Location
Afternoon: 14:30
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
12 Gadwall
10 Pochard
3 Shoveler
2 Raven
(John Isherwood)
Morning: 06:57 – 09:38
Telford sunrise: 07:58
6.5°C > 11.0°C. Started with low cloud and slight drizzle; soon cloud lifted with some breaks. Light SW veered SW and increased with arrival of the clearance. Moderate visibility becoming good
Highlight, as already reported, was my first-ever Kittiwake at The Flash. Was alerted to the presence of birds in the area by Steve Nuttall’s excellent Belvide blog but when nothing was seen in with the Black-headed Gulls at the lake I assumed we had missed. These birds are more usual in the Spring – it seems that some Kittiwakes, essentially Pelagic gulls, ‘short-cut’ between the Severn and The Wash and stop off if they encounter bad weather. I saw none at the lake this Spring. I assume this bird was storm-blown by the recent gales.
A nice ‘welcome home’ – been in the US for 2 weeks. Will take a few days for me to settle in to the proper routine
(142nd visit of the year)
Notes
- an adult Mute Swan flew E to the S of the lake early on, apparently not even looking at the lake. Much later an unringed adult landed on the water – just perhaps the same? This bird was soon chased off
- my equal-highest count of Gadwall this morning
- 2 drake Shoveler back
- 6 fast-flying and slim ducks in the distance were likely Goosanders
- Water Rail heard just once from the NW reedy area
- still rather few gulls with no large gulls on the water until after 09:15
- apart from 2 small groups of high-flying Wood Pigeons on the move – N-bound, strangely – very few birds around
- a single Starling seen leaving the reeds: 3 more singles overhead
- Cetti’s Warbler probably still present: not 100% sure, but several calls from its usual area that I could not ascribe to any other species
- c.400 Jackdaws in a large group at 07:43; then 102 more logged, all heading S. Just 3 Rooks
- very small passage of both Fieldfare and Redwings
- 3 Siskins heard overhead: later at least 8 Siskins, 3 Redpolls and c.20 Goldfinches in the Alders by the time I left
and
- 2 moths on the lamps – singles of Winter Moth (first of season) and Mottled Umber
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Mute Swan (see notes)
- 16 (1 group) Greylag Geese
- 6 Goosanders
- 78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 54 Wood Pigeons (2 passage groups)
- c.500 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks only
- 3 Starlings (singles)
- 5 Fieldfare (2 groups)
- 10 Redwings (3 groups)
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- >27 Magpies
- 1 Starling
- 6 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 3 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 11 (7♂) Gadwall
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Shoveler
- 11 (9♂) Pochard
- 65 (35♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 28 Moorhens again
- 238 Coots
- c.270 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
A Winter Moth on one of the lamps. Small size and gentle curve on outer wing-edge identifies – not too many other species of moth fly at this time of year but with the mild conditions ....
Male Siskin getting down to some serious breakfasting on the Alder cones.
A different male Siskin taking a moment to eat the seed while the right way up!
With a Goldfinch equally adept at extracting seeds – all you need is a sharp pointed bill.
(Ed Wilson)
Priorslee Flash
Location
-------------------------------
Morning: 06:57 – 09:38
Telford sunrise: 07:58
6.5°C > 11.0°C. Started with low cloud and slight drizzle; soon cloud lifted with some breaks. Light SW veered SW and increased with arrival of the clearance. Moderate visibility becoming good
Highlight, as already reported, was my first-ever Kittiwake at The Flash. Was alerted to the presence of birds in the area by Steve Nuttall’s excellent Belvide blog but when nothing was seen in with the Black-headed Gulls at the lake I assumed we had missed. These birds are more usual in the Spring – it seems that some Kittiwakes, essentially Pelagic gulls, ‘short-cut’ between the Severn and The Wash and stop off if they encounter bad weather. I saw none at the lake this Spring. I assume this bird was storm-blown by the recent gales.
A nice ‘welcome home’ – been in the US for 2 weeks. Will take a few days for me to settle in to the proper routine
(142nd visit of the year)
Notes
- an adult Mute Swan flew E to the S of the lake early on, apparently not even looking at the lake. Much later an unringed adult landed on the water – just perhaps the same? This bird was soon chased off
- my equal-highest count of Gadwall this morning
- 2 drake Shoveler back
- 6 fast-flying and slim ducks in the distance were likely Goosanders
- Water Rail heard just once from the NW reedy area
- still rather few gulls with no large gulls on the water until after 09:15
- apart from 2 small groups of high-flying Wood Pigeons on the move – N-bound, strangely – very few birds around
- a single Starling seen leaving the reeds: 3 more singles overhead
- Cetti’s Warbler probably still present: not 100% sure, but several calls from its usual area that I could not ascribe to any other species
- c.400 Jackdaws in a large group at 07:43; then 102 more logged, all heading S. Just 3 Rooks
- very small passage of both Fieldfare and Redwings
- 3 Siskins heard overhead: later at least 8 Siskins, 3 Redpolls and c.20 Goldfinches in the Alders by the time I left
and
- 2 moths on the lamps – singles of Winter Moth (first of season) and Mottled Umber
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Mute Swan (see notes)
- 16 (1 group) Greylag Geese
- 6 Goosanders
- 78 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
- 4 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 1 Stock Dove
- 54 Wood Pigeons (2 passage groups)
- c.500 Jackdaws
- 3 Rooks only
- 3 Starlings (singles)
- 5 Fieldfare (2 groups)
- 10 Redwings (3 groups)
- 3 Pied Wagtails
- 3 Siskins
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- >27 Magpies
- 1 Starling
- 6 Redwings
The counts from the lake area
- 3 Mute Swans (see notes)
- 11 (7♂) Gadwall
- 10 (6♂) Mallard
- 2 (2♂) Shoveler
- 11 (9♂) Pochard
- 65 (35♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 8 Great Crested Grebes
- 1 Water Rail heard
- 28 Moorhens again
- 238 Coots
- c.270 Black-headed Gulls
- 9 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull
Much better start to the day than of late!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Priorslee Flash
Afternoon
No sign of Kittiwake this afternoon.
(John Isherwood)
-------------------------------
Morning: 09:43 – 10:22
(99th visit of the year)
Other notes
- just 3 Canada Geese flew in to join the feral bird. This raises the question as to what has happened to the two (or more) birds apparently with broken wings that were present all summer amongst the moulting party
- rather low counts of Tufted Duck and gulls for date – mild weather?
- Kingfisher here yet again
Birds noted flying over
None
The counts from the water
- 2 + 3 Mute Swans
- 3 Canada Geese
- 1 all-white feral goose
- 32 (21♂) Mallard
- 25 (14♂) Tufted Duck
- 1 all-white feral duck
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 3 Moorhens
- 21 Coots
- 1 Kittiwake
- 27 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
An adult winter Black-headed Gull for comparison.
(Ed Wilson)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On this day in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014
2014Priorslee Lake
Today's sightings Here
2012
Priorslee Lake
3 Gadwall
7 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
1 Goldeneye
1 Goosander
142 Coots
33 Redwings
2 Fieldfares
203 Jackdaws
50 Rooks
3 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)
2010
Priorslee Lake
1st-winter Mediterranean Gull
500 Black-headed Gulls
Yellow-legged Gull
800 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Great Black-backed Gulls
30 Herring Gulls
A drake hybrid Mallard x Pintail
(Tom Lowe)
Overdale
11 Waxwing
(Observer Unknown)
Granville Country Park
10 Waxwing
100+ Redwing
6 Bullfinch
20+ Redpoll
1 Tawny Owl
3 Sparrowhawk
1 hovering Buzzard
(Stuart Edmunds)
2009
Priorslee Lake
Yellow-legged Gull
(Richard Vernon)
The Wrekin
Firecrest
(Observer Unknown)
2006
Priorslee Lake
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
23 Pochard
58 Tufted Ducks
65 Coots
>450 Black-headed Gulls
1128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Robins
29 Blackbirds
46 Fieldfares
6 Song Thrushes
19 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
168 Jackdaws
122 Rooks
1 Siskin
15 Linnets
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
1 Little Grebe
3 Great Crested Grebes
23 Pochard
58 Tufted Ducks
65 Coots
>450 Black-headed Gulls
1128 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
30 Robins
29 Blackbirds
46 Fieldfares
6 Song Thrushes
19 Redwings
2 Mistle Thrushes
168 Jackdaws
122 Rooks
1 Siskin
15 Linnets
4 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2005
Priorslee Lake
10 Reed Buntings
A duck Wigeon
3500 Black-headed Gulls
2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Pochard
53 Tufted Duck
228 Coot
496 Jackdaws
193 Rooks
(Ed Wilson)