. Light / moderate south-easterly wind. Very good visibility, moderate in drizzle.
Sunrise: 07:42 GMT
* = a species photographed today
The forecast was marginally better for this morning so I thought I ought to "give it ago" as I was already planning to be away for the next few days. Not very rewarding!
Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:55 – 09:20
(31st visit of the year)
Bird notes:
- very few of Wednesday's high number of Tufted Duck remain. Only some seem to have boosted the modest count at The Flash.
- I am not certain the Goosander count is 100% correct. It seems to be "that time of the year" when they were more interested in chasing around than being counted. At least one pair flew off West. It is still a puzzle where they spend the night as none is ever visible when I first check. I do not see any fly in. They must be tucked up inside the reeds at night I guess.
- four Great Crested Grebes located today as two pairs. No display seen.
- the Cetti's Warbler was in good voice.
- a small group (19) Starlings noted flying over today.
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 8 Wood Pigeons
- 15 Herring Gulls
- 17 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 125 Jackdaws
- 161 Rooks
- 19 Starlings: together
Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- 12 (7♂) Tufted Duck
- *10 (5♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- *4 Great Crested Grebes
- 44 Black-headed Gulls
- *14 Herring Gulls
- 38 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *7 Cormorants
- *1 Grey Heron
- *1 Great (White) Egret
Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
In light rain / drizzle after overnight rain
Spiders, harvestmen etc.:
- *1 Long-jawed Orb-web Spider
Tetragnatha sp.
That's all
Seen later:
Nothing of note
Another day of poor light with some of the photos not as "crisp" as I like. Here a drake Goosander flies away. Note how the white extends across the width of the wing. On ducks it is confined to the trailing half.
There were two pairs of Great Crested Grebes today. This was one of the new ones with the neck plume feathering still at the stubble stage.
A first-winter Herring Gull. Note the all dark bill and the pale (see-through) inner primaries.
This Herring Gull has been watching films of US Air Force stealth fighters and bombers and decided a tail in unnecessary! Presumably it only flies in straight lines?
There were seven Cormorants seen today. Here is one.
And another (don't worry: I didn't photograph all seven). There is little sign of juvenile plumage – pale breast and belly. Conversely there is little sign of it being an adult which should be showing white on the thigh and white head plumes. Note how its feet are holding the boating platform.
The Grey Heron was showing missing feathers in its left wing...
...though strangely not visible in this view...
...yet obvious again here.
The Grey Heron was being chased by several Black-headed Gull – a first-winter bird here. I am not sure why they would chase it as the heron is not a threat to them. Probably for something to do.
The gull making a lot of noise as the heron takes evasive action.
A Great White Egret is still here.
The right side of a smart adult male Blackbird.
And its left side. As with many Blackbirds a few feathers are not jet-black. This species seems more prone to partial leucism.
The only creature of the West end street lamp poles this morning was this Long-jawed Orb-web Spider
Tetragnatha sp.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Flash: 09:25 – 10:30
(28th visit of the year)
Note:
A clarification about the "feeding station" here. On Wednesday I noted it as situated between Westlake Walk and the lake. I meant to type Westcroft Walk but that is probably not right either. The block of houses that overlook the water here are accessed by either Westcroft Walk or, in this instance, from Collett Way. My excuse is that Google Maps is rather vague until you zoom right in. Whoever operates the feeding station: thank you.
Bird notes:
- no Mute Swan seen today.
- just the two Great Crested Grebes with obvious head plumes seen.
- where were all the gulls?
Bird(s) noted flying over here:
None
Noted on / around the water:
- 6 Canada Geese
- no Greylag Geese
- no Mute Swan
- 26 (18♂) Mallard
- 9 (8♂) Pochard
- 31 (13♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 13 Moorhens
- 39 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Black-headed Gull: flew off
- no other gulls
- no Cormorant
- no Grey Heron
- no Great (White) Egret
Around the area:
Nothing else of note
A Blue Tit caught in the moment of eagerly jumping off to access the bird feeder!
"I really must get around to cutting my toe-nails".
This Dunnock was shuffling about – as they do – seemingly unconcerned about my presence.
There were many more spots of rain on me than on the Dunnock's feathers. Where can I buy some?
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 Velvet Scoter
3 Scaup
9 Pochard
9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c80 Black-headed Gulls
(Gary Crowder)
Telford Central Railway Station
35 Redwing
(Gary Crowder)
Horsehay Pool
1 Caspian Gull
(Tom Lowe)
2013
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site:
2 Glaucous Gulls
1 Caspian Gull
(Kris Webb)
2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
15 Pochard
54 Tufted Duck
c.1200 Black-headed Gulls
1 Common Gull
c.420 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.30 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
10 Pochard
47 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock
2 Little Grebes
30 Tufted Duck
(Ed Wilson)
2011
Priorslee Lake
3 Pochard
6 Goosanders
4 Pale Brindled Beauty moths
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
34 Greylag Geese
9 Pochard
56 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
775 Black-headed Gulls
488 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gull
1 Great Black-backed Gull
28 Robins
19 Blackbirds
8 Song Thrushes
1 Redwing
1 Willow Tit
41 Magpies
250 Jackdaws
100 Rooks
4 Greenfinches
2 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
2 Gadwall
22 Pochard
63 Tufted Ducks
164 Coots
600 Wood Pigeons
c.1300 Black-headed Gulls
84 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
9 Herring Gulls
21 Robins
24 Blackbirds
9 Song Thrushes
3 Willow Tits
11 Greenfinches
15 Siskins
17 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
