7 Dec 15

Priorslee Lake: 06:54 – 09:39
Location

Telford sunrise: 08:06

11.0°C > 13.0°C. Started very dull with the Telford ‘hat’ in evidence – all around it was brighter on the horizon. Eventually cleared to bright sunshine at c.09:00. Light SSE wind. Moderate visibility, good after clearance. Very mild again.

I think the presence of the Telford ‘hat’ of low cloud is demonstrated by the passage of the Jackdaws which was nearly five minutes earlier than yesterday yet the street lights went out some five minutes later. Some of the difference may have been due to the might lighter wind that would have afforded the birds faster passage but I suggest it was partly that it was not so dull where they came from

(148th visit of the year)

Notes
- at last a few geese seen, though all a long way away to the N and heading NE
- just the duck Shoveler this morning. The Gadwall all coped with yachting yesterday and many of the Pochard and Tufted Ducks were back
- at least 14 Great Crested Grebes this morning
- Cetti’s Warbler heard today with a brief sub-song heard. The bird roamed along the N shore at least as far as the main reed bed this morning
- 7 Starlings left the reeds in the NE area of the lake
and
- yet another different Mottled Umber; also a wingless female, likely this species seen

Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 3 Greylag Geese (1 party)
- 75 Canada Geese (5 parties)
- 3 (?) Goosanders
- 51 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 2 Herring Gulls
- 6 Feral Pigeons (2 groups)
- 641 Jackdaws
- 6 Rooks
- 4 Pied Wagtails
- 9 Greenfinches
- 4 Siskins

Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- 39 Magpies
- 7 Starlings (1 group)
- 7 Redwings yet again
- 4 Reed Buntings

The counts from the lake area
- 2 Mute Swans
- 9 (5♂) Gadwall again
- 9 (5♂) Mallard
- 1 (0♂) Shoveler
- 12 (8♂) Pochard
- 67 (35♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 14 Great Crested Grebes
- 30 Moorhens
- 257 Coots
- c.140 Black-headed Gulls
- 18 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Herring Gull

This almost wingless female moth seems likely to be a Winter Moth. I took this ‘safety’ shot against the still lit street-lamp – just as well as after dawn it must have crawled off somewhere. Against the light the markings are hard to discern and there are five species of ‘winter’ moths in which the female is flightless. This seems to be a strategy to allow the female to use all her energy for egg production. The caterpillars of these moths use the same technique as spiders for distribution known as ‘ballooning’ – they climb to the top of vegetation and cast-off with a long strand of silk and get carried off by the breeze.

(Ed Wilson)

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Trench Lock Pool: 10:03 – 10:31
Location

(49th visit of the year)

Notes
- Little Grebes seemed to be new in
otherwise little change and nothing of note

Birds noted flying over
None

The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 64 Canada Geese
- 10 (4♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 52 (20♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 2 Little Grebes
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 6 Moorhens again
- 171 Coots
- 25 Black-headed Gulls
- 6 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 3 Herring Gulls

(Ed Wilson)

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On this day in 2005, 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2014
2014
Priorslee Lake
Today's Report Here
(Ed Wilson)

2012
Priorslee Lake
9 Pochard.
55 Tufted Ducks.
153 Coots.
615 Black-headed Gulls
354 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
21 Herring Gulls.
(Ed Wilson)

 2009
Priorslee Lake
4 Great Crested Grebes
9 Cormorants
33 Swans
25 Pochard
61 Tufted Ducks
297 Coots 
2 Buzzards
19 Goldfinches
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
(Ed Wilson)

2006
Priorslee Lake
3 Great Crested Grebes
1 Cormorant
17 Greylag Goose
9 Pochard
46 Tufted Ducks
>1400 Black-headed Gulls
>230 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
5 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull 
1 Great Black-backed Gull
23 Robins
16 Blackbirds
2 Fieldfares
3 Redwings
259 Jackdaws
257 Rooks
7 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)

 2005
Priorslee Lake
2 Little Grebes
9 Pochard
31 Tufted Duck
234 Coot
205 Jackdaws
473 Rooks
154 Fieldfare
4 Redwings
8 Redpolls
46 Siskins
6 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)