Priorslee Lake: 06:20 – 09:26
Location
Telford sunrise: 07:26
7.0°C > 10.5°C. Started mainly clear with a little high cloud; then spells of low cloud, especially 08:30 > 10:10. Light SSW wind becoming moderate, even fresh. Cooler and fresher than of late. Very good visibility
(141st visit of the year)
Notes
- even fewer geese this morning: why?
- Shoveler gone
- 2 of the Tufted Duck flew off before dawn; then c.20 seen flying off W (to The Flash?) as I was about to leave
- Water Rail definitely heard this morning from the NW reedy area
- rather fewer gulls this morning and most of the large gulls flew over
- the early Wood Pigeon passage again comprised of small groups. Some very big groups (c.500 birds) means that totals are ‘best effort’. When low cloud arrived at 08:30 passage stopped
- 4 small groups of Starlings seen leaving different locations in the reeds: 2 more small groups overhead
- Cetti’s Warbler presently again: I heard it sing just twice this morning when it was back in the NW reeds
- I made an effort to track the Magpie roost dispersal this morning and I counted 53. Still a few leaves masking some of their movement as they leave the roost and perch up before setting off so safest to say >50
- a Blackbird sang briefly this morning: while both thrushes occasionally sing in the autumn / early winter I cannot ever recall hearing a blackbird do so
- passage of Fieldfare and Redwings again. At least 5 more Redwings feeding in bushes along Teece Drive
- 1 Meadow Pipit seen again
- 2 single Siskins heard over
and
- no moths on the lamps
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 4 (1 group) Greylag Geese
- c.325 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 1 Stock Dove
- >2500 Wood Pigeons (25 migrant groups)
- 2 Collared Doves
- 306 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks only
- 1 Raven
- 17 Starlings (2 groups)
- 48 Fieldfare (5 groups)
- 19 Redwings (7 singles/small groups)
- 6 Pied Wagtails
- 2 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- >50 Magpies
- 43 Starlings (4 groups)
- 12 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 65 (34♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail
- 33 Moorhens again
- 242 Coots
- c.160 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 37 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 3 Herring Gulls
‘Only’ a Robin but one with a few feathers misplaced. Was plagued by a misting lens this morning hence the rather ‘soft focus’ effect even though the feathers are pin-sharp.
Location
Telford sunrise: 07:26
7.0°C > 10.5°C. Started mainly clear with a little high cloud; then spells of low cloud, especially 08:30 > 10:10. Light SSW wind becoming moderate, even fresh. Cooler and fresher than of late. Very good visibility
(141st visit of the year)
Notes
- even fewer geese this morning: why?
- Shoveler gone
- 2 of the Tufted Duck flew off before dawn; then c.20 seen flying off W (to The Flash?) as I was about to leave
- Water Rail definitely heard this morning from the NW reedy area
- rather fewer gulls this morning and most of the large gulls flew over
- the early Wood Pigeon passage again comprised of small groups. Some very big groups (c.500 birds) means that totals are ‘best effort’. When low cloud arrived at 08:30 passage stopped
- 4 small groups of Starlings seen leaving different locations in the reeds: 2 more small groups overhead
- Cetti’s Warbler presently again: I heard it sing just twice this morning when it was back in the NW reeds
- I made an effort to track the Magpie roost dispersal this morning and I counted 53. Still a few leaves masking some of their movement as they leave the roost and perch up before setting off so safest to say >50
- a Blackbird sang briefly this morning: while both thrushes occasionally sing in the autumn / early winter I cannot ever recall hearing a blackbird do so
- passage of Fieldfare and Redwings again. At least 5 more Redwings feeding in bushes along Teece Drive
- 1 Meadow Pipit seen again
- 2 single Siskins heard over
and
- no moths on the lamps
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 4 (1 group) Greylag Geese
- c.325 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 1 Stock Dove
- >2500 Wood Pigeons (25 migrant groups)
- 2 Collared Doves
- 306 Jackdaws
- 5 Rooks only
- 1 Raven
- 17 Starlings (2 groups)
- 48 Fieldfare (5 groups)
- 19 Redwings (7 singles/small groups)
- 6 Pied Wagtails
- 2 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- >50 Magpies
- 43 Starlings (4 groups)
- 12 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 7 (4♂) Gadwall
- 11 (6♂) Mallard
- 65 (34♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron again
- 10 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail
- 33 Moorhens again
- 242 Coots
- c.160 Black-headed Gulls (see notes)
- 37 Lesser Black-backed Gulls (see notes)
- 3 Herring Gulls
Today’s sunrise over the lake.
Difficult to count spread-out Wood Pigeon groups like this.
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash: 09:28 – 09:58
Location:
(98th visit of the year)
Notes
- the / a duck Teal back again – perhaps just hiding yesterday?
- the Pochard seem to have gone
- once again some Tufted Duck flew in (and probably some arrived just before I did – the c.20 leaving the lake as I was leaving)
- Coot numbers were my highest-ever count of adults here – larger numbers only when small juveniles present
- Kingfisher here yet again
- Siskin over
Birds noted flying over
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Siskin
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 28 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 1 (0♂) Common Teal
- 34 (19♂) Mallard
- 59 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen only
- 27 Coots again
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: same adult bird for last 4 visits?
(Ed Wilson)
Trench Lock Pool: 10:02 – 10:46
Location
(46th visit of the year)
Notes
- not sure whether the Goosander, seen flying low away to the S had come from the water or not
- Grey Wagtail here again
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Jay
- 19 Starlings
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 9 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 10 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
1 (1) Goosander
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Moorhens
- 149 Coots
- 57 Black-headed Gulls
- 46 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls
This 1st winter gull caught me eye as being somehow different. The photo shows while superficially like a Lesser Black-backed Gull the secondary coverts are too pale and suggests a Yellow-legged Gull. The pale head would support that view but remember that the low sun at this time of year can ‘burn out’ many markings and I remain to be convinced.
Another strange gull: the primary coverts seem to be the palest area on what is otherwise a very dark wing, so dark that it cannot really be anything other than a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull. Also rather odd is that the eye looks to have a pale iris whereas I would expect it to be dark on any large 1st winter gull: the bill is however all-dark, as it should be. Gulls remain a puzzle.
Not all adult Great Crested Grebes have completely lost their head-plumes: here one struggles to separate a fish [?species?] from the weed.
(Ed Wilson)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Flash: 09:28 – 09:58
Location:
(98th visit of the year)
Notes
- the / a duck Teal back again – perhaps just hiding yesterday?
- the Pochard seem to have gone
- once again some Tufted Duck flew in (and probably some arrived just before I did – the c.20 leaving the lake as I was leaving)
- Coot numbers were my highest-ever count of adults here – larger numbers only when small juveniles present
- Kingfisher here yet again
- Siskin over
Birds noted flying over
- 4 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Siskin
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 28 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 1 (0♂) Common Teal
- 34 (19♂) Mallard
- 59 (35♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Moorhen only
- 27 Coots again
- 31 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull: same adult bird for last 4 visits?
(Ed Wilson)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Trench Lock Pool: 10:02 – 10:46
Location
(46th visit of the year)
Notes
- not sure whether the Goosander, seen flying low away to the S had come from the water or not
- Grey Wagtail here again
Birds noted flying over
- 1 Jay
- 19 Starlings
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 17 Canada Geese
- 9 (5♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 10 (2♂) Tufted Ducks
1 (1) Goosander
- 2 Little Grebes
- 3 Great Crested Grebes
- 12 Moorhens
- 149 Coots
- 57 Black-headed Gulls
- 46 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 6 Herring Gulls
Here is a nice shot of the underside of a 1st winter Lesser Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2014
2014
Trench Lock Pool
Location
Long-tailed Duck
(Jim Almond)
2013
2008
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
9 Cormorants
8 Pochard
117 Tufted Ducks
2000+ Wood Pigeons
400+ Fieldfare
125+ Redwings
33 Starlings
10+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Gadwall
Shoveler
2 Water Rails
c.50 Lapwings
c.150 Golden Plover
6 Redwings
3 Fieldfare
Chiffchaff
Several Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
65 Pochard
65 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
50 Coots
500+ Golden Plover
1 Woodcock
790+ Black-headed Gulls
1753+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
962 Wood Pigeons
130 Fieldfare
93 Redwings
393 Jackdaws
135 Rooks
174 Starlings
34 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Dabchick
9 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
5 Ruddy Duck
Water Rail
800 Black-headed Gull
Cormorant
10 Redwing
9 Reed Bunting
3 Redpoll
9 Siskin
(Martin Adlam)
Trench Lock Pool
Location
Long-tailed Duck
(Jim Almond)
2013
Priorslee Lake
1 Wigeon
7 Gadwall
2 Teal
59 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
27 Moorhens
239 Coots
c.440 Wood Pigeons
8 Song Thrushes
567 Fieldfare
7 Gadwall
2 Teal
59 Tufted Duck
1 Water Rail
27 Moorhens
239 Coots
c.440 Wood Pigeons
8 Song Thrushes
567 Fieldfare
26 Redwings
270 Jackdaws
270 Jackdaws
106 Rooks
c.310 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
103 Starlings
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
8 Goosander
139 Coots
52 Redwings
55 Fieldfares
571 Jackdaws
128 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
c.310 Starlings from roost
(Ed Wilson)
2012
Priorslee Lake
103 Starlings
3 Gadwall
6 Pochard
19 Tufted Ducks
8 Goosander
139 Coots
52 Redwings
55 Fieldfares
571 Jackdaws
128 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)
2008
Priorslee Lake
8 Great Crested Grebes
9 Cormorants
8 Pochard
117 Tufted Ducks
2000+ Wood Pigeons
400+ Fieldfare
125+ Redwings
33 Starlings
10+ Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2007
Priorslee Lake
Gadwall
Shoveler
2 Water Rails
c.50 Lapwings
c.150 Golden Plover
6 Redwings
3 Fieldfare
Chiffchaff
Several Siskins
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
65 Pochard
65 Tufted Ducks
1 eclipse drake Ruddy Duck
1 Water Rail
50 Coots
500+ Golden Plover
1 Woodcock
790+ Black-headed Gulls
1753+ Lesser Black-backed Gulls
962 Wood Pigeons
130 Fieldfare
93 Redwings
393 Jackdaws
135 Rooks
174 Starlings
34 Greenfinches
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Dabchick
9 Pochard
63 Tufted Duck
5 Ruddy Duck
Water Rail
800 Black-headed Gull
Cormorant
10 Redwing
9 Reed Bunting
3 Redpoll
9 Siskin
(Martin Adlam)