18 Feb 26

The Flash and Priorslee Balancing Lake

3.0°C > 4.0°C: Increasing cloud below a medium-high overcast. Very light spits of rain as I was leaving. Fresh easterly wind. Very good visibility.

[Sunrise: 07:21 GMT]

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

Another day when a late start seemed the best option.

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 09:05 – 10:25

(37th visit of the year)

Viewing from the dam-top area only.

Bird notes:
- a significant increase in the Tufted Duck numbers. The model boat club using the West end of the water may have moved them all closer to the dam. Nevertheless an increase and a surfeit of drakes.
- four Goosanders today: both a full adult and an immature drake, each accompanied by a duck.
- back to two pairs of Great Crested Grebes.
- three local Common Buzzards were see circling: one over the West end; and two over Castle Farm Way.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 7 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Herring Gull
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Jackdaws

Counts from the lake area:
- 2 Canada Geese
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived and soon departed
- 11 (7♂) Mallard
- 43 (31♂) Tufted Duck
- 4 (2♂) Goosander
- 2 Moorhens
- 26 Coots
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 11 Black-headed Gulls
- 7 Herring Gulls: all departed
- 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls: departed
- 5 Cormorants
- no Great (White) Egret
- no Grey Heron

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 10:35 – 11:15

(34th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- the unringed cob (?) Mute Swan was patrolling the entire water.
- yesterday's drake Pochard still present.
- a (small) increase in Tufted Duck numbers here – as well as at the Balancing Lake.
- a pair of Goosander today.
- *at least two different male Blackcaps were at the feeding station.
- *Siskins seen both on the feeders and in the trees.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 3 Herring Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Jackdaws

Noted on / around the water:
- 23 Canada Geese; the goose seen dead in the water for the last two days not noted.
- no Greylag Geese
- 1 Mute Swan
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 31 (16♂) Tufted Duck
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 6 Moorhens only
- 35 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
- 47 Black-headed Gulls
- *3 Herring Gulls: two (near?) adults; one first-winter
- no Cormorants
- no Grey Heron

Around the area:

Nothing of note

This was about as friendly as the two Great Crested Grebes got.

Proving it is not quite a full adult Herring Gull: the dark feathering at the bend of the wings is the give-away.

Three Herring Gulls here. The bird on the left looks to be an adult with no obvious black on the bill. Not sure about the middle bird: does it have some brown in the folded wings or is that shadow? The bird on the right is a first year with a full tail band.

A Blue Tit awaiting its turn at the feeders. Strangely Great Tits seem to be infrequent visitors.

The Long-tailed Tit party did not visit the feeders.

They were unusually low down in vegetation along the side of the water.

Giving acceptable views.

This may well be the last photo I take with my usually trusty Sony RX10 Mk.4. A sometime intermittent fault now seems to be fatal. Hence there will be a few more photos than usual today: last of the Mohicans! I do have a back-up camera, but not with the same capability.

I'll try to get a better photograph of this male Blackcap...

...this other male chased it away.

This one visited later. Which one was it? Or, indeed, was it a third? Sharing with a Siskin.

A "tufted?" female Blackbird. No idea why she looks tufted.

A Robin questioning when it gets its turn?

A Mrs. Chaffinch on the dish feeder. This species finds hanging feeders a challenge, though females seem to manage better than males.

Another female feeding where most often seen – on the ground. Note this one has "scale leg". This is caused by a virus with an unpronounceable name. The virus seems to have little impact on the birds.

A male on the ground. Just visible here is the greenish tone on the rump – usually covered except in flight when it is hard to see.

Another male Chaffinch.

Looking brutish is a male Greenfinch.

A male Siskin.

A male and female have a discussion over elevenses.

These two prefer eating to talking.

A female Siskin.

A female Siskin shares the feeder with a Goldfinch. I have assumed that gravity means the feeder is vertical and it is the pole that leans!

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
2 Scaup
20 Tufted Duck
7 Pochard
1 Cormorant
2 Buzzards
2 Redwings
162 Jackdaws
140 Rooks
(Ed Wilson, Gary Crowder)

The Flash
1 Pochard
192 Tufted Ducks
2 Goosander
(Ed Wilson)

2010
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
88 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
136 Coots
3 Redwings
12 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
2 Gadwall
5 Pochard
6 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail.
600 Starlings
21 Robins
18 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
4 Siskins
1 Redpoll
5 Reed Buntings.
(Ed Wilson)

17 Feb 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

1.0°C > 3.0°C: Clear sky to start. Thin high cloud spreading from the south-west making the sun increasingly hazy. Moderate north-westerly breeze dropping light. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:23 GMT

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:20 – 09:00

(36th visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- a trio of Canada Goose flew in to join the semi-resident pair that may well nest here – as this species has done the last three years. There was much noise and chasing initially but eventually all five stayed. A single flew East much later.
- today the single Greylag Goose flew from the West and stayed for a while. I did not see it depart.
- a single Mute Swan was by the dam before flying off West at 07:25
- three Goosanders today: an immature drake and two ducks
- *just one pair of Great Crested Grebes noted, these sporadically displaying as they toured the entire water.
- the first four Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared overhead 06:55 but, as yesterday, with no gulls on the water after circling high over they departed. Fewer gulls of all species today.
- a Cormorant arrived at 06:50 and departed by 07:30; *another arrived at 08:45. Meanwhile a duo, one of which was in full breeding plumage, flew North; and an immature flew East.
- the Great (White) Egret arrived from the West at 07:00.
- four large, tight and distant groups of Jackdaws were noted over a 15 minute period. I estimated they contained about 50, 100, 300 and 100 individuals though quite probably underestimated. A number of smaller groups passed.
- in contrast I noted only 13 Rooks all flying very high.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 1 Canada Geese: flew West
- 4 Wood Pigeons only
- 1 Black-headed Gull
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 10 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Cormorants
- >600 Jackdaws: see notes
- 13 Rooks only
- 1 Redwing
- 2 Pied Wagtails

Counts from the lake area:
- 5 Canada Geese: a trio arrived
- 1 Greylag Goose: arrived and soon departed
- 1 Mute Swan: departed West
- 13 (7♂) Mallard
- 30 (17♂) Tufted Duck
- 3 (1♂) Goosander
- 7 Moorhens
- 27 Coots
- *2 Great Crested Grebes
- 17 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- *2 Cormorants
- *1 Great (White) Egret
- 1 Grey Heron

On the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:

Nothing noted

Seen later:

Nothing of note

A half-hearted display by the only pair of Great Crested Grebes seen here today.

An immature Cormorant arrives.

A favourite: the Great (White) Egret.

And again. It had been chased by the Grey Heron and was repositioning when it saw me and veered away.

A cheerful song from a Dunnock. The song of this species is more like a "warble" than most species of warbler though it is in no way related.

There were at least 30 Siskins in the tree-tops near the Teece Drive gate: and I do mean tree-tops. My best-efforts in the next few photos. A female searching for food.

What might or might not be a female: hard to tell at this angle.

Peek-a-boo.

This male perhaps the pick of the bunch.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:05 – 10:15

(33rd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- only one unringed cob (?) Mute Swan
- the dead Canada Goose was still floating in the water at the top end.
- a drake Pochard was a new arrival. Meanwhile many of yesterday's Tufted Ducks had gone.
- none of the species seen yesterday but not for several previous days was present today: i.e. Greylag Geese, Goosander, Cormorant or Grey Heron.

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

Noted on / around the water:
- 27 Canada Geese; also one dead in the water
- no Greylag Geese
- *1 Mute Swan
- 25 (17♂) Mallard
- 1 (1♂) Pochard
- 20 (9♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- *38 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 21 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls: three adults departed; *one second-winter
- *2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- no Cormorants
- no Grey Heron

Around the area:

Nothing of note

The only Mute Swan here today, mowing the grass. Perhaps it was on the grass because there is a shortage of food in the water? I think, from the size of the swelling at the base of the bill, this is a cob (male).

More work by the Coot on its nest. I only ever see one bird around the site. One internet site suggests that while both sexes build the nest it is the male that collects most of the material.

With extensive black on its bill and significant brown in the folded wings this has to be a second-winter Herring Gull.

Here in flight showing a real mix of old and new feathers.

This view highlighting the new inner primary feathers.

A smart adult Lesser Black-backed Gull now in breeding plumage having moulted out the winter head-streaking. The merest black mark on the upper mandible is not significant at this date.

Yesterday a male Blackbird: today what seems to be a female. It is not an adult as the bill, underneath the mud, is not all-yellow as yet. It has a more prominent yellow eye-wing than I expected. Many bird around The Flash are more habituated to humans, even those with cameras, and are often easier to photograph.

Perhaps the same Song Thrush that I photographed yesterday. It had been singing but seems to have decided it was time for a snack.

The jury is out as to whether this pose is adopted for seeing prey or listening for movement. I favour the former explanation due to the eyes being on the side of the head.

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
3 Scaup
1 Grey Wagtail
8 Pochard
23 Tufted Duck
3 Great Crested Grebe
(Gary Crowder)

Telford Crematorium
2 Caspian Gull
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gull
c.40 Herring Gull
(Gary Crowder)

2012
Priorslee Lake
Iceland Gull
(Jim Almond)

2006
Priorslee Lake
6 Great Crested Grebes
1 Heron
5 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
9 Pochard
18 Tufted Ducks
121 Coots
741 Wood Pigeon
289 Jackdaws
108 Rooks
290 Starlings
1 Skylark
18 Robins
19 Blackbirds again
11 Greenfinches
6 Siskins
23 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

16 Feb 26

Priorslee Balancing Lake and The Flash

4.0°C > 6.0°C > 4.0°C: Clear sky to the East with increasing cloud from the West resulting in sleety / rain after 09:50. Moderate westerly breeze gusting fresh at times. Very good visibility.

Sunrise: 07:25 GMT

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

Priorslee Balancing Lake: 06:05 – 09:05

(35th visit of the year)

New Bird Species:
At last: a bird species to add to my 2026 log from here. A group of 15 Lapwings flushed off the dam-face c.07:30. In days of yore flocks on the dam-face in Winter were not uncommon, sometimes in to three figures. No longer. Bird species #59 for me here this year.

Bird notes:
- a Canada Goose flew in and soon departed. A pair arrived later. Also two pairs flew East.
- meanwhile a single Greylag Goose flew from the West and then changed its mind and headed back West.
- two Mute Swans (a pair) were present at first light, flying off East at 07:20
- no Goosanders today.
- even fewer Coots counted. No idea why.
- as on Saturday two pairs of Great Crested Grebes were mostly keeping well apart with both pairs seen displaying. However there was a brief scrap.
- the first ten Lesser Black-backed Gulls appeared overhead 06:50 but with no gulls on the water after circling high over they departed. Only after the first Black-headed Gulls arrived after 07:15 did any of the (very few) large gulls visit.
- at 06:35 three Grey Herons were disputing territory. I was sure I saw all three depart so was it a fourth I saw later or did one return?
- the Great (White) Egret arrived from the North at 06:50.
- the first Jackdaws noted was a group of 22 birds "going the wrong way" i.e. northbound. Later two large groups, each of at least 125 birds, flew on the usual line, these groups separated by at least 15 minutes (and several smaller groups).

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 4 Canada Geese: two pairs flew West
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 30 Wood Pigeons
- 8 Black-headed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 26 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- c.350 Jackdaws
- 91 Rooks
- 1 Redwing

Counts from the lake area:
- 3 Canada Geese: all arrived; one also departed
- 18 (11♂) Mallard
- 21 (12♂) Tufted Duck
- no Goosander
- 8 Moorhens
- 21 Coots only
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 15 Lapwings: departed
- 32 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Great (White) Egret
- 3? Grey Herons: see notes

Noted on the West end street lamp poles pre-dawn:
Woodlice:
- 1 (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum

Seen later:

Nothing of note

A clear start, especially looking East. No colour to the sunrise though.

The early sun illuminating the trees against the incoming cloud.

One of the two Mute Swans departing. Based on the size of the bulge at the base of its bill I am tempted to suggest this is a cob (male).

The 15 Lapwings depart. I find flocks of very hard to count as they are forever changing orientation. Until I checked the photos I thought there were 14.

I think 16 Black-headed Gulls here, apparently all adults. Three of them have at least partly-developed dark hood of breeding condition birds.

The only occupant of the street lamp poles pre-dawn was this (Common) Striped Woodlouse Philoscia muscorum. It does not looked very "striped". I think the identity, courtesy of Obsidentify, is based on the "step" towards the tail. The other common species have a more tapered look.

(Ed Wilson)

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The Flash: 09:10 – 10:10

(32nd visit of the year)

Bird notes:
- still three Mute Swans. The pair was confirmed to contain Blue 7JSS.
- one Canada Goose was noted floating dead in the water.
- species not seen here for several days included a trio of Greylag Geese, a drake Goosander, two Cormorants and a Grey Heron.
- I do not normally log the Wood Pigeons flying over as these are usually just moving between the local wooded area. Today a group of 18 flew very high north-east.

Bird(s) noted flying over here:
- 18 Wood Pigeons
- 1 Jackdaw

Noted on / around the water:
- 25 Canada Geese; also one dead in the water
- 3 Greylag Geese
- 3 Mute Swans
- 29 (21♂) Mallard
- 35 (18♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 (1♂) Goosander
- 11 Moorhens
- 36 Coots
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 19 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull: immature, briefly
- 2 Cormorants
- 1 Grey Heron

Around the area:

Nothing of note

Greylag Geese have been uncommon so far this year. Here is one of today's trio.

I know how this Grey Heron feels: yet more rain. This species will be nesting by the end of the month so this one has all it breeding plumes.

"Like water off a duck's back" - or in this case that of a male Blackbird.

One of four Song Thrushes I noted. This was a non-singing bird.

Plane of the day skimming under the low cloud. It is a Cirrus Design Cirrus SR22T flying from it base at Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green to Tatenhill Airfield near Uttoxeter. The aircraft is registered in the USA and as such is not required to display its identity – what American's call the "tail number" – under its wings. The pale blue on grey identity painted on the fuselage does not show well in this light! N617KH. As with most UK-based but US-registered aircraft it is registered to a trustee company from the state of Delaware where advantageous rules apply. The chosen name for this aircraft's ownership is "Piscosos": apparently Latin for "full of fish". I live and learn (I was not permitted to take Latin at my school).

(Ed Wilson)

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2014
Priorslee Lake
8 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)

2010
Priorslee Lake
5 Great Crested Grebes
4 Gadwall
44 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
151 Coots
12 Siskins
2 Redpoll
23 Linnets
9 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

2008
Priorslee Lake
3rd winter Glaucous Gull
1st winter Glaucous Gull
(Paul King)

2006
Priorslee Lake
7 Great Crested Grebes
3 Cormorants
2 Gadwall
8 Pochard
26 Tufted Ducks
118 Coots
2 Lapwing
c.1200 Black-backed Gulls
c.300 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
55 Herring Gulls
c.574 Wood Pigeons
220 Jackdaws
199 Rooks
1 Skylark
11 Pied Wagtails
20 Robins
19 Blackbirds
1 Fieldfare
2 Redwings
1 House Sparrow
10 Greenfinches
7 Siskins
16 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)