7 Sep 14

Priorslee Lake:
Map

Morning: 8:10am - 10:00am

WeBS Count for September 2014

Bright with slight breeze  Approx 16°C

42 Black-headed Gulls
 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
 2 Herring Gulls
 6 Great Crested Grebe  (including 3 immature birds)
 2 Mute Swans
81 Coot  (including 5 chicks)
 1 Grey Heron
 5 Moorhen
 3 Mallard

(Tony Beckett)

Early Morning: 6:45am

2 Tree Pipit east of the Lake - first record in district since August 2011.
1 Wheatear east of Lake.

(John Isherwood)

Very Early Morning: 5:40am – 8:55am

9.0°C > 12.5°C:  mainly clear with just a few thin hazy patches. Light > moderate N wind. Good visibility.

One highlight: One low-light
The highlight was the Merlin that dashed along the N side between the trees before 6:30am. Plumage not seen well as it was still quite dark. Initially I thought a Peregrine but quickly realised that it was much too small and anyway Peregrines normally hunt in the open. Proportionally broader wings and shorter tail then either Hobby or Kestrel: Sparrowhawk flies quite differently and also has a longer tail. My first ever at this site.
The low light was a small wader sp. seen flying erratically over the lake and then away W. The only feature I could see was an apparent white-rump but as the bird twisted and turned I was never quite sure whether I was looking at the upper- or lower-surface! Size was no bigger than Common Sandpiper, probably smaller: and rather pale and featureless; without wing-bar or the dark belly of (larger) Dunlin. No call was heard. A mystery

Migrants noted were
- three Barn Swallows
- small party of House Martins heard only high overhead

(98th visit of the year)

other notes
Geese mostly heard only both outbound and, later, inbound: on flight-lines well away from the lake
6 Mallard only and 3 of these flew off pre-dawn.
5 Tufted Duck flushed off by arriving fisherman while too dark to sex them.
Rather fewer gulls today and nothing special
3 Goldcrests seen in different locations today.
Small corvid passage – easier to locate against the clear sky: once again other birds seen much later flying E – today 4 Jackdaws and 4 Rooks.
2 Ravens over
also
Single Common Darter and Brown Hawker dragonflies seen.

Counts
2 + 3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Grey Heron
2 Swans
2 Greylag Geese (all outbound)
11 Canada Geese (10 outbound): others heard
6 (?) Mallard
5 (?) Tufted Duck flew off
2 + 6 (3? broods) Moorhen
82 Coots
c.125 Black-headed Gulls
68 large gulls, 44 of these over: no Herring Gulls identified
2 (1) Reed Warblers
3 (0) Blackcaps
7 (2) Chiffchaffs
Corvid roost dispersal: 29 Jackdaws and 17 Rooks logged

(Ed Wilson)

At last a fine morning! But the lake rather devoid of birds at the moment. Just a few gulls visible here.

The distinctive pointy-headed look of a Reed Warbler – still a few around, but later than I normally record them.

A job to get these agile sprites in the shot let alone sharp. But this view shows this juvenile Goldcrest just beginning to develop the ‘crest’ and associated black stripes: otherwise looking rather bland. The very open face with a staring eye is a good field mark and instantly dismisses any thoughts of the similar but uncommon Firecrest.

(Ed Wilson)

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Priorslee Flash: 10:05am - 11:00am
Map

WeBS Count for September 2014

40 Canada Geese
20 Greylag Geese
3 Great Crested Grebe (including 1 immature bird)
18 Coot
21 (9)  Tufted duck
8 (1)   Mallard
3 Feral geese
4 Mute Swan
23 Black-headed Gulls

(Tony Beckett)

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Nedge Hill: 8:45am
Map

Nothing of note  - poor autumn here so far.

(John Isherwood)

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Horsehay Pool: 11:10am - 12:00pm

Map

WeBS Count for September 2014

48 Black-headed Gull
10 Canada Geese
7 Coot
24 (11) Mallard (including 2 very immature birds)
3 Moorhen

(Tony Beckett)