23 Dec 15

Priorslee Lake:
Location

Afternoon update: 15:00

1 Cetti's Warbler -  still vocalising in NW bulrush bed
13 Gadwall
12 Pochard
20 Greenfinch
Kestrel
Willow Tit

(John Isherwood)


 Morning Report: 07:00 – 09:40

Telford sunrise: 08:19 yet again

4.0°C > 6.5°C Fine and clear. Light / moderate SW wind. Good visibility

Went to look at the historic Redwing roost and stayed too long failing to find more than 2 birds: as a result I missed most of the distant outbound geese, many of the Magpies and all of the Reed Buntings leaving their roosts

(159th visit of the year)

Notes
- a sub-adult Swan present by 06:45 but soon seen off
- another new record count of Gadwall – 15 today
- many Mallard seen flying around pre-dawn may or may not have been counted later
- Little Grebe reappeared: same?
- over past week a slight reduction in number of Coots: strange at this time of year unless hard-weather related
- no idea where most of the Jackdaws have done: no large groups seen today
- Cetti’s Warbler calling and alarm-calling in NW area again
- 2 Goldfinches seemed to have roosted in the SW trees last night: not noted roosting by this species anywhere near the lake recently (there used to be a few with the Greenfinches in the bushes chopped down ahead of the Academy being built)
and
- nothing on the lamps

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 20 Canada Geese (2 groups)
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 11 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 11 Herring Gulls
- 131 Jackdaws
- 7 Rooks
- 2 Pied Wagtails again
- 9 Redwings (2 groups)
- 5 Greenfinches
- 10 Siskins
- 1 Redpoll

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- 32 Magpies (partial count)
- c.95 Starlings (3 groups)
- 2 Redwings again
- Reed Buntings not noted

The counts from the lake area
- 3 Mute Swans
- 15 (10♂) Gadwall
- 7 (4♂) Mallard
- 10 (8♂) Pochard
- 59 (33♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 Grey Herons
- 1 Little Grebe
- 12 Great Crested Grebes
- 24 Moorhens
- 198 Coots
- 77 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Great Black-backed Gull

The pellucid sunrise on a (relatively) chilly morning.

Only managed to capture this just after the event: the Crow was harassing the Buzzard and had flown at it and ‘over shot’!

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 09:49 – 10:24
Location

(52nd visit of the year)

Notes
- the Yellow-legged Gull was standing on a buoy which was handy. Sadly it flew off just as I was raising the camera.

Birds noted flying over
- 1 Canada Goose

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 33 Canada Geese
- 11 (8♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 82 (??♂) Tufted Ducks
- 2 (0♂) Goosander
- 1 Cormorant
- 1 Little Grebe
- 2 Great Crested Grebes
- 8 Moorhens
- 163 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls
- 3 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 4 Herring Gulls
- 1 Yellow-legged Gull

A different backdrop for this brownhead Goosander. The ‘lump’ in front is a preening Coot.

This is the ‘other’ brownhead Goosander having a stretch and showing the head-shape and plumes to good-effect.

Two for the price of one! The flying bird is a 2nd winter Herring Gull with a completely grey mantle and inner primaries and a few secondaries. The bird on the water is, I believe, the Yellow-legged Gull that was standing on the buoy before it flew off. It is rather pale for this species and I think a 3rd winter: note the extensive black on the large bill and a hint of brown tones on the otherwise pale mantle. The head is rather paler than many Herring Gulls would be, but this a rather variable feature. But compare with flying bird.

From the left the gulls are a 1st winter Lesser Black-back, a 1st winter Herring (a rather small bird, probably a female), a 2nd winter Herring Gull and the putative 3rd winter Yellow-legged Gull. Not easy with the bills held at different angles, but compare the size and length of the bill on the Yellow-leg.

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014

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

2013
Priorslee Lake
1st winter female Great Scaup

Horsehay Pool
Kittiwake

2012
Priorslee Lake
4 Gadwall
14 Pochard
29 Tufted Ducks
3 Goosanders
178 Coots
2 Redwings
4 Siskin
(Ed Wilson)

The Flash
3 Pochard
44 Tufted Duck
28 Goosanders
(Ed Wilson)

Trench Lock Pool
30 Mute Swans
40 Tufted Duck
1 Goosander
161 Coots
1 Great Black-backed Gull
(Ed Wilson)

2009

Priorslee Lake

1 Little Grebe
1 Black-necked Grebe
18 Swans
4 Gadwall
41 Pochard
75 Tufted Ducks
2 Water Rails
311 Coots
600 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
2 Yellow-legged Gulls
12 Goldfinches
10 Siskins
(Ed Wilson/Dawn Balmer/Peter Wilson)

2006
Priorslee lake
2 Great Crested Grebe
3 Cormorants
32 Pochard
24 Tufted Ducks
1 Water Rail
64 Coots
c.100 Black-headed Gulls
23 Redwing
(Martin Adlam)

2005
Priorslee lake
10 Pochard
15 Tufted Duck
c.400 Black-headed Gulls
c.100 Lesser Black-backs
1 Water Rail
20 Pied Wagtails
365 Rooks
325 Jackdaw
1 Kingfisher
51 Siskin
7 Redpoll
13 Greenfinch 13
12 Reed Bunting
(Martin Adlam)