21 Dec 15

Priorslee Lake: 06:57 – 09:38
Location

Telford sunrise: 08:19

3.5°C > 6.5°C Clear and fine start, red sky by sunrise and cloud ahead of rain later. Moderate SW wind. Very good visibility, decreasing somewhat

(157th visit of the year)

Notes
- a pair of Mallard seen mating
- a pair of Goosanders flew W pre-dawn: a pair flew E some 30 minutes later, presumed to be the same
- the Water Rail was flushed from just alongside the concrete ramp. No calls were heard – this species seems more vocal when >1 bird is present
- very few Black-headed Gulls this morning; also rather few large gulls, but am getting used to that
- no large parties of Jackdaws seen or heard this morning
- I heard the Cetti’s Warbler call just once at the W this morning
- the Redwings seen leaving roost this morning were from scattered locations all around the lake
- 8 Reed Buntings seen leaving the W end roost: at least one more heard calling here. There are usually a few more birds roosting along the N side. Numbers are higher than last year
and
- 1 Mottled Umber moth on the lamps

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 26 Canada Geese
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 2 (1♂) Goosander
- 25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 3 Feral Pigeons (1 group)
- 154 Jackdaws
- 13 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtails again
- 18 Redwings (3 groups)
- 24 Siskins (2 groups)

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- 63 Magpies
- 47 Starlings (2 groups)
- 11 Redwings
- 8 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (6♂) Gadwall
- 15 (8♂) Mallard
- 11 (9♂) Pochard
- 68 (38♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons again
- 12 Great Crested Grebes again
- 1 Water Rail
- 27 Moorhens
- 221 Coots
- 49 Black-headed Gulls
- 8 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 5 Herring Gulls

A great sunrise this morning: this was the start.

Later more extensive.

And at its peak as more cloud spread in ahead of rain.

Another view (well there is not much else of interest at the moment)

Today’s Mottled Umber moth on a lamp.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:47 – 10:11
Location
(49th visit of the year)

Notes
- Canada Geese were flying in with some of each group flying over to Middle Pool
- one of the Cormorants had the crested look that is acquired in breeding plumage, though the plumes that give this effect had yet to show any white
- 2 Jays seen – not that common here

Birds noted flying over
- 16 Canada Geese (2 groups)

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 26 Canada Geese
- 19 (11♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 74 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Cormorants
- 3 Great Crested Grebes again
- 5 Moorhens
- 182 Coots
- 62 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2005, 2009,  2012, 2013 and 2014

2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here
(Ed Wilson)

2013
Priorslee Lake
5 Gadwall 
2 Teal 
7 Pochard 
74 Tufted Ducks
221 Coots
2 Fieldfare
65 Redwings
228 Jackdaws
119 Rooks
13 Siskins
(Ed Wilson)

2012

Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall.
12 Pochard
12 Goosanders
51 Tufted Ducks
145 Coots
c.280 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
c.265 Jackdaws
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

The Flash
12 Goosanders
4 Pochard
38 Tufted Duck
12 Goosanders
7 Coots
42 were Herring Gulls
44 Black-headed Gulls only on the water
(Ed Wilson/John Isherwood)

Trench Lock Pool
32 Mute Swans
42 Tufted Duck
168 Coots counted
1 Great Black-backed Gull.
(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

Black-necked Grebe
Little Grebe
8 Great Crested Grebes
22 Swans
1 Gadwall
51 Pochard
148 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
1 Snipe
1 Woodcock
274 Coots
8000+ gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
7 Redwings
16 Goldfinches
13 Siskins
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson/Martin Adlam/Jim Almond)

2005
Priorslee lake
9 Pochard
16 Tufted Duck
c.2000 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
c.500 Black-headed Gulls
5 Great Black-backed Gulls
11 Herring Gull.
c.200 Coot 
1 Water Rail
15 Pied Wagtails
243 Rooks
532 Jackdaw
31 Siskin
2 Redpoll
16 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)