Priorslee Lake: 07:13 – 09:36
Location
Telford sunrise: 08:16
1.0°C > 2.5°C. fine with some high cloud; light SSW wind; very good visibility; just frosted
(2nd visit of the year)
Notes
- good count of Pochard
- rather more Coots than I logged yesterday afternoon, but many seem to have left
- low number of gulls with some of the early Black-headed Gulls flying straight over
- single Starling group from roost
- single Redwing seen leaving the roost area but that was only viewed from a distance this morning
- at least 9 Siskins in the alders briefly
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Collared Dove
- 370 Jackdaws
- 15 Rooks
- 1 Fieldfare
- 5 Greenfinches
- 1 Siskin
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- 76 Magpies
- 15 Starlings (1 group)
- 1 Redwing
- 2 Reed Buntings
The counts from the lake area
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Gadwall
- 12 (6♂) Mallard
- 18 (16♂) Pochard
- 44 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 12 Great Crested Grebes
- 25 Moorhens
- 139 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
Location
Telford sunrise: 08:16
1.0°C > 2.5°C. fine with some high cloud; light SSW wind; very good visibility; just frosted
(2nd visit of the year)
Notes
- good count of Pochard
- rather more Coots than I logged yesterday afternoon, but many seem to have left
- low number of gulls with some of the early Black-headed Gulls flying straight over
- single Starling group from roost
- single Redwing seen leaving the roost area but that was only viewed from a distance this morning
- at least 9 Siskins in the alders briefly
Counts of birds flying over the lake (in addition to those on / around lake)
- 1 Greylag Goose
- 2 (1♂) Mallard
- 14 Black-headed Gulls
- 40 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
- 1 Feral Pigeon
- 1 Collared Dove
- 370 Jackdaws
- 15 Rooks
- 1 Fieldfare
- 5 Greenfinches
- 1 Siskin
Birds seen leaving roosts around the lake
- 76 Magpies
- 15 Starlings (1 group)
- 1 Redwing
- 2 Reed Buntings
The counts from the lake area
- 5 Cormorants
- 2 Mute Swans
- 4 (3♂) Gadwall
- 12 (6♂) Mallard
- 18 (16♂) Pochard
- 44 (25♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 Grey Heron
- 1 Little Grebe
- 12 Great Crested Grebes
- 25 Moorhens
- 139 Coots
- 22 Black-headed Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
A red sky: could it be that it is about to rain – again!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1st visit of the year)
Notes
- the usual Greylag x Canada(?) Goose that seems to appear here every winter
- large count of Canada Geese
- as with the lake some Coots seem to have departed
- low number of gulls here also
Birds noted flying over
Notes
- the usual Greylag x Canada(?) Goose that seems to appear here every winter
- large count of Canada Geese
- as with the lake some Coots seem to have departed
- low number of gulls here also
Birds noted flying over
None
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada(?) Goose
- 99 Canada Geese
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 20 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 105 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
This year’s photo of the Greylag x Canada Goose, here next to a Canada Goose for comparison.
And here the hybrid on its own. The dark tip to the bill might be part of the Canada Goose genes but the white outline around the base of the bill could indicate some White-front or Bean Goose genes – more likely the latter as that could be the source of the dark tip to the bill.
The counts from the water
- 2 Mute Swans
- 1 Greylag x Canada(?) Goose
- 99 Canada Geese
- 6 (4♂) Mallard
- 3 feral Mallard-type ducks
- 20 (10♂) Tufted Ducks
- 1 (0♂) Goosander
- 2 Cormorants
- 4 Great Crested Grebes
- 9 Moorhens
- 105 Coots
- 42 Black-headed Gulls
- 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull
- 4 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
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On this day in 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014
2014
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Scaup
2 female Scaup
(Paul King)
2013
Priorslee Lake
103 Coot
147 Black-headed Gulls
25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
63 Tufted Duck
1 drake Scaup
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)
Priorslee Flash
4 Goosander
38 Tufted Duck
(Tony Beckett)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
5 Great Crested Grebe
20 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
66 Tufted Duck
236 Black-headed Gulls
36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
East of Priorslee
Willow Tit
Skylark
Brown Hare
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
69 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
8 Swans
4 Gadwall
23 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
256 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
c.40 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson and unknown observer)
Priorslee Lake
1 drake Scaup
2 female Scaup
(Paul King)
2013
Priorslee Lake
103 Coot
147 Black-headed Gulls
25 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
63 Tufted Duck
1 drake Scaup
2 Great Crested Grebe
17 Pochard
(Tony Beckett)
Priorslee Flash
4 Goosander
38 Tufted Duck
(Tony Beckett)
Little Wenlock, Candles Landfill Site
1 Caspian Gull
(Observer Unknown)
2012
Priorslee Lake
Water Rail
5 Great Crested Grebe
20 Pochard
17 Tufted Duck
c.200 Black-headed Gulls
92 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
6 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
24 Redwings
(Ed Wilson, John Isherwood)
Priorslee Flash
66 Tufted Duck
236 Black-headed Gulls
36 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
3 Herring Gulls
(Ed Wilson)
East of Priorslee
Willow Tit
Skylark
Brown Hare
(John Isherwood)
Holmer Lake
69 Goosander
(John Isherwood)
2010
Priorslee Lake
Bittern
8 Swans
4 Gadwall
23 Pochard
55 Tufted Ducks
256 Coots
c.800 Black-headed Gulls
c.500 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
c.40 Herring Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
Willow Tit
2 Siskins
(Ed Wilson and unknown observer)
2007
Priorslee Lake
38 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
15 Goosanders
2 Buzzards
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>215 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
32 Robins
15 Blackbirds
179 Fieldfares
104 Redwings
274 Jackdaws
266 Rooks
218 Starlings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
38 Pochard
53 Tufted Ducks
15 Goosanders
2 Buzzards
>1000 Black-headed Gulls
>215 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
22 Herring Gulls
32 Robins
15 Blackbirds
179 Fieldfares
104 Redwings
274 Jackdaws
266 Rooks
218 Starlings
5 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)
2006
Priorslee Lake
9 Great Crested Grebes
13 Cormorants
10 Pochard
24 Tufted Duck
207 Coots
2 Lapwings
c.850 Black-headed Gulls
2 Great Black-backed Gulls
96 Lesser Black-backed Gulls
61 Herring Gulls
1 Yellow-legged Gull
309 Jackdaws
493 Rooks
12 Pied Wagtails
10 Fieldfare
15 Robins
12 Blackbirds
1 Willow Tit
2 Siskins
1 Redpoll
11 Greenfinches
3 Reed Buntings
(Ed Wilson)